The first time Mitchell Cao sat down to dinner in Tokyo, he hesitated. The restaurant was crowded, the menu handwritten in Japanese, and he wasn’t certain what he’d just ordered.
“I had no idea what I was about to eat,” said Cao, a cybersecurity management and analytics major in the Pamplin College of Business. “But I realized I couldn’t just stick to what I was used to. If I wanted to experience Japan, I had to dive in — and for me, that started with food.”
Food had always mattered to Cao. Growing up, his family placed a strong emphasis on sharing meals together. During his semester at Tokyo International University (TIU), it became an even more powerful way to connect.
“I truly think food is the most universal method of communication,” he said. “Whether it was getting lunch with other TIU students or meeting local businessmen in late-night izakayas, there was always a new experience to be had when obtaining a meal.”
One of his favorite memories was a sampler of raw oysters from across Japan. Each reflected a different region, from saltier varieties in the north to sweeter ones in the south. “The freshness was unlike anything I’ve ever had before,” Cao said. He added that many of the best meals came from hidden, hole-in-the-wall shops — “almost impossible to go wrong.”
Cao had always loved traveling, and his sister’s study abroad experiences in Italy and Vietnam inspired him to take the leap. Japan, with its food, architecture, and way of life, was always at the top of his list.
He spent the semester at TIU through ISEP Study Abroad, a nonprofit network linking students to more than 200 universities in over 50 countries. While abroad, he also served as an ISEP Student Ambassador, sharing his story with peers while navigating a new country himself.
Opening doors for more Hokies
Virginia Tech partners with ISEP as one of its specially selected providers. ISEP offers semester, yearlong, and summer programs in nearly every field of study, along with service-learning and internships. Scholarships are available, many focused on underserved populations or students studying languages and less common destinations.
“These partnerships allow us to offer Hokies a wide range of high-quality programs at all price points in places where we know students will be supported and can thrive,” said Tess Dunn, assistant director for partnerships and affiliations with the Global Education Office, part of Outreach and International Affairs.
“Whether a student is studying cybersecurity, food science, or the arts, there are opportunities through ISEP and our other affiliates in almost every country,” Dunn said. “One of my favorite things about ISEP is that it offers our students experiences in places considered more ‘off the beaten path’ while still ensuring they are supported and safe. Equally important, ISEP brings students from all corners of the world to Virginia Tech, enriching our classrooms and our community.”
Developing such partnerships is one way Virginia Tech is working to lower financial barriers to transformational learning experiences such as study abroad, a core goal of the Virginia Tech Advantage initiative.
Virginia Tech has partnered with ISEP for decades, a history that includes welcoming exchange students from around the world to Blacksburg. One of them, Christoph Leser, arrived from Germany in 1986 through ISEP and loved the experience so much that he extended his stay at Virginia Tech as a degree-seeking student. Today, Leser, who earned two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in engineering mechanics, is a global education ambassador for the university and speaks passionately about the opportunities that exchanges create for both Hokies and international students.
“An exchange is never just one-sided,” he said. “ISEP brings Hokies into the world, and it brings the world to Virginia Tech. Decades later, I can still see how powerful those connections are — shaping careers, friendships, and the way we see ourselves within the Hokie world and in a global community.”
Students interested in ISEP programs, as well as the many others available to Hokies, can learn more at the Study Abroad Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 23, on the Drillfield or by talking with a peer advisor in the Global Education Office.
Advice for future travelers
“My advice would be to just do it,” Cao said. “If you have even the slightest desire to study abroad, I would say absolutely do it. The experience is life changing, and it’s one you’ll never forget.”
Cao said his semester abroad changed the way he thinks about everything from respect to curiosity.
“After spending time in Japan, I feel like my appreciation for the things around me has become stronger,” he said. “I’ve also found more importance in being respectful to everyone around me, even if I don’t actually know them. Both of those values are very prominent in Japanese culture, and I think our society would be greatly benefited if they were more actively implemented.”
As for what he misses most now that he’s back in Virginia? The food, yes — but even more, the people.
“I am a firm believer that the people make the place,” he said. “With any study abroad experience, that remains true. The true gem of studying abroad is the people you will meet and the bonds that will last a lifetime.”
AloJapan.com