The First Lady’s Travel Journal: Make Your Own Mark on Our World

Michelle Obama (Archives)
3 min readMar 22, 2015

This post is part of a series authored by First Lady Michelle Obama to share her visit to Japan and Cambodia and the Let Girls Learn initiative with young people in the U.S. Find out how you can get involved at letgirlslearn.peacecorps.gov.

On this trip, I had the pleasure of standing with leaders who are making historic investments in girls’ education — and I had the privilege of meeting extraordinary girls and the community leaders, volunteers and teachers who are working so hard to help them go to school and pursue their dreams.
Along the way, I experienced the rich culture and history of two fascinating countries.

First Lady Michelle waves upon departure from Siem Reap Airport in Siem, Reap Cambodia on March 22, 2015. The First Lady traveled to Japan and Cambodia as part of the “Let Girls Learn” initiative. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

I hope you enjoyed following along and that you will draw inspiration from this journey as you continue on your own journey.

I hope you’ll follow the example of the amazing girls we met and really take ownership of your education, and I hope you’ll follow the example of our inspiring Peace Corps Volunteers and find a way to give back and help others.

Finally, I hope you’ll continue learning about Japan, Cambodia and other countries around the world. You don’t have to get on a plane to do this. You can just get online, and you’ll find a whole universe of information about other cultures, languages and traditions that you can explore. There is so much to know and experience, so I hope you will keep on learning and dreaming and preparing yourself to make your own mark on our world. Thanks so much for following along on this trip!

First Lady Michelle Obama is joined by Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Akie Abe, the First Lady of Japan, during a “Let GIrls Learn” announcement held at the Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, Japan on March 19, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama greets students following the “Let GIrls Learn” announcement held at the Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, Japan on March 19, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy visit with families at the American Embassy in Tokyo, Japan on March 19, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama, along with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg visit Kiyomizu-Dera Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan on March 20, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, Jack Schlossberg and Eigen Onishi, senior monk, participate in the ritual of cleaning hands and drinking from Otowa Waterfall at Kiyomizu-Dera Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan on March 20, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama talks with Taiko drummers during a tour of Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine in Kyoto, Japan on March 20, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama and Mrs. Bun Rany Hun, First Lady of Cambodia, are greeted by students while visiting the Room to Read program at Hun Sen Bakorng High School in Siem Reap, Cambodia as part of the “Let Girls Learn” initiative on March 21, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama visits with students at the Room to Read program at the Hun Sen Bakorng High School in Siem Reap, Cambodia as part of the “Let Girls Learn” initiative on March 21, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama visits with students at the Room to Read program at the Hun Sen Bakorng High School in Siem Reap, Cambodia as part of the “Let Girls Learn” initiative on March 21, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama visits Angkor Wat along with tour guide Mony Pech in Angkor Wat, Cambodia on March 21, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama visits Ta Phrom in Angkor Wat, Cambodia on March 21, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
First Lady Michelle Obama visits Angkor Wat, Cambodia on March 21, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

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Michelle Obama (Archives)

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