Mayu Takushima is a 21-year-old exchange student from Tokyo. Takushima shares her experiences as being a Japanese exchange student in America.

For Takushima, she has experienced many advantages as a Japanese student at UGA. She says she is considered unique and interesting by her classmates and friends. She appreciates the advantages as a Japanese person in the U.S. She does not personally experience discrimination.

In Takushima’s opinion, being called Asian rather than individuals taking the time to understand where in Asia specifically she is from offends her at times.

“Being called Asian is a little bit offensive to me because I think originally I would not consider myself as an Asian, because Asia is very broad and vague and there are so many different countries which all have different histories, cultures, and values and just saying ‘Asian’ cannot be applied to the whole country.”

Women in Asia face discriminations and stereotypes in America according to Takushima.

“Some American people assume that Japanese women are very gentle and we will never reject them so sometimes it makes me feel uncomfortable.”