Kris Shelledy

My name is Kris Shelledy and I am a pharmacy student on the Phoenix campus. I chose to go to Japan to experience a country and culture I have never seen before. I love to travel, and it's fun to go with friends!

My biggest concerns are coping with all of the unfamiliar things I will be exposed to. While that’s half the fun, it can be overwhelming sometimes. I admit I am a little nervous to eat sushi! The long overseas flight will also be a first for me also and I hope to use many of the tips my friends have shared. 

I am excited to meet new friends, learn about traditional Japanese herbal pharmacy, eat lots of Japanese foods I’ve only read about, and visit exciting historical places like temples and Hiroshima. I am especially looking forward to visiting Universal Studios Japan and meet international fans of my favorite movies!

Cory Saunders

Hi! My name is Cory Saunders, and I am a second year pharmacy student at the University of Arizona Phoenix Campus. I have always wanted to travel and see the world, so when I heard Dr. Katz was organizing a trip to Japan, I signed up immediately. When will I ever get another chance to go to Japan?

The thing that I'm looking forward to the most is the chance to get out, be somewhere else and just explore. I am definitely not a homebody and I tend to get very restless if I cant leave and go somewhere else every now and then. There is a whole world out there, why stay at home when you can experience it? I'm a firm believer that if you stay in one place for too long, you go crazy. Don't get me wrong, I like having a place I can call home. I just believe that everyone needs a break, even from their home.

The main concern I have for this trip is the flight time and the time difference. I love flying and everything, but I have never been on a plane for longer than 6 hours and it has always been a domestic flight. This will be the first time flying internationally, and the first time I've jumped more than 3-4 hours ahead. I'm a restless person by nature, so sitting on a plane in one seat for 11 hours is not going to be fun. I have also never experienced jet lag before, so I'm nervous about how I will feel once we land. I guess I'll find out if I'm really a traveler after this trip!

Michaela D'Angelo

Hello Everyone!

My name is Michaela and I am a second year student at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy downtown Phoenix campus.  I am an avid traveler and studied abroad during my undergraduate years so I was thrilled to learn the College of Pharmacy was going to Japan and I signed up immediately!  I chose to travel on this trip because Asia is a continent I haven't been to yet and I am excited to experience the culture and gain insight into their practice of pharmacy. 

I'm looking forward to connecting with the students at KGU and learning more of the healthcare system in Japan.  Also, I'm excited to explore the city and surrounding areas!  I'm most worried about the proximity of this trip to the beginning of the new school year as I prefer to have an adequate amount of time to prepare for the year and refresh from the material I previously learned.  In addition, I am active in organizations on campus and will have to assist in new student orientation upon our arrival so I will need to coordinate with fellow officers while I am abroad to ensure everything is ready to go.

Overall I can't wait to depart for Japan and begin this adventure!

Loi Duong

Hi everyone! My name is Loi Duong. I am a P2 student currently attending the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy (Phoenix campus). I always wanted to learn and experience pharmacy practices around the world. And I am so excited to travel to Japan this August with my classmates.

Japanese culture has greatly influenced me. Japanese manga and animation were very popular in Asia. I started to read Japanese manga since I was little (don't get me wrong, I do not know Japanese, but many manga series were translated to other languages). When IPSF offered the opportunity to study abroad in Japan, I did not hesitate to participate. It will be an awesome experience when I can visit the country and learn about its pharmacy practice. I can't wait to see my penpals, attend lectures, learn about herbal pharmacy and make new friends.

Japan is well-known by its politeness and formality. Besides the excitement, I also concern about how to get to familiar to their basic cultural and social norms so that I do not violate them, especially when we will be attending lectures with our Japanese cohort.

I am looking forward to seeing you all there!