University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, USA 2025
FERNANDO TORRES, NARCISO (Sep. 2024 - Aug. 2025)
1. Why did you decide to come study in Japan and choose Chukyo University?
I’ve spent most of my life in the same environment, living in a countryside town it always made me wonder what living a different life would be like. I didn’t just want it to be some city in the US but rather a new country. This meant a new culture, language, people, and social norms. I wanted to challenge myself when choosing my study abroad experience.
This is when I came across Chukyo university, a university located in central Japan. Perfectly situated for someone who wanted to explore the country more. Months before my departure I would often think of not going. I had my steady life at home but that’s exactly why I chose to leave home. My cousin would often say that there were people living their lives that I would eventually come to meet and become close to. That thought gave me courage to stick to my decision.
Despite it being easy to travel to other cities every single time I went out to explore other cities I always found myself thinking about Nagoya. That’s when I realized that Nagoya is the city I find most meaningful to me.
2. How do you think you have matured through your studies at Chukyo? Please share your experiences, events, or feelings while studying at Chukyo University.
Being a student at Chukyo has allowed me to meet people from different backgrounds. It’s because of this that I have learned to connect more deeply with people. Even if I’m not able to communicate smoothly because of language barriers. Despite not having any previous knowledge of Japanese when I first got here I tried my best to connect. Now that I’ve spent some time here it is much easier to connect with the local people here. It also helped me build lasting relationships. My time as a student here has made me more aware of other cultures not just Japanese and because of that I’ve become more patient and understanding.
3. How do you hope to make use of this experience in the future?
I hope to use this experience to keep pursuing the language and to actually learn more languages, so that I can keep connecting with people that I never thought I would be able to. This doesn’t just apply to personal connections but to my career path that I am following
As for the non-academic experiences, like my travels during the Winter Break, participating in the Manga Research Club (漫研会), late nights at karaoke with my friends, and the endless amount of Sanrio and other anime goods I have bought to participate in Oshi-Katsu... I'll carry them with me wherever I go.
4. Finally, please give a message to juniors who are considering studying at Chukyo University in the future.
If you have any doubts of coming to this university or Japan in general… that uncertainty makes the experience even more worthwhile. Not knowing what to expect shouldn’t be avoided because it can lead to many unexpected opportunities and relationships
