Evan Ludington
Evan Ludington (he/him) - Lead Ambassador - Stanford in Kyoto
Major: History
Minor: Earth Systems
College year while abroad: Spring 2024
About the photo: Sunrise at Tsubakuro-dake after a long hike and a night at a mountain hike!
Contact
Email: evanlud@stanford.edu or click here to schedule an appointment.
Q&As
Why did you choose to study in Kyoto?
I knew that I wanted to study abroad as soon as I got to college. I’d always found traveling kind of stressful and tiring, but I liked the idea of spending a full 10 weeks (plus summer internship!) in order to really get to know a new place. I had taken Japanese a bit in high school, and had a passing interest in Japanese history and zen philosophy. So when I saw Kyoto was an option, I knew I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to study at such a historically significant and beautiful city.
How did studying away support your academic growth?
As an aspiring public servant, living in a place so unlike where I grew up was critical in shaping how I now think about making my community better. Japan is a totally different environment from the US, with a lot to admire as well as its own set of complex social issues. It was really inspirational to see how a different society approaches its problems. And the courses in Kyoto are designed to get you out and about in the city, so you’re never just learning about the country in the classroom.
What did you learn about yourself during your study away experience, especially through any challenges or major cultural adjustments?
My time in Japan was the first time I lived by myself. I was worried about making that leap in a new city and a new culture. I vividly remember telling a shop clerk “get well soon” when I thought I was saying “take care.” There was certainly a learning curve, but by the end sorting my trash the Japanese way, navigating the bureaucracy and healthcare, and even budgeting and planning activities didn’t feel so hard. When I got back, things that used to feel hard or draining felt easy. I’d done it in Japanese, so I definitely could do it in English.
Briefly describe a typical day and your favorite part of daily life in your program location.
Roll out of bed. Study for vocab quiz on the train to Doshisha University. Do Japanese class in the morning, then electives and field trips in the afternoon (some days). After class, tackle sidequests. Some days I would temple/museum hop or go to a nearby city to sightsee, but my favorite days were normally more humble. Kyoto has pretty loose zoning, so I would often just wander around with friends (both from Stanford and Japan!) to see what we could find—new cafes, shrines, farms, schools, all interspersed between houses. I’d often end the day with dinner near Kamogawa river, then sitting on the banks eating conbini ice cream for dessert.
If applicable, how did participating in an internship, volunteership or experiential-based project help you grow professionally? What specific skills did you gain?
The summer after my program I interned in Tokyo at a think tank called the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies. My projects involved a combination of research on energy policies, presentations to local governments, and community engagement, with lots of site visits. Nothing teaches you to understand complex information faster than having to translate your thoughts into a foreign language. I became a much better researcher, presenter, and facilitator. This was also my first internship in sustainability. Besides solidifying my interest, it opened up lots of opportunities for me, including my internship this past summer working on disaster resilience policy.
What was the most essential item you took with you on the program?
A solid cross body bag or small backpack. I was constantly in situations on day trips where I had to carry more than I comfortably could in my pockets, but didn’t want to lug around a full backpack.
What advice would you give students who are considering studying away?
Think about your time abroad as a part of your time at Stanford as a whole, not as an intermission. On campus, it’s easy to get caught up in your quarterly routine. But studying away allows you to break out of that routine while exploring your interests and ambitions from a valuable and different perspective.
I came back from Japan both with incredible memories and a new community, but also a much clearer picture of what I wanted to get out of my remaining time at Stanford. The latter alone made my time studying away more than worth it.