Nagoya, Japan is something of a second home for Northern Kentucky University student Angelina Robins. As an international business major studying abroad, Robins was the first NKU student to choose to live with a host family rather than in a dorm at Nagoya’s Nanzan University—a decision that made her semester an incredible experience. 

“They’re truly my second family,” she says. “They were so nice to me. They took me so many places, cooked for me and really took care of me. That was such a blessing.” 

Robins spent the full 2023-24 academic year in Nagoya and is carrying that same enthusiasm into the current year while studying at the University of Ulsan in South Korea. If not for a freshman year language class, however, Robins may have never even considered studying overseas. 

When she enrolled at NKU in 2021, Robins planned to major in biology. 

“I had to take a language course, and I chose Japanese, just because I thought it sounded cool,” she says. “I didn’t think much of it initially, but as time went on, I was really enjoying learning the language.”

The following year, as Robins continued to take Japanese courses, she met the first Japanese and Korean exchange students to arrive at NKU post-COVID.

“I gained such deep connections with these people,” Robins says. “I fully immersed myself with them, and it was such a fun experience. They made my college time so fun, and I decided to take Japanese seriously, changing my major to international business.”

Studying at Nanzan University in Nagoya was a vastly different experience from NKU.  The campus was much smaller, with only one dorm, and lacked the frequent student events Angelina was used to. 

“In Japan, you primarily go to school to study,” she says. “You wake up, you go to class, and you come back home.”

Unlike most American universities, where students can stay on campus for everything, Nanzan’s students often commuted long distances, relying on public transportation. Without a campus meal plan, students had to seek out their own food, reinforcing a sense of independence. 

In contrast, Robins says that the University of Ulsan’s campus feels more American in terms of culture and atmosphere. Many students live on campus, with larger dorms, meal plans and plenty of on-campus activities. 

“The events for students are a little bit different in South Korea than they are in America, though,” she says. “Events at NKU might be a little more party-like, while the ones at Ulsan are more performances. They’ll bring Korean celebrities like singers to the school. It sort of feels like a festival, with free ice cream and pizza.”

Angelina’s study abroad experiences have solidified her passion for international marketing. 

“Switching my major to international business was the best decision of my life,” she says. 

Her time in Japan and Korea gave her firsthand insight into cultural differences in consumer behavior and business practices. She hopes to use her Japanese and Korean language skills to bridge international markets—whether by helping American brands connect with Asian consumers or vice versa. 

“I don’t want to cut my international ties just because I’m returning to the U.S.,” she says. “I want my career to stay intertwined with something international.” 

Ultimately, Robins’ experiences studying abroad have changed her view of America and its place in the world. 

“In America, you’re privileged enough to see people from many different backgrounds, so I thought I was already pretty open-minded,” she says. “But coming here, the culture can be so different that I feel like my mind’s been opened way more. Coming back to America after a year in Japan, things weren’t the same.” 

She encourages other students to take opportunities abroad if they can.

“Just imagine the connections you could make by stepping out,” she says. “It feels like just by opening one door, a million more open after that.”