Meet Ava DeLauro ’26. The population health major spent eight weeks this summer in Osaka, Japan, with the Iacocca International Internship Program. The experience allowed her to intern at Hello xLab, a tech startup focused on UX-driven experiential and product design.
As a design intern, DeLauro worked on user interface designs, created brand assets, and helped grow an audience for technology to serve industries like retail and travel, as well as for home use.
Follow along as DeLauro shares her personal diary of the trip, where she explored different cities, temples, and food.
Sunday, June 8, 2025
My first day in Japan, and I explored a lot. The first thing I did was buy myself ramen at a local ramen shop two minutes from my apartment. It was delicious and only $6.50 USD. Then I walked to a rose garden two minutes away and admired the roses. Our group had a welcome dinner too, and I got to try more unique cuisine in Japan.
Monday, June 9, 2025
My first day of work at Hello xLab! Our boss, Dwayne Grech (CEO of Hello xLab), was very welcoming. I worked with a great group of people. Most of us were from Lehigh, and we got closer over the weeks. Even though the work was asynchronous, it was a collaborative working environment. Everyone’s work fit in like a piece of a puzzle, and this internship made me feel what it was like to be part of a team.
After work on the first day, a few of us went exploring the city. We went to Shinsaibashi, which is a major shopping area, and Dotonbori, a major food area in Osaka. Dontonbori is also known for its famous Glico running man sign. This area is all lit up at night, and the streets come alive with different glowing signs.
Friday, June 13, 2025
My first day in Kyoto! I explored the Fushimi Inari Taisha, a very famous Shinto shrine in Japan known for its thousands of bright red torii gates. We also went to the Toji-in temple, a Buddhist temple with a five-story pagoda that is the tallest in Japan. I enjoyed reading about the different sculptures and structures. The garden surrounding the pagoda was beautiful. From both of these cultural sites I learned so much about Japanese history during my visit.
After this day, I visited different parts of Kyoto at least 5-6 more times. There are over 4,000 temples and shrines in Kyoto, with many being over 1,000 years old.
Friday, June 20, 2025
I visited Nara! This was one of my most unforgettable memories of the trip because the city is known for Nara Park, which has hundreds of roaming tame sika deer. The deer had beautiful antlers and cute white spots on their backs. I got to pet the deer and even feed them! One of the cutest things is that the deer bow to you before you get to pet them and before you feed them.
Thursday, July 17, 2025
All of the interns got to go to the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. Our boss, Dwayne Grech, is also the director of the Malta Pavilion at the expo. Malta’s national day at the expo celebrates Malta and its relationship with Japan. It was such a unique experience. Over 100 countries attended and presented their latest technologies and parts of their culture that they were proud to share. I visited many different pavilions and learned so much about different regions and what they looked like. It inspired me to travel more.
Friday, July 25, 2025
Tenjin Matsuri Festival, one of the biggest festivals in Japan, is held in the heart of Osaka. This was such a cool cultural event that I am happy I got to see. During the day, I saw the large land parade with portable shrines, dancers, and musicians. At night, there was a boat procession carrying the different shrines. When it got dark, there was a cool fireworks display.
Friday, August 1, 2025
My last day in Japan — I spent my morning going on a run to and around Osaka Castle, which was only 1.5 miles from my apartment. It’s one of Osaka’s biggest landmarks and is beautiful with ornate detailing. During the day, I walked around Shinsaibashi and treated myself to a last ramen dinner. I walked back from dinner and admired the streets of Osaka with its pretty lights. Overall, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Japan, and I am beyond grateful for Iacocca and thrilled that I got to go.
Yours truly,
Ava DeLauro ’26
Population Health
