I joined the ELP from July 1st, 2023 to July 28th, 2023, and although it was such a short adventure, it was definitely one of the richest experiences I have ever had in my life. It was my summer holiday at the end of my 2nd year in University, and I was looking for something inspiring that could spice up my life! ELP was introduced to me by my university as one of the summer study abroad programs. So, I took this opportunity to leave Japan, explore a new environment, make new friends and challenge myself.
"The program, the people I met, and my life at Penn ELP has given me a wider lens on how I view the world and what I can do to become a better part of it."
ELP sounded very appealing to me because it is offered by University of Pennsylvania, which was somewhere I always wished I could study at. As expected, the campus was full of diverse students from various backgrounds, and my classmates were all very active, excellent learners who stimulated and enhanced each other. Not just my classmates, but my teachers were all friendly and passionate people too! My goal was to polish my English abilities, make new friends and immerse myself into a completely new world. The program, the people I met and my life at Penn ELP has given me a wider lens on how I view the world, and what I can do to become a better part of it.
My program was only 4 weeks, which meant lots of condensed assignments. Both individual and group projects were conducted simultaneously, and on top of that there were many field trips along the way so we were all kept very busy. Having said that, this challenge was something I enjoyed in the end, and I am grateful for all the fruitful days.
The various field trips and the days I just threw myself into the new city is what I miss the most about my adventure. I was able to visit many places, interact with new friends, eat lots of new food and also learn new cultures. I hope the future applicants of ELP will also experience the same precious memories I made, because it’s something you can only have at Penn ELP.
