My trip to Japan was an incredible opportunity to test the boundaries of my capabilities and try something new. I had never before participated in a program or work environment that dealt with corporations, nor did I previously see myself enjoying it. The opportunity to participate in the Venture Makers Exchange Program in Japan developed a passion to expand on the skill set I currently have available, particularly in areas of leadership, idea creation and research.

I have previously worked on teams for the creation of projects, yet none were to the extent presented in the tour. Participating in workshops with companies such as AstraZeneca, MCC Foods, TOA and Anchor Kobe provided insight into the skills required to develop a corporation and the technical difficulties that can be faced along the way. This was particularly evident during the group start-up phase of the program, where my team was tasked with developing a start-up for AstraZeneca. This was an enriching opportunity to combine the skills of each member to create a project we were all proud of in our start-up 'Medimove'. It was initially challenging to come up with the idea; however, with the expertise of the staff and guest speakers, we formed a creative project.

I am incredibly grateful to have been granted such a unique opportunity to step foot into a world I had no experience in. To then also have this opportunity in an environment such as Kobe, which has different cultural expectations and realities than what I am used to at home, was eye-opening and beneficial when viewing the needs of societies in a broader context. Most of all, collaborating with students from all over the world was incredibly rewarding and helped develop lifelong connections and friendships.