I am walking across a pedestrian. Around 1000 asian looking people are walking next to me, light flashes everywhere and loud advertising music sounds from the speakers of the big advertisment screens which are located in front of the windows of first few floors of the skyskrapers. Around 500.000-800.000 people pass this crossing every day. The place where I am right now is called shibuya and is the biggest crossing of Japan and also the biggest in the world. The reason why I am at this "unreal" but at the same time fascinating place on the other side of the world is a long story – and I want to share a part of it with you to show you how delighting it can be to travel the world and to become a "citizen of the world".
My name Martin Priessner I am from Austria and currently I am studying at the University of Tokio for an exchange semester.
My big passion for exploring other countries and cultures developed quite some time ago when i decided to become part of the rural youth organization in my home town. As a boy from a countryside farmer family it is and was very commen for young people in my region to join a local youth club and to learn about my own culture and traditions.
First i thought it will be "just" some fun while meeting new people and enjoy parties together but after some time I found out about the great opportunities that an youth club like (Landjugend = name of the organization) can offer.
I started participating to international conferences and organized some together with some equal minded friends with whom I shared the same passions: exploring new cultures and different countries and sharing that experiences with friends.
I realised over time that as soon as you get into international "adventures" (as i like to call that) you want to see and learn more from the world and from the people who live there. And because of that I also gain the opportunity to do my master thesis in Japan which is so far my biggest step out of my comfort zone because japan is a country that was and as i found out is very very !different!
Because pictures speak louder than 1000 words i share here some with you
now, that you reached the end of this blog I want to finish with an personal advice:
Get involved with the passion of internationality by traveling the world and develop yourself to a "citizen of the world" and you will see the world and also your home in different eyes."