May 2, 2025
From Small-Town Michigan to the Heart of Japan: Parker Tungate’s Study Abroad Journey
Parker Tungate is currently pursuing a bachelor of science degree in Marketing with a minor in International Business. He will graduate in the spring of 2026, but last fall he spent a semester abroad in Hirakata, Japan. He studied at Kansai Gaidai University, where he was put into the Asian Studies program that helped him acquire credits for his minor in International Business. This program gave him a broad range of classes focused on Japanese culture and international business.
Tungate came to Ferris with the desire to study abroad. He came from a small town in Michigan and explained his mentality before his studies. "I want to go somewhere completely different... I want to experience cultural shock and to expand myself." He was drawn to Japan because of its art, architecture, and how much the country cares about the environment.
Not only was he able to experience Japanese culture, but he also interacted with students from different cultures all over the world. He was put into the international dorms which he described as “a bunch of different countries living together.” There were students from Finland, Norway, Germany, and numerous other places. When they got together, they discovered that their lives were vastly different. However, they also bonded over their common goal of wanting the new experiences that came with studying abroad.
Throughout his classes in Japan, his professors had vastly different backgrounds. He had one Japanese professor, one Korean professor, and two American professors who now live in Japan. With this diverse group of teachers, Tungate explained how “It was so interesting getting the perspectives [of an] American that has lived in Japan for decades or a Japanese person who is teaching to international students.” This resulted in every class being vastly different.
One of the major cultural differences that Tungate experienced was how respectful people are in Japan. They are very respectful of many things like different religions, cultures, and the belongings of others. Tungate experienced different shops that no one visibly worked at. People would simply walk in, pick up their items, and use a machine to pay what they owed. It was different than what he was used to in the United States.
While there, Tungate was able to participate in many cultural events such as sports festivals and mochi pounding. He was always finding new things to do and experience what Japan had to offer. He explained that “every day was something completely different and new. It was so awesome.” He also got the chance to teach about the culture of the United States. He joined an English Club that was helping older people learn English so, he got to talk about both his hometown and his time in college.
One bit of advice that Tungate holds with him is “Don’t say no to anything” while studying abroad. This advice was given to him by a friend who previously studied abroad, and he stands by it. It enabled him to make new friends from different cultures and make the most of his time in Japan. Another thing he learned and lives by is “it’s not about where you are going, it’s about how you got there.” He advocates for taking in every moment as it happens rather than looking to the future.
Studying abroad drastically changed Tungate’s life plans. After he graduates next spring, he plans on moving back to Japan. He explained how Japan made him happy, how the people were so kind, and how he had so many places left to explore. He said his study abroad trip helped him realize that there is so much more out there in the world.