Kansai Guidai University | Asian Studies Program, 2023
A prelude to Kansai Gaidai University’s First Annual Homecoming event.
Upon starting my degree, at the London Metropolitan University, I quickly became aware of the student exchange program. A student exchange program is designed to encourage students to study at a university abroad in collaboration with their institution.
The university in Bologna, Italy, and Roosevelt University, in Chicago, USA, were among my choices, but my heart was set on Japan from the very start.
There is an undeniable appeal to visiting a foreign country, but my love of martial arts, coupled with my Manga and Anime-fuelled upbringing, was what led me, and many others, to study in Japan.
Many accomplished travellers will understand there are some aspects of international travel which should be experienced first-hand to be fully appreciated. The prospect of studying abroad can be exciting, such as immersing oneself in a brand-new culture and meeting new people.
Delving into unchartered territory, however, can be terrifying. Whatever your experience, it’s bound to be memorable and a stepping-stone towards personal growth.
The exchange student programme I attended at Kansai Gaidai University, in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, will be inaugurated at the end of May 2023, when Asian Study Program alumni from around the world will gather on campus. The university will also be offering distance interaction, a virtual celebration of the First Annual Homecoming event, aimed at students unable to attend the event in person. The event is bound to enrich your life academically and can help propel you onto the social platform.
Many would-be exchange students worry about the language barrier. The inability to speak a foreign language should not be a deterrent. Many students spoke languages that I didn’t know. And most exchange students only speak English, so you will not stand out.
My spoken Japanese was non-existent. Still, as I speak Italian as well as English, I was able to intermingle with both Italian exchange students, as well as English speakers from around the world.
Conversely, many Japanese students at the campus spoke a reasonable amount of English and would encourage us by inviting us on faculty-organised outings.
Before I arrived, I never imagined that I would be experiencing an entirely new way of life.
As I negotiated my way around unfamiliar situations, my inability to communicate in Japanese with the natives propelled me to step out of my comfort zone.
As a result of handling the many unforeseen challenges that come with living abroad, I developed my strengths and identified my weaknesses.
There is always a valuable lesson to be learned.
When in doubt, I recommend talking less, listening more, and observing everything. The answer to some of the most prevailing questions can be easily identified by using discernment and perception. Other times you should politely ask for clarification.
Remember to control your facial expressions when you are speaking with someone. Too broad a smile will give the wrong impression. Your interlocutor might think that you are mocking them, or that you are simple-minded. Either way, whenever possible and appropriate, it is best to always keep a pleasant smile.
Whenever we first start to study at university, we invariably notice that the teaching style differs completely from the adolescent-oriented academic curriculum. It is like working with a bricklayer one day, only to wake up in a master stone masonry the next. Studying in a different country is similarly disconcerting. One should be mindful of this mandatory transition.
When studying abroad, exchange students often take the opportunity to travel to nearby countries to see nearby parts of the world.
Studying abroad can enhance one’s curriculum vitae, as the experience can promote global employment opportunities. Potential international employers will recognise your problem-solving capabilities and the fact that you possess the resilience necessary when adapting to a new culture and changing situations.
Many students, me among them, opt to stay in their host country after studying abroad. When you choose to study abroad, it’s like taking a test run to see if you can imagine living somewhere different from your country of origin. And, if your goal is to learn a new language, studying abroad will give you a jump start. The host university of your choice will also provide language courses to improve your language skills.
Many Japanese people are under the misconception that foreigners in Japan are misfits in their home country, which is why they choose to live in Japan. Due to this mindset, a Japanese native in his habitat will often ask a foreigner the following passive-aggressive question:
“Why did you come to Japan?”
It is recommended that foreigners not take offence and simply respond with a ubiquitous:
“Sightseeing”.
There are several living accommodation settings. The most popular is, living with a host family, or in a room in a student dormitory. The differences are self-explanatory. A host family setting is more suitable for students accustomed to living at home with their own families. That said, a host family abroad will have additional house rules and regulations that will need to be considered.
Depending on the individual, some students will feel the absence of their families. Other students will revel in their newly found independence. Either way, a student exchange program is a rite of passage, an opportunity for emotional growth, and an exercise in social maturity.
To learn more please visit us at:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/Japan-Tourist-Aurora-Mizutani/dp/B0BXN7F68P
https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/japan-for-tourist#ratings-and-reviews
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