I have been surrounded by glimpses of Japanese culture throughout my whole life. From being born in Japan to Australian parents, to growing up alongside Japanese cooking, shows and movies, to hearing stories about Japan from my parents and visiting to see old family friends, the culture of Japan has always hovered in the periphery of my life. From this came my desire to study Japanese at high school, which then continued into a Bachelor of Japanese Studies at the University of Western Australia as I worked to learn and understand more about the country I had been told so much about. Hence, my main motivation abroad came from a desire to gain fluency in the the Japanese language and gain a deeper and direct understanding of Japanese society and culture and to review through my own lens how it differs to that of Australia. Furthermore, I have always had a passion for Law and once my undergraduate degree is complete have a direct pathway into a post graduate law degree at UWA. With this came a growing interest in international relations and specifically the modern relationship between Australia and Japan. My aim of my study abroad experience is to gain as much fluency as possible in Japanese, and to fully immerse myself in the Japanese culture and lifestyle, to learn about Japanese legal systems and the geopolitical position that Japan and Australia hold in the rapidly emerging and changing Asia Pacific region. My year of study at Kobe University will also allow me to get to know students of many different nationalities each who will bring with them a view of Japan from a unique and valuable position. There are not many other places where students can engage with such a broad range of cultures and exchange views and opinions with such a diverse student population. I aim to engage with as many students possible, both Japanese and international students alike, to study, listen and exchange and form a deeper understanding of Japan, its culture and place in the world.

If I were to describe my exchange so far the only word I can think of is exhilarating. I’ve had so many experiences, met so many people and learned so many things that I never would have been able to in Australia. My goal when I first came to Japan was to immerse myself in everything I could to get the most out of my experience. With this thought came the challenge of putting myself out there – something I always struggled with in Australia. Despite the struggle at the beginning, I can most definitely say it was worth it. I joined a sports club at the university and after overcoming the shock of club intensity in Japan, it quickly became such a big part of my life and gave me a sense of belonging. Even now through the summer holidays as I write this, I continue to do club activities and our club has only grown bigger. This is by far my most immersive experience so far with there being no English speakers in the club meaning I have no choice but to use my Japanese, whilst terrifying at the beginning, has grown my confidence so much. The most important thing I learnt was that even if I don’t know how to say it properly giving it a go is the most important. The people I’ve met are so patient and always simply appreciate the fact that I’m trying to speak Japanese and support me. My studies have also progressed a lot quicker than I think they would have in Australia. The speed at which I am picking up Japanese has drastically increased and day by day I can feel myself understanding more and more. On top of this I’ve been slowly exploring more of Japan and the breathtaking sceneries you find wherever you go is something I’m sure I won’t forget. Learning about the language and culture so far has been immensely satisfying and I’m excited to see what the rest of the year brings.

From this exchange experience I feel like as a person I have grown in so many different ways. Obviously one of the main things is my language skills. After being exposed constantly to Japanese for a year I found my confidence in my language skills drastically increased and with this increased confidence I was able to form long lasting friendships with other Japanese students that I will treausure even after I will return home. Other than that I found that I’ve found that my time management skills have also improved after having to manage study, club activites and social outings which when put together becomes a very busy schedule. Living by myself and learning to manage myself was a challenging yet rewarding experience and the skills I took away from it are ones that will definitely help me in the future as I slowly become more independent.
Studying in Japan has cemented my future goal of wanting to work in the international field with my law degree and if possible I would love to work within Japan-Australia relations to maintain the connection I made to this country over the year I have been living here.