Studied abroad in Australia for two years from January 2000 to December 2001 after completing the second semester of the first year of high school. Locally, he attended Mordialloc High School and Alexandra High School. After she graduated, she was accepted to Gakushuin Women’s University, Asia University, Meikai University, Utsunomiya University, Central Queensland University, etc. She is currently enrolled in her second year at Meikai University. She is from Tochigi Prefecture.
What made you decide to go to a Japanese university?
I decided to study at a Japanese university because I thought that if I went to a Japanese university, I would have holidays, and I would be able to use that time effectively to gain various experiences.
What is your life like now?
I am majoring in English at university. I joined the lacrosse club because I wanted to play team sports. I practice four times a week and compete in games. I’m also going on a trip to Hawaii in November, so I’m already looking forward to it.
I’m also interested in volunteer work, so I’m planning to do a homestay at a kindergarten in New Zealand while working as a Japanese language assistant during spring break.
How was school and daily life?
I originally studied abroad at a high school on the outskirts of town (hereinafter referred to as “Modialoc”), but I decided that I wanted to live in a rural area where there were fewer Japanese people, so I transferred to a rural high school (hereinafter referred to as “Alexandra”). If you compare the two schools, the atmosphere itself is not particularly different.
However, when it came to daily life, my homestay was in an inconvenient location that took two to three hours by bus from the city (Melbourne), so it was difficult to go out. Of course, there were no trains, so when I went out, I mostly traveled by bus or my host’s car. Because of this, I often spent time with my host or at the house of a school friend, and rarely went out to play in the city.
What is the secret to successful study abroad?
There were many difficult times, but I was always thinking about the future. “Even though it’s difficult right now, I want to succeed in studying abroad (admittance to a Japanese university) and try that.” Since I decided to study abroad, I thought, “I have to graduate no matter what!”
Do you have any advice for students who are planning to study abroad?
I guess it’s about valuing your desire to do what you want to do. I’m sure if you have a strong will, things will work out. It’s also important to have fun doing everything. I hope that all of you who are planning to study abroad will enjoy your time abroad to the fullest.
