• Study Abroad
  • University of the Fraser Valley
  • What was the most memorable/impressive experience?
    My Canadian life changed my way of thinking towards religion impressively. Before study abroad, I didn't have positive impression about religion because I was quite unfamiliar with it. However, once I started communicating with non-Japanese, I realized that many people believe in God strongly and God makes their life brighter. It was normal for them. Through this experience, I learned what "normal" is. Not believing in God was normal for me, but each person has different "normal". So, we, as a global person, should be flexible to accept other people's "normal".
  • What was the biggest hardship you faced?
    The biggest hardship was to speak up my opinions in classes. In my university, speaking up actively was mandatory, but I was so scared of doing it because no one might understand my English. Also, during I was thinking how to explain my idea in my brain, the topics were already changed. I had to face my lack of English, and my confidence was lost. I cried a lot because of my incompetence, and it was the hardest time in my study abroad.
  • What is the biggest thing that you wish you have done during the stay?
    I should have had courage to speak up in public. I put myself into an excuse like my first language is not English, and did not challenge new things in Canada. It means my lack of English skill took away my confidence, and it led to giving up challenging many things. Everyone was kind, so they must have tried to understand what I wanted to say. Now, I wish I could tell myself in Canada "do not be nervous, just do it."