I have been in Japan for nearly a week now and all I can say is, I LOVE IT! I am very excited to buckle down, try my best to become fluent, and most of all, continue exploring! I arrived a day earlier than the majority of the rest of my program, with the exception of one fellow study abroad-er. I didn't realize until later that we had actually arrived on the same exact flight. Anyway, we quickly became friends and we spent our first day exploring Sakae. After settling into our hotel we decided to try and find some food and happened to stumble upon Domatsuri! An amazing festival full of dancing, music, and lively colored attire from the participants. After standing in awe at Domatsuri, and of course snapping a few pics, we found a little hole in the wall type restaurant to sit down and enjoy some food. My first time eating in Japan was nothing short of perfect. We had yakiniku and it was the most delicious thing I have eaten since I've been here (though I expect it to be topped soon). Sakae was so pretty at night and I look forward to getting back out there sometime this semester to further enjoy the many places to shop and the nightlife as well.
I am beyond grateful for that first day I got to spend exploring Sakae, my newfound friend who I expect to have many more adventures with this semester, and of course the amazing photo opportunities and food! As for advice to future and current study abroad students, the best way to experience and explore a new terrain is with a friend and to get lost! (With at least two back up plans, of course.)
Artist note: I was pleasantly surprised to find graffiti covering up the majority of the side of a building, I immediately took a photo. I hope you enjoy the humble beginnings of my photography portfolio and look forward to you keeping up with my many adventures and explorations of Japan!
Moziah Thompson
<p>I am a graphic design student at Georgia State University. I work in a number of mediums including drawing, painting with oils, acrylics, and watercolors, and screen-printing. I tend to draw inspiration from artists such as Chuck Close, Dan Flavin, Roy Lichtenstein, KAWS, and Jeff Koons. I also enjoy studying different artistic styles as a whole, including: surrealism, pop art and Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Other than art and work, the majority of my time goes to listening to music and attempting to learn anything new from photography to playing a saxophone to transcendentalism. **attached creative sample is titled "A Groovy Portrait of a Universal Soul". 19.5x25.5. Micron pen and watercolor on paper.</p>
