Category: Japan
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Am I really in Tokyo? I feel as if I’m stuck in a lucid dream and any day now, I will jolt awake and find myself back in my comfortable Sydney home. But no, after 3 weeks of (actually) waking up, I am still in Tokyo – alive, surrounded by the bustling Japanese city life…
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Konnichiwa from Tokyo! First week at Sophia University in Tokyo has been a whirlwind of culture shock, excitement and homesickness. My first days in Japan I had severe culture shock. I ate ramen, but when my nose was runny I had to go to the bathroom to blow it. And when I went to the…
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Orientation Day at Sophia University After preparing for this experience for a whole year and a half, it has finally arrived! CRUCIAL INFO – When buying anything anywhere, make sure you tell them that you are a gaikokujin (Foreigner) and that you should be getting things tax free. It will save you money! Around the…
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So this is my first blog about exchange to Sophia uni. Unlike others, the Autumn semester in Japan hasn’t started yet and therefore I’m still in my own country, enjoying the relaxing long holiday. Looking forward to the exchange life in Japan, I did some research about what I should bring or keep in mind.…
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Many people have asked why, when they hear that I will be going to Sophia University Tokyo. I started my exchange process by knowing that I wanted to go to Japan. After a short holiday, I fell in love with the country and knew that I wanted to go back. UTS has a large number…
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The opportunity to go on exchange is one that despite only starting 2 weeks prior to now, has already presented its unique challenges and opportunities. Such opportunities include that of language learning and cultural immersion. The Hakodate campus of the Hokkaido University of Education is very small compared to my home university in Australia (University…
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I am writing this blog post from a Starbucks cafe in downtown Tokyo, stealing their Wi-Fi and sheltering myself away from the snow. The warmth and familiarity of Starbucks has come at the right time, after what has been the most stressful 24 hours of my life. I’m sure I will look back on this…
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The Yamanashi Summer Program for Japanese Language and Culture was an amazing experience which allowed me to learn and make friends while being away on a holiday! I applied for the course because I wanted to further improve my Japanese language skills first-hand, be absorbed in the Japanese culture and have a productive holiday. The…
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It’s March 21st and the plane is about to leave. The Sydney which was blazing hot all week has suddenly started pouring as if a calamity has struck. Maybe this is a sign that Australia will miss me after I depart … Just kidding. For some exchange students, this is the period when they are…
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This was a short three week program at Saga University in Japan. Although it was a short period of time we still learnt a lot and made many unforgettable memories. The first day involved meeting all of the group members. As everyone came from different backgrounds and spoke different languages, it was very interesting for…
