You're going to Japan, A.A." These were the first words in the email I received from my home university. I was beyond happy! My dream of going to Japan was finally coming true. After hearing this incredible news, I immediately ran to my mom and shouted: "I'm going to Japan, Mom!" These were my famous last words before embarking on an adventure that would change my life forever.
Before I knew it, I was standing at Narita Airport with my suitcases and backpack. I asked myself: "Am I really in Japan right now?!" And the answer was, of course, YES!
My first challenge? Buying a bus ticket to Tokyo Station. I used my best Japanese (which was just arigatou and sumimasen...), but in the end, I managed to get my ticket and made my way to Tokyo Station. From there, I took the Shinkansen to Fukushima, where students from Fukushima University were waiting to guide me to the dormitory. It felt great to talk to them and feel welcomed right away!
Before heading to the dorm, I grabbed a drink from a vending machine--something that's everywhere in Japan. It was a lifesaver because the weather was incredibly hot that day. When I finally arrived at the dormitory, the manager gave me a warm welcome. The manager was a super friendly woman who always took time out of her day to talk to me and everyone else in the dorm. Her kindness made my time away from my family much easier and more comfortable.
My first impressions of Japan were already amazing. Even at the airport, I got interviewed for a Japanese TV show! They were asking first-time visitors about their thoughts of Japan. It was unexpected but such a fun and memorable experience. Even though I barely spoke any Japanese, the interviewers were super friendly.
Tokyo Station was another experience. I only saw a small part of it on my first day, but even then, I met the kind station staff, who helped me find my platform for the Shinkansen to Fukushima. I also quickly learned that Tokyo Station has a lot of stairs... and carrying two heavy suitcases wasn't fun. But hey, I was in Japan, so I didn't mind at all!
Arriving in Fukushima City felt like stepping into a completely different world compared to my hometown. The first thing I noticed? Mountains everywhere! For many people, that might not be special, but as a Dutch guy, it was incredible! We don't have mountains in the Netherlands, so seeing them--even from my dorm room--left a lasting impression on me.
Living in Fukushima was an amazing experience, but at first, I had no idea where to go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Luckily, I had heard of konbinis (convenience stores) before coming to Japan, and they saved my life during the first few weeks! The staff were always helpful and kind, which made my first days in Japan even better. I still remember my first onigiri like it was yesterday. It tasted soooo good, and from that moment, I knew I would eat them every day for the next five months (spoiler: I did J). Besides enjoying onigiri, I also spent a lot of time exploring the city. One day, my group of international friends decided to go hiking--we ended up walking almost the whole day! But it was worth it because we got an amazing view of Fukushima City. That moment is still one of my favorite memories. Besides eating onigiri every day, I also visited a UFO museum where I got to see real-life aliens. At the end of the day, they might not have been real after all....
Karaoke was something my international friends and I would do on special occasions, and I must admit, I'm not the best singer, but I still had a great time doing it with everyone! One time, I also went with some Japanese friends I made, and of course, they could sing amazingly well, just as I expected! Before coming to Japan, I had already heard about karaoke here, so I was excited to experience it myself. I highly recommend everyone visiting Fukushima to try karaoke for themselves! I can't forget to recommend a visit to the UFO museum!
Besides my favorite konbini (which was 7-Eleven, by the way...), I visited many incredible places in Japan, such as Okinawa, Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo, Aizu, Sendai, and Hokkaido. Each place was unique. But of course, one place has an even deeper place in my heart. "And that, of course, was Tokyo... No, wait, I mean Fukushima City. This was my home for five months, the place where I had my first Japanese ramen at Maxx Hall, and where I went to Sushiro too many times to eat sushi. Another spot I loved was the big river next to our dormitory. There was a nice path for running and jogging, and many locals used it too. So, after a couple of weeks, I'd run into the same person again, and we became best friends... just kidding, not really. But it was nice to see how much Japanese people value an active lifestyle.
The university offered all the international student's courses from the Exchange Program, and I took a variety of them. I enrolled in the History of Fukushima class, a Chinese language class, a project group class, and a badminton class. I'm so glad I took these courses because each of them had an enjoyable aspect that I really appreciated. The badminton class was especially fun, and I quickly discovered that Japanese students are good at it (unlike me), but I still had a blast.
The history class was also fascinating, likely because we had such an amazing teacher! It was a great way to learn more about the city and its past, which I believe is important for anyone living in Fukushima. I also took a course called Path to CEFR C1, where I worked on improving my own English. The class mostly consisted of Japanese students who had the same goal, and it was inspiring to see how dedicated they were to improve their English.
Most of my classes, however, were Japanese language courses. The university provided these classes at the level each student was at when they arrived. These classes were incredibly useful and educational. I learned so much in just five months, and I must thank my teacher for their amazing instruction. The university also offered us more Japanese courses than usual, since some of us were only there for one semester. They really wanted us to make the most of these courses, and for that, I am forever grateful!
Besides the classes, we also had many study tours that made my time in Japan even better. The school organized a variety of tours for international students, like trips to Yamagata, a bus tour around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant area, and the two-day Hamadori trip to the coast, where we got to stay in a ryokan and watch the sunrise from the onsen provided by the ryokan. Thanks to these tours, I had my first traditional tea ceremony in Japan and took part in traditional Japanese festivals, where I even carried a "Mikoshi" with a group of enthusiastic Malaysian tourists...... There was even a short clip of me that appeared on Japanese television, so that means I'm kind of famous, right?" All these experiences were incredibly special, and I'm so grateful for the opportunities.
But there was one event that stands out as particularly memorable--the Homestay experience. I stayed with a wonderful Japanese family who made me feel right at home. They cooked my first Omurice, which was delicious, and we also made Takoyaki together, a new experience for me that was so much fun. We stayed in touch, and just before I left to return to my home country, we met one last time. That's just the kind of family they were, and I'm so happy to have had them as my host family
My time in Japan, especially in Fukushima, was unforgettable. The people, the culture, the university--everything about it was incredible. I loved every moment and I'm grateful for this experience. I highly recommend others to visit Fukushima and experience it for themselves.
またいつか！(Until next time!)
福島大学への留学案内・年間スケジュール
