I was very fortunate to participate in a 2 year exchange program at JLCC. The first semester of my first year was conducted online due to the coronavirus. Despite the challenges posed by the time difference, the support and kindness I received from the teachers and staff at Kyūshū University were heartwarming !
For the second semester, I finally arrived in Japan, fulfilling a dream of studying there. I experienced Japan during the reopening of its borders, encountering a different dynamic as more foreigners were able to come. The university experience was slightly different because some Japanese people were surprised to see foreigners return suddenly. Kyūshū University is situated in the countryside, so if you’re not a big fan of big cities, I strongly recommend it. However, the downside is that it’s quite expensive to travel to the city center.
The lessons from the program really helped me gain confidence in speaking Japanese. Although I wasn’t very confident initially, the teachers and everyone were very supportive, allowing me to practice speaking, even if it wasn’t perfect. Practice makes perfect. I encourage you to speak only in Japanese with other students, even outside of classes, and try not to stick with people of the same nationality. Step out of your comfort zone! An exchange abroad is an opportunity for a turning point in your life; you can’t go back to your country with regrets, thinking, ‘Oh, I should have done it…’ Life is too short for regrets.
Many classes (such as wagashi making and Japanese instruments) and extracurricular events can help you bond with others. The JLCC program can be quite intense due to the workload, but I believe it’s through hard work that you can improve your skills. I didn’t have time to join a club because of my thesis, but if you have the time, I also strongly recommend joining one. Since I stayed for so long, I had to find an apartment; I couldn’t stay in the dorms (you can only stay there for one year). It was quite challenging, but now I think it was such an amazing experience. Going abroad isn’t always perfect, but you learn so much.
During this exchange, I was also working on my thesis on Chiran Peace Museums. Kyūshū University has quite a reputation. It was amusing to see people’s reactions when I told them I was a student there, especially when I went to Chiran to do fieldwork for my thesis. In Japan, I developed a hobby of collecting stamps from shrines and temples, which allowed me to travel quite a bit. It was so much fun!
Returning to France was bittersweet; I miss everyone and the landscapes of Kyūshū University…
