Name: William Grabow

Course: Exchange internship (April - May 2023)

Country/Region of Citizenship: Sweden


1. What brought you to Shinshu University?


When I first heard there was a possibility to study at Shinshu University located in Nagano, I was excited. I heard from staff (Ellen) that there were several students from Shinshu University studying at Uppsala University at the time and also a professor. She heard from them that life in Nagano and at the university seemed exciting and suggested it as an opportunity for me to gain experience. Furthermore I researched facts about the university and the program the university was offering, which I felt suited me. Also reading and researching about the city made me excited to study at Shinshu located in the beautiful city Nagano.



2. How did you prepare for studying in Japan (Nagano)?

Before my time at Shinshu University I tried to learn the basics of the Japanese language, which I thought would make communication easier. However, for me it was harder than I thought and in the end I didn't learn as much as I wanted before arriving. Although I couldn't speak Japanese, there wasn't any problem communicating, neither at the university nor in other situations. Other than that, there wasn't anything specific I did to prepare, as I was told by staff (Ellen) that I would gain all necessary knowledge after arriving.



3. How was your life at Shinshu University?

My time at Shinshu University was truly incredible. Firstly, I had so much fun being part of classes held at the university and doing my own lesson there. Furthermore, my time at the school where I observed a lot of classes and also held my own lessons was so exciting and fun. Not only was it fun, but I also learned a lot of things. For example, I learned about intercultural communication, the Japanese school system and how to teach pupils in English in Japan as a Swedish exchange student.



4. What did you do in your free time?

In my free time I experienced daily life in Nagano, eating a lot of ramen, sushi, tonkatsu and other foods. Also, I visited several sites such as Zenkoji Temple, Togakushi Shrine and also just went strolling around the beautiful city. Other than that I spent a lot of time with friends I made from the university. For example, we went to Matsumoto City, had cooking nights, went to restaurants, cafés and just went walking around in the city.



5. What is your future plan after graduation?

I plan to teach in Sweden. The knowledge acquired through attending classes at the university broadened my perspective of the didactics used in teaching. I gained knowledge, as stated earlier, about intercultural communications, which will be helpful when communicating with pupils from other cultures as a teacher in Sweden.



6. Message to the prospective students

To future students I would say: Don't hesitate! The staff, students and other people at Shinshu University are extremely helpful and will go out of their way to make you feel happy. Also, the city is so beautiful, the local people living in Nagano were super kind to me, and it's just an experience and opportunity that can't be missed.