Meet Team Japan

While growing up in South Florida, Alana had the opportunity to study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina the summer between her Sophomore and Junior years of high school. This trip abroad led her down the path of wandering all over the world while pursuing a BA in Spanish at DePaul University in downtown Chicago. During college she traveled to Peru, Chile, Turkey, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Greece, and Japan. She then lived in the Basque region of Spain upon graduation to work as a certified English teacher. She then moved to Napa Valley to follow a passion for wine making which she had discovered while working at a winery in Tuscany. She moved to Austin in 2021 to be closer to family while she taught English to Spanish speaking professionals. In her free time, she is always making travel plans whether it be domestically to a national park, or abroad to continue to wander about world. Alana loves the quote “Not all those who wander are lost.”

Hi! My name is Stuart but feel free to call me “Stu”, it’s been my nickname ever since I was a kid. I was born in North Miami beach, but I was raised in the city of Pembroke Pines, Florida. When I was a kid, my parents would always take me on trips to Disney World, which first sparked a small flame for hospitality, hotels, and travel of course. Over time, we slowly started to travel to other states, to experience some of our Nation’s beautiful history, people, and landscapes. I have seen the White House and visited Times square. I will always remember attending Derek Jeter’s last game at Fenway Park in Boston, but most of all taking in the view of Grand Canyon was unlike anything I’d seen before. Even so, something was missing. I recently graduated from Florida International University in December ’21 with my bachelor’s in hospitality management and a focus on travel and tourism. In my time at FIU, I wanted to learn about international cultures and people so that I could continue learning about myself as an individual. I achieved this goal when I studied abroad remotely as an intern in Vietnam, and it was the best decision I ever made. It will be my pleasure to assist you along your journey in making this dream a reality.

Leina was born in Japan but spent her early years living in other countries like Singapore, France, Romania, and Thailand. She came back to Japan at the age of 10 and then studied in New Zealand during high school to learn English. After getting a Bachelor’s degree in Japan, Leina worked at a local company for two years before joining TEAN. During her free time, she loves singing, playing the guitar, and watching anime. Leina is enthusiastic about sharing her study abroad experiences and supporting TEAN students during their time in Japan.

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Riki returned to Japan when he was 18 years old to attend university in Japan. After graduating with a degree in Tourism, he worked with a travel agency for three years. His experience in the travel industry has driven Riki to be very passionate about intercultural excursions. Riki is excited to share his passion for travel and Japanese culture with TEAN students. In his free time, Riki enjoys outdoor activities such as mountain climbing, camping, and hiking.

Pronouns: He/Him