Personal Development
The primary gain from this experience was strengthening my own capacity to persist in the face of challenges and adversity. For example, on the very first day of moving to Japan, I dropped my phone, shattering the phone screen and essentially rendering it useless. I was in a foreign country, with no one I knew, only a basic understanding of the language, and now my phone had broken. My first reaction was to simply curl up into a ball and cry. ... However, in that instant, I also knew I had to act fast. I asked the Japanese host sister assigned to me from Showa Women’s University if she could search up any phone repair places, and we spent the next 2 hours, wandering from place to place to see if they could repair my phone within the day. We eventually found a place and within 2 hours, they had fixed it. It was honestly a terrifying experience and I spent the whole day grappling with my own anxiety and fears. However, it also taught me a valuable lesson on resilience, allowing me to persevere despite the overwhelming urge to give up.
Academic Development
It was an interesting experience to have to re-learn how to operate in a foreign academic system and environment. The Japanese academic environment was more stringent, with various rules and regulations that were unfamiliar to me as an Australian student such as the importance of attendance. The increased focus on standardized testing in the form of weekly tests on vocabulary and grammar were also, at first, very daunting as I was more used to concentrating on bigger assignments that were spaced apart. However, I came to appreciate how the Japanese academic system encouraged me to be more consistent with my studies. As there were smaller, weekly assignments, interspersed with the occasional bigger assessments, it emphasized the necessity of studying consistently in order to keep up with everything. Over the long term, it was more beneficial in learning Japanese as I was able to better retain the knowledge from my classes and this was reflected in my increased confidence with speaking and writing Japanese.
Professional Development
One of the most significant skills I developed during this exchange was cross-cultural communication. Immersing myself in a different culture enhanced my ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, a crucial skill in today’s globalized workforce. Throughout my exchange, I engaged with not only Japanese individuals but also people from various countries such as Italy, Vietnam etc. These interactions deepened my cultural awareness, enriching my understanding of different values, customs, and communication styles. But more importantly, it taught me to embrace and be open to these incredibly diverse perspectives, which greatly improved my effectiveness in communicating across cultures.
Budget
As of now, I have spent approximately $13,000, which matches the estimate given by the University of Queensland for one semester of exchange. In terms of budgeting techniques, my primary approach involved creating a list of projected expenses at the beginning of each month. I would calculate the total and strive to remain within the estimated budget throughout the month. While I likely exceeded my budget more often than not, this was largely due to my travel and sightseeing activities in Japan. My advice to future students about costs and budgeting would be to prioritize well. Always prioritize basic living expenses first, and then budget the remaining amount to leisure activities.
The primary benefit of the funding was that it provided me with the peace of mind to focus on my studies. In the beginning of my exchange, I faced the challenge of obtaining household furnishings and basic living necessities, which added to the stress of adjusting to a completely foreign environment. Had I relied solely on my personal finances, I would likely have experienced increased stress due to my heightened focus on budgeting. Instead, the additional support from the funding allowed me to feel more at ease and facilitated a smoother transition into my studies in Japan.
Advice/Top Tips
Some tips that I would give to other students:
- submit bureaucratic documents early! Japanese bureaucracy can be complicated and it is guaranteed that you will make a mistake at some point. Submit documents early so that mistakes can be solved faster rather than later.
- be open to opportunities to socialize! At your host university, there will most likely be events and activities that involve both foreign and Japanese students. Take as many opportunities to socialize and make friends!
- don't be afraid to speak! Speaking a foreign language is a daunting experience but without practice, there is no chance for improvement. Make mistakes and learn from them, but the important thing is that you make those mistakes in the first place!
