The biggest reason why I decided to study in Japan is that learning Japanese in Japan is the best and fastest way for me to improve my language ability. I believe Mukogawa Women’s University enables me to be absorbed in Japanese language on a daily basis, take lectures taught entirely in Japanese, and experience Japanese culture at first hand.
I found there are many opportunities to meet Japanese students, which is very admiring, as I’ll share a MWU’s dormitory room with a Japanese student while I’ll have other Japanese students as my language partners at school. If it is possible I’d love to participate in club activities and have more chances to meet new people.
In the weekends and holidays I want to try to use public transportations and visit suburbs.
I hope to make good relationships with my roommate, language partners and all the people I’ll meet in Japan who come from many other countries, and make my life in Japan enjoyable.

Everything I have done since I arrived in Japan was totally new experience for me. I still clearly remember the moment when I realized “I’m in Japan” after I had a class at Mukogawa Women’s University even though it was unreal when I arrived in Japan by airplane. I had a confidence in my ability of listening, but I felt apologetic since I couldn’t understand Japanese in the first several weeks. However, I got used to my life in Japan and I realized “I’m glad I came here”. And I had my confidence back and found that the most important thing is experience rather than knowledge.
It was interesting to experience the national holidays in Japan. I enjoyed many events held in the dormitory and university such as dancing at the KIMONO show, making Korean food at the International Café, watching baseball game at Koshien Stadium, and dancing in the dormitory’s sports festival. I’m filled with all new experiences. Lots of things inside of me have changed, and I’m awakened. I’m getting energized by my own growth and feeling that I’m glad to be here. I would like to have more new interesting experiences in few more months I have left.

It’s hard to believe that my time in Japan is already a year now. I feel that time passes so quickly every day since my life in Japan has been very fun. I experienced many things which I had never experienced before. That experience made me grow up a lot and I think this study abroad program is a big turning point in my life.
I was thinking that I will have no problems to taking classes in Japanese at the very beginning since I had confidence in my listening ability. But when I started to take classes, I got into a little bit of a flurry since I couldn’t understand Japanese as much as I thought. And, not only listening but also answering questions was very hard and I admitted that the image of myself which I had before taking classes was too confident. I felt apologetic and lost my confidence, but I found it back as time went by and overcame fear of my Japanese.
During my stay in Japan, sometimes I thought I should have decided to come to Japan earlier. And I got upset with myself since I didn’t have enough courage to decide earlier. Through this program, I had an opportunity to think about importance of courage to make day-to-day progress. Sometimes I got upset with myself, but meanwhile, I felt I was very lucky to meet many people and they have made me who I am today.
When I was thinking about studying abroad in Japan and even after I came to Japan, I didn’t have an answer for my future plan. I was always thinking “what do I really want to do” and “what do I like to do”, but now I found the answer through my study abroad in Japan. I gained confidence as I have accomplished my task in another country using Japanese which is not my native language. Now I have a positive way of thinking and no hesitation in moving toward my goals.
I gained so many things; from tiny things to large ones through my study abroad experience. I developed a confidence and a brave heart, so I think I can decide which way to go so as not to regret any decision. Then I’ll believe in myself and go that way.