Maggie Lam at Akita International University 2008

My name is Maggie Lam. I am currently on an exchange programme for 2 semesters at Akita International University (AIU), a partner university of Victoria University of Wellington.

I arrived in Tokyo at the end of March, which was the perfect time to see the most beautiful cherry blossoms. Akita is located in the northeast part of Honshu Island, 1 hour by plane or 4 hours by bullet train (Shinkansen) from Tokyo.

On-campus accommodation had been arranged well before my arrival. Because AIU is located in a peaceful and quiet location and is surrounded mainly by rice fields, transportation can be an issue, so all international students are encouraged to live on campus. I live in a mini apartment that comes with its own toilet, bathroom and a small kitchen. It costs about 40,000 yen (NZ$689) per month for rent plus extra 7,000 yen ($120) for electricity and water usages. I cook my own meals so food costs are about 5,000 yen ($86) weekly.

After sitting the Japanese placement test during the orientation week, I was put in the intermediate class. The Japanese classes at AIU are small with an average of about 10 students in each class. I’ve found the atmosphere very friendly and comfortable with such a small group of people. Teachers are nice and patient, although I found it hard to understand what they were saying at the beginning since they spoke only in Japanese.

Studying at AIU I’ve had lots of opportunities to meet and talk to the Japanese students. Since the Japanese classes are made up only of international students, the best way to make friends with Japanese students is to join some curriculum activities such as sports or cultural clubs, etc. At AIU, there are lots of different clubs that students can join. I have joined badminton and karate clubs. I had played badminton before but it was my first time at karate. At practices I have to talk to the Japanese students, which means I make more Japanese friends and my language proficiency improves greatly this way also.

At AIU, I also have the opportunity to meet local families as my host families. We don’t actually live together but we arrange to meet when we have free time. I have two families and sometimes they invite me to stay at their place for a weekend or we go for a day excursion. Through meeting the host families, I’ve gto to know more about Japanese culture and their living lifestyles.

Studying abroad in Japan is definitely an unforgettable experience for me. Not only is my Japanese improving quickly, but I am meeting more people from different backgrounds and cultures. The experience has broadened my outlook on life. In the near future, I hope to come back to Japan again for travel or work so that I can fully utilize my Japanese.

........................................Akita International University............................................Climbing Mount Fuji.................................................

.....................................Rice Harvesting......................................................Meeting the host families...................AIU Kanto team at Kanto Festival