“Books don’t just tell stories," said Lowery, a freshman Computer Information Systems student from Japan. “They connect us to places we’ve never been and people we’ve never met.”
As a “military kid,” Lowery’s home base growing up was Japan, but his travels have taken him far beyond it—across oceans and continents and through every single U.S. state.
“We went everywhere,” he said.
Along the way, he built a library, not just of books but of experiences. Instead of keeping these treasures to himself, he chose to share them with the Center for Global Education, offering Flagler College students a glimpse into the cultures he’s explored.
"These books aren’t just collections of words; they’re pieces of my journey,” Lowery said with a smile. “Books, like travel, are meant to be shared. If you keep them to yourself, the stories remain locked away—but when you share them, they come alive in the minds of others.”
A book that Lowery says stands out from the collection was one he picked up in the States titled, “Amazing Gardens of the World;” he liked the idea that the intricate beauty of a garden is persistent around the world “no matter where it is.”
When Lowery casually mentioned that he’d traveled to all 50 U.S. states, I couldn’t hide my surprise. What had driven him to embark on such a journey? Lowery seemed tickled by my curiosity, his eyes reflecting a quiet determination.
“I dive fearlessly into the unknown,” he said. “Every place, no matter how small or overlooked, has a story waiting to be discovered. I don’t just visit places—I step into them, I listen, I learn.”
Lowery's ambitious journey to visit all 50 U.S. states took just two years, from April 2022 to Spring 2024. He noted a particularly memorable experience from his North American travels: seeing the Gulf Coast for the first time. At that exact moment, Lowery said he realized that the U.S. “is actually more beautiful than most countries” he had previously traveled to.
“A surprising thought to discover,” he said.
Lowery's love for exploration began in childhood, with trips alongside his mother that shaped his worldview.
“As a child, traveling teaches you something powerful,” he said. “You see the world not just through your own eyes, but through the kindness of strangers and the rhythm of different cultures.”
Lowery’s first solo adventure was a trip to Canada, but it was the longing to rediscover his homeland, Japan, that he said, “truly ignited his wanderlust.” In re-exploring his own country and adventuring around the globe, he reflected on the most important lesson he had learned:
“To live in the moment,” he said. “Every step along the way has taught me something new about myself and the world around me.”
Driven by the same curiosity, his journey of discovery transcends maps and borders, rooted in a deeper understanding of life and the belief that travel reshapes one's interactions and perspectives, fostering greater empathy.
“When I step into a new world, it feels like I’m uncovering hidden corners of my soul,” he said.
For Lowery, the destination itself matters little; what he said truly holds value to him is finding what was previously unnoticed. “When you stay in one place too long, you forget what the world looks like.”
Lowery’s collegiate journey has been informed by much of the same enthusiasm for new experiences. To him, college is more than just an academic destination—it is a space for exploration and innovation.
“Flagler isn’t just a college to me; it’s a world of new opportunities waiting to be discovered,” he said. “I want to gain more than just a degree from here, I want to build a new world.”
It's has also been a place of belonging for Lowery; through his pursuit of international education, he found community as well.
“I don’t feel like a stranger here,” he said. “I love Flagler, and I love being bilingual because it makes me different.”
However, he acknowledges the challenges that often come with traveling beyond the comforts of the culture and language you’ve always known.
“Sometimes, when you come from another country, you don’t really know who you are or which culture you should belong to,” Lowery said. “Sometimes, I feel like [you can] lose yourself.”
Being bilingual has been a key to Lowery’s sense of belonging to Flagler, and wherever his travels take him.
“When you’re bilingual, you don’t just speak different languages; you become familiar with different cultures,” he said. “It’s like coming from two different books, two different worlds.”
Lowery’s perception of language as “more than just a tool for communication” seems to be part of the reason he was inspired to generously donate his collection of books to Flagler: to open those other worlds to his peers through the magic of his international book collection.
“These places that we only know [the] names of are actually homes of others who have stories similar to ours,” he said. “Even the farthest corners of the globe have experiences you can relate to... I hope [ through this collection], the students at Flagler College can experience how beautiful, vast, and endless this planet really is.”
Lowery plans to stay at Flagler until he completes his studies, making the most of every day he has the opportunity to spend in St. Augustine. After graduating, he hopes to work in the States for a while but eventually find his way home to Japan.
“Flagler has given me the adventure I’ve always wanted, and now I’m living each day exactly the way I want,” he said.
Interested in exploring the world through international education? Learn more about academic adventures that await by visiting Flagler College's Center for Global Education website or by emailing global@flagler.edu
