Collin Testa

Collin Testa is no stranger to international destinations. In fact, the Connecticut native grew up not only in Thomaston, but also lived in St. Thomas and Grenada in the Caribbean for a while.  After graduating from Thomaston High School in 2018, Testa enrolled at Naugatuck Valley Community College to take his general education courses and then transferred to Western Connecticut State University. “I chose WCSU because it was recommended by one of my teachers back at NVCC,” Testa said. “I also like the Danbury area in which the school is located, and it’s close to the mall, where I like to go to each lunch often.”

Testa, who is majoring in English with a minor in History, aspires to be a teacher — a goal that has been positively influenced by one of his WCSU professors.

“Professor Hamid El Khalfi has made the greatest impression on me at WCSU,” Testa said. “I took his English Literature from 1798, English Literature to 1798, and American Literature to 1865 classes. All three were the best classes I have taken at WCSU. He is the type of teacher I strive to be one day. His influence and passion for his craft are inspiring and it makes me want to learn and participate in his classes each and every time.”

Testa’s interest in literature also was ignited at a Connecticut State Colleges and Universities English Conference.

“The conference was held at Central Connecticut State University, and all our sister schools also joined,” Testa said. “Professor Heather Levy encouraged our class to join and participate in it. I presented two papers, Angel of the House within Jean Rhys’s ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ and Displacement of Heart and Soul in Maisy Card’s ‘These Ghosts Are Family.’ The topic focused on was Caribbean Literature, and it was a great experience, which I would do again.”

Collin Testa (center) with fellow foreign exchange students in front of Mount Fuji.

Secure in the knowledge of what he wants to do in the future has been a great feeling for Testa, who said, “After high school, I had no clue what I wanted to do in life. My high school did not prepare me at all for the future, and I was completely lost. So, I went sailing in the Caribbean for a year and after that I went and worked during Covid-19 because I was doing poorly in my online courses at NVCC. My original goal was to become an electrician. That sounded so boring to me. A very unenjoyable life of the same thing every day, threading wire in a wall. One day I found a YouTube video of someone teaching in Japan. When I saw that YouTube video, I thought to myself, ‘What an amazing life that would be. It looks like so much fun.’ So, when people ask me why I want to teach in Japan, I just say, ‘Sounded like fun.’ Because what is life if there is not any joy? That thought really hit me and from that moment, I have put all my effort into making that thought a reality.”

Thanks, in part, to WCSU’s participation in the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), Testa is getting a taste of what that life might be like. He’s been studying abroad in Japan since last March.

“I am in Tokyo, Japan,” Testa explained. “I arrived in Japan at the beginning of March 2025, so I have been here six months now. I will be here until mid- to late-February 2026. I am studying at Toyo University and stay within the AI-House Hub 4 dormitories in Akabanedai, Tokyo. My passion for Japanese culture is actually quite new and spontaneous. I did not expect to study abroad. I expected to finish my degree and try to find work in Japan. It was not until my mother showed me and really pushed me to participate in the ISEP program.”

Collin Testa (right) with fellow foreign exchange students in front of Mount Fuji.

Testa said the thing that intrigues him most about Japanese culture is how it is still “so new” to the world. “Japan was a closed-off nation for hundreds of years and even after opening in the 19th century, it was not a big tourist attraction area until the last 10-20 years. So, seeing such a rich and unaffected culture is so interesting. The people here are so friendly and organized. Everything has a system, and everyone follows it. It is nothing like the United States and I love that aspect.”

While Testa has encountered some challenges with financial aid because Japan is on a different academic calendar than the U.S., he said he has been able to successfully study abroad because his mother has worked hard to make it happen. He said his experience “has gone so unexpectedly in the most amazing ways possible. I made friends from all around the world: Germany, Canada, Italy, Myanmar, China, Taiwan, France, Romania, Ukraine. It is amazing and I did not expect to make friends from outside of Japan. I have also made so many Japanese friends, as well as a Japanese girlfriend, who helps me learn Japanese and joins me on adventures around Japan.”

He cautioned that some students study abroad with the intention of cutting all ties when they leave, which people should be aware of when trying to make friends. “It is important to find friends who are not like this and who are deserving of your precious time while studying abroad,” he said.

Testa also advised, “If you do a study-abroad program, look into all available resources, scholarships, etc. Put yourself out there. Introduce yourself to everything. You never know who you will meet, what memories you will make, what opportunities may come from meeting another person. Go and live each day to the fullest. I saw so many students studying abroad and just sitting in their rooms playing videogames all day and night, skipping classes and not experiencing Japan. It is a shame to see that, and I hope others do not miss the opportunity like those I saw last semester.”

He expects to graduate in Spring 2027 and has a last piece of advice for fellow students. “Just do it. The experience is worth any setbacks that it may give you. If you have to do another semester because it does not fit your academic graduation schedule, who cares. It is your life, and this chance/opportunity will change your life. No amount of college/university in America will give you the experience that studying abroad will give you.”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.