Tuesday, July 28, 2015 – Today was only the third day of school, but yet it feels like I’ve been a student at Sophia University since freshmen year. I thought that it would be difficult to adjust to a completely different atmosphere given Japan’s unique culture and society. However, I am pleasantly surprised to find that the adjustment was smooth! I have been blessed with an amazing group of fellow UP students to experience this program with and without them I don’t think the transition would have been as easy. By having friends here to share this amazing experience has made all the difference. The fact that I am studying abroad right now in Tokyo is still surreal, but immensely incredible.
The one thing that I have realized while being here in Japan is that, though our social and cultural perspectives may differ in certain aspects, our lifestyles are similar and there are many grounds that we can connect on. Being full Japanese but born and raised in Hawaii, I have some familiarity with the Japanese culture, however actually being in Japan and immersing myself in the culture has allowed me to gain a valuable insight to the present reality of their society and perspectives. However I can’t wait to learn more and fine-tune my understandings of Japan, as I begin the program at Sophia.
Sophia University is a small but lively campus, with an environment similar to UP’s. The students are nice and there is a wide range of diversity in the Summer Program– within the 100 or so students enrolled in the program, there are students from Germany, France, China, UK, US, and Japan – making class discussions even more interesting and engaging. For this program you are required to take two classes. There is a fair variety of options for classes ranging from Japanese history, to Japanese pop culture, but the two classes that I chose to take are: Japanese Business and Management and Contemporary Japanese Economy. The professor for the Japanese Business and Management class is from the US but she actually graduated from Sophia University – so she is very insightful and has already taught us the significant role that Japanese culture plays in their business practices. For Japanese economics, the professor is a brilliant and very well educated man from the UK, and he has already changed my view of Japan’s economy. So far I enjoy each professor’s persona and teaching style. While I know these next three weeks will be intensive, I am extremely excited for the knowledge and perspectives I will gain!
Until next time,
Marisa Tottori