I had classes from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays, after which I would prepare for or review my classes. On weekends and holidays, I spent most of my time going out with friends, shopping, and traveling. I took advantage of my study abroad period to stay in Korea for a long period and visited all the provinces in Korea with my friends.

In Korea, as in Japan, each region has its accent and dialect, the people living there have different personalities, and the food culture is very diverse. I am particularly interested in food culture, and whenever I traveled to a region, I would always visit a market and try the local ingredients and specialties.

By going to local places, eating local food, and hearing about local customs, I was able to deepen my understanding of Korea. Thanks to the trip, I was able to spend a meaningful holiday. And when I went to the countryside on my trip, the local people actively spoke to me in Korean. In such situations, I realized that the best part of studying abroad is not only studying but also taking action.


4. Abilities gained from studying abroad

There are three abilities that I have gained through my study abroad experience.

The first is my language skills. Naturally, my English and Korean language skills improved greatly throughout the year I spent in Korea. At first, it was difficult to focus on both languages, but by actively interacting with students whose mother tongues were different, using English and Korean became a part of my daily life, and spending time in a language that is not my mother tongue became the norm. I think the biggest growth was that I no longer felt a sense of rejection toward foreign languages.

Second is the ability to see things in a positive light. While I was studying abroad, I was busy with my studies and had some difficulties in human relations. However, many of my friends were very positive and praised me for what I was able to do. I naturally developed a positive way of thinking. I have kept this way of thinking even after returning to Japan.

Finally, the third thing is that I was able to make time to face myself. I was able to clarify what I like, what I want to do, and what I don't want to do by creating a new life foundation and new relationships in a new environment. I clarified my future career path by living in a completely unfamiliar place and being exposed to the values and ideas of friends with different backgrounds from my own.

I was able to grow because I met many different people and tried to get out and about. Thanks to this, I was able to make good use of the limited time I had while studying abroad without regrets.


5. Advice from me

If you are interested in living abroad, I strongly recommend studying abroad. Even if I had spent my four years at Shinshu University without studying abroad, I would have graduated with a very happy and fulfilled feeling. However, by studying abroad this time, I was able to grow in a way that I could not have imagined, and I gained memories that will last a lifetime and important friends with whom I shared many hardships and joys.

I think there are many things to worry about, such as money, credits until graduation, study, language, etc. However, many people go to study abroad with similar concerns. You don't have to go into your study abroad program in a perfect state. If you are at least a little interested in studying abroad, please give it a try so that you will not have any regrets.