• TWCU Summer Programs
  • The University of York
  • What was the most memorable/impressive experience?
    The best memory of my studying abroad was the homestay experience! In this program, I experienced both school dormitory-life and homestay. I enjoyed living with my host family for about two weeks. It was the first time for me to go abroad and I had a feeling of anxiety. However, they welcomed me so warmly like a real family. They took me to various tourist spots, cooked wonderful traditional dishes, and also gave me a big love. I strongly think I will never have such a precious experience again!
  • What skill did you gain the most (academically or socially)?
    There are countless things that I gained through this program, and I would like to tell you two of them. First, I got a skill of showing my own opinions to others. Before this program, I was really poor at expressing my idea and was passive. However, I learned that the people I met in the UK like to express their thoughts clearly even when the thoughts are negative. A feeling of humility is familiar to Japanese people including me, but sometimes it is needed to decide things on my own will. Secondly, I became a more independent person thanks to the experience in the school dormitory. I lived in my own room and I did the laundry, cooking, and shopping by myself. I had never lived alone until then, so the experience of spending a long time apart from my family remarkably affected my life. I strongly recommend participating in this program while you are university students.
  • What are you putting your most effort into right now?
    I'm in the second year in the English department, so I'm making a big effort to improve my English skills. Particularly, I'm trying hard to prepare for the IELTS test. To get a high score in the IELTS test, I should train hard all four skills: Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. It is necessary for students who have a plan to study abroad to get enough scores! The longer you spend time on studying, the more you will succeed in the IELTS test. I'm very busy with a lot of assignments and my part-time job, but I make use of small pockets of time to study English vocabulary. I'm really worried about COVID-19, but I hope I will be able to study abroad.