My name is Rhyan Cockrell, and I’m a sophomore at the University of Washington. I’m very excited that I get to participate in a study abroad exploration seminar in Japan from August 25th to September 18th. During this period, I will be staying in Tokyo, but I will also be able to visit Kyoto and Osaka. This blog will be a collection of my research and completed assignments from the trip. For my research, I will be focusing on the effect of political party alignment on national identity, comparing the formation of both American and Japanese national identities. While I’m in Japan, I hope to be able to attend a summer festival, try new types of food, see new sights, and do plenty of shopping. During my free time, I like to draw, play video games, cook, and knit.