#SummerXMoody: Next up is utexasrtf student Belton Gaar, who is spending his summer in Tokyo, Japan, studying at Waseda University and immersing himself in the international filmmaking community. “During my time abroad, I’ve learned how to navigate and find success in cultural and social contexts that were completely new to me,” he says. It’s been a transformative experience for Belton, one that has taught him to collaborate, communicate, and grow in ways he didn’t expect. “Even 6,000 miles away from Texas, I’m still applying what I’ve learned at Moody to make an impact in my new community, especially leadership and confident communication skills.” Studying in Tokyo has been a long-time dream for him. “When I was a kid, my family would take me to Japanese punk rock concerts in Austin. I started learning Japanese in high school, and it was my teacher who encouraged me to pursue filmmaking. She even helped me make my first short film for San Antonio’s Japanese Film Competition,” he sh...