Kennesaw State University, USA 2024
BLOMBERG, Grace Anne (Apr. 2024 - Aug. 2024)
1. Why did you decide to come study in Japan and choose Chukyo University?
I’ve wanted to travel abroad ever since being a kid and seeing my friends go to distant, beautiful places over summer vacation. The pictures they showed me of beautiful landscapes and once-in-a-lifetime experiences made me think I was somehow missing out. But my family neither had the time or money to travel overseas so I never gave much more thought to it.
When I got to college, I started thinking about studying abroad. I thought it would be an even better experience than just taking a week-long trip to one or two random countries where I’d get to see all the big touristy spots, but not much more. This way I would get to spend a few months living in a place, getting to know people, seeing different outlooks and ways of life and exploring the city. I wanted to go somewhere different from home and the West, but not too unfamiliar so I chose Japan having an interest in the language and liking Japanese music, movies and TV shows. I chose Chukyo because my home university, Kennesaw State, has a partnership with them and I didn’t want to live in as big of a city as Tokyo. I think I made a great decision as this experience was everything I hoped for and more.
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.
I think I’ve grown a lot honestly. I’ve gained a lot of confidence because I’ve gotten to meet and talk to a lot of new people every day. And in order to improve my Japanese, I’ve had to get over my fears of saying something wrong or stupid and just try. That attitude of just taking a leap and trying applies to a lot of things in life, so I think it will help me going forward.
I’ve also made a lot of good friends. Despite my image of Japan as monolithic, I’ve been able to meet people of many different countries, backgrounds and outlooks. I’ve learned a lot from everyone, and I think it will stay with me for a long time.
3. How do you hope to make use of this experience in the future?
I’m not sure what the future holds for me, but I think no matter what I do, I’ve learned important skills and lessons from this experience. I learned the dedication it takes to learn a new language. I learned how to communicate with people when there’s a language barrier whether big or small. I got to sit in on a high school English class and see the lessons they’re taught and the thoughts and challenges that they have. I have an interest in geography and city planning as well, so I got to see a very different type of city planning than America’s. So no matter what I choose to become, a teacher, a translator, a city planner, etc., I think I will use some lessons I gained here at Chukyo University.
4. Finally, please give a message to juniors who are considering studying at Chukyo University in the future.
Studying abroad was daunting to me. I never thought I would have this chance. But I’m very glad I took it. If you’re considering studying abroad, I would say go for it. Chukyo University is very supportive, and you’ll meet a lot of fun people. My advice would be to really think about what you want out of your experience because there’s so many things that are possible when you explore a new country and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Nagoya and more broadly, Japan have a lot to offer. You can see beautiful nature and countryside. You can enjoy nightlife in the city. You can eat good food. You can see cultural festivals, temples and traditional art and music that you can’t find anywhere else. You can meet people from lots of different places and different backgrounds. You can make friends with Japanese speakers and really improve your speaking skills. You can go off and explore on your own. You can make a tight-knit group of friends and spend your days with them. It’s really up to you. I would say think about what’s important to you and have an idea of a plan or bucket-list before you get here, but be flexible and open to what you find and what Nagoya has to offer!
