Students' Voices

Why did you choose to study here at KGU?

We had a list of universities to choose from, and honestly, none of them appealed to me other than KGU. Plus, it was the first time that students from our university were able to come to KGU, so I thought it would be interesting. When I did some research, I found out that KGU isn’t too far from Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, so the location is perfect. Also, the sports facilities are perfect. The school has the Fighters, and I really wanted to play football when I came here, but it’s a little harder to do than I expected.

Regardless, the heavy sports atmosphere on campus, and the ambiance, is really cool. Also, the campus looks awesome. So the main things were the sports, the location, and also the courses. They didn’t focus too much on law, but I came here to study Japanese, so it’s OK. I do a dual major of law and Japanese.

What did you know about the Kansai area beforehand? Did you know about Nishinomiya?

Before I came, I checked some places out with Google Street View. Other than that, I knew nothing. I came a few days before classes started and stayed in Osaka. I literally just booked my ticket, printed a map, and said, “It’s going to be an adventure.”

Are you staying in the host family or in the dorms?

I’m in Residence 5. It’s super cool. I love it. The best thing is the views. Every morning you have the view of the mountains off the balcony, it’s great. It’s far away, but I have a bike and I like cycling, so it’s fine. I love the area. I’ve done hiking along the Fukuchiyama train line and things like that.

How do you think you’ll take what you’ve learned at KGU and apply it towards your future goals? Do you want to work in Japan someday?

I’ll tell you, I am a 110% changed person since I got here. You’ve probably heard this over and over.

No one has gone over 100% before.

I’ve changed so much. I want to come back in two or three years, after saving a bit of money. Everything I’ve learned about how to be more adaptable and mix in with different cultures, I’m going to take that back home with me. That’s why I’ve been looking into international arbitration, or international law. I’ve also learned a lot of patience. My view on life, my mentality, has changed a lot. It’s going to be hard when I go back.

As someone who’s about to finish the program, what advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about studying at KGU?

The biggest point is, don’t expect anything. Don’t come to Japan with preconceived notions and opinions. Immerse yourself in the culture and take everything in. Also, don’t be afraid of change, because being here will change you. Also, don’t say “no.” Don’t stop yourself. One of my most interesting moments was going to an onsen for the first time. Whatever your ideas are from the West, leave them behind. If something is done differently, try to understand it from a Japanese viewpoint and be open-minded. That sounds cliché, but yeah. I love it here. You’ll definitely see me back here.

For the last question, what’s your favorite Japanese phrase or expression?

There are a few. I had to give a speech about motivation last week, and my favorites were “naseba naru” (where there’s a will, there’s a way) and “shoshin wo wasurebekarazu” (don’t lose the enthusiasm you had when you first started). Those are the main ones.