I was drawn to the beauty of the Chinese language and decided to major in Chinese. Through my university studies, I have acquired a solid foundation; however, I strongly feel that my speaking ability is lacking, and I have had limited opportunities to engage in daily conversations in Chinese. For this reason, I wish to immerse myself in China, where I can learn the living language and further develop my practical communication skills.
Changchun, Jilin Province, where I plan to study, is known as a region where relatively clear and standard Mandarin is spoken, despite the prevalence of strong dialects in many parts of China. Since dialects can sometimes pose a barrier to communication for learners, I believe that being in this linguistic environment will allow me to acquire natural and advanced proficiency in Chinese, including accurate pronunciation, a rich vocabulary, and expressive ability.
In addition, Northeast Normal University hosts relatively few Japanese students but attracts many students from diverse cultural backgrounds. This provides a valuable opportunity not only to improve my language skills but also to deepen my intercultural understanding and broaden my perspective through daily interaction and shared experiences.
Furthermore, I have a particular interest in China’s diverse cultures and forms of social life, especially the role of faith and cultural traditions in local communities. Jilin Province is home to significant ethnic and cultural diversity, and I believe that by living and engaging with people there, I can gain insights not only into the language but also into the social and cultural contexts in which it is rooted. Deepening this understanding will help me clarify the direction of my future research, particularly for my graduation thesis.

　It has been six months since I arrived in Changchun, and during this time I have gained many valuable experiences both academically and in daily life. In particular, in my class on Chinese idioms, I have been learning expressions that are commonly used by Chinese people in everyday conversation. For example, “he xi bei feng” (literally “to drink the northwest wind”) means “to have nothing to eat,” while “zuan niu jiao jian” (literally “to go into the tip of a cow’s horn”) means “to get stuck on trivial problems.” Encountering these expressions and ways of thinking that are unique to the Chinese language has further deepened my interest in studying Chinese.
　There are international students from Russia, Mongolia, Korea, and Egypt in my class, and we often talk about the cultures and daily lives of our respective countries, which I find very interesting.
　From December to January, I experienced extremely cold weather, with temperatures dropping to nearly minus 30 degrees Celsius. During this time, my Chinese friends helped me in many situations, such as by introducing useful apps and teaching me things necessary for daily life in China.
　When I visited Yanji, a Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province, I noticed that both Chinese and Korean were widely spoken in the city. This made me realize that diverse cultural communities exist even within China.
　Studying at a normal university known for its high-quality education and being surrounded by warm and supportive people, I feel that I am in a very fortunate environment. For the remaining six months, I hope to continue improving my Chinese language skills and deepen my understanding of Chinese society.

Through this study abroad experience, I significantly improved my ability to think and communicate in Chinese. In addition to classroom learning, daily life in the dormitory and interactions with Chinese students as well as other international students enabled me to acquire natural expressions and practical communication skills that cannot be learned from textbooks alone. Living in such a diverse environment also helped me develop a deeper appreciation for different cultures, values, and perspectives.
One of the most memorable experiences was visiting Yanji in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, where I saw both Chinese and Korean being used in everyday life. This gave me a firsthand understanding of China's linguistic and cultural diversity. I also became friends with a student from Yanbian, who shared insights into the Chinese Korean language, the history of the Korean ethnic community in China, and their culture and daily life. These conversations deepened my understanding in ways that classroom learning never could.
In addition, visiting the Northeast China Occupied History Museum and Unit 731 Museum in Harbin provided me with a valuable opportunity to reflect on the modern history of East Asia from multiple perspectives. Seeing these places in person reinforced the importance of understanding history accurately and promoting mutual understanding among neighboring countries.
After returning to Japan, I hope to continue improving my Chinese while making use of the Korean language skills I have also developed. I plan to incorporate what I learned during my exchange into my graduation research and aspire to build a career that utilizes both Chinese and Korean. Ultimately, I hope to serve as a bridge between Japan, China, and Korea, contributing to greater mutual understanding and cooperation throughout East Asia.