Three years ago, I landed at San Francisco International Airport with one backpack, two suitcases, a little excitement — and a lot of anxiety. I was a soon-to-be 19-year-old, alone in a foreign country, and about to start a life I had dreamed of since childhood. Growing up in Japan, I had always been fascinated by American life. I watched American TV shows and imagined myself walking through American cities, chatting in English, and becoming someone bigger than who I was. Now, standing in a place by myself, a place I had seen on screens, I wondered, "Can I really do this?" Looking back now, as I enter my final year at San Francisco State University, the answer is yes — but not because everything went smoothly. My journey has been far from perfect. But through every challenge, I’ve grown into a version of myself I never thought possible — one who is more confident, expressive, joyful, grateful and curious than ever before. 🔗 Read more at link in bio. ✍️: Takumi Sugawara (takumi_s_...