[International Exchange] Students who participated in the Sejong University and Habei Foreign Language Institute exchange program in the spring semester of 2024 have returned home.

Four students who were dispatched to two partner universities in the exchange program from April 2024 have completed the six-month program at the partner universities and returned home safely. Below are the impressions of the four participants after completing their exchange program.

Sejong University (Korea) 3 students

・Class classes are decided according to one's language level, so although I was confused at first, by the time I returned home I was able to communicate confidently. In a class about Korean traditional culture, we climbed Acha Mountain to prepare materials for individual and group presentations. It was difficult as there were many bugs and we took the staircase route, but when we reached the top we were able to get a panoramic view of Seoul and it felt great. There were also many historical buildings and it was fun just walking around the city. We also went to see the filming locations of my favorite Korean drama. I was thrilled to actually see the places I had seen in the drama. (Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies)

・I remember being nervous during my first test, moving from a Level 3 to a Level 4 class, struggling to create presentation materials, and being able to properly handle the Q&A session during the presentation. I also joined the language school's dance club, which helped me to converse smoothly with my Korean friends and boosted my confidence. On my days off, I went to Anguk, a place famous for its hanok houses, to experience Korean tradition, and went to idol photo exhibitions and day trips by myself, which was great because it allowed me to expand my range of activities without any stress while studying abroad. (Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies)

・As part of the language school program, a Korean leader, a Russian, a Chinese and myself formed a group of four and met twice a week to speak in Korean, which I think increased my opportunities to speak Korean and improved my vocabulary. I attended classes in Korean every day and spoke Korean not only with Korean friends but also with friends from overseas, which allowed me to experience a listening environment that I could not experience in Japan. When I went to see the fountain show on the Han River, which I had always wanted to see, I was very happy to receive a letter and a bracelet from a Korean friend. The school festival, which was held for three days from May 29th, was large in scale and I got to see idol performances and fireworks, making it an attractive festival that made me feel the difference from Japan. (Faculty of Modern Social Studies)

Hebei Foreign Language Institute (China) 1 person

・When I first studied abroad, I just tried to keep up with classes as best I could. I was always shocked when I couldn't do something, and this had a negative impact on my studies, but I realized that I was reducing my learning opportunities, so I tried to value the mindset that "it's normal not to be able to do something" and "accept myself for my incompetence" and approached my studies accordingly. There is limitless breadth and depth to learning about the Chinese language, traditions, and culture, but I feel that I have grown as a person who can proactively communicate what I want to say in my own words. There was a presentation about Japanese culture in the Chinese culture class, and it was an opportunity to reflect once again on the good things about Japan, such as the comfortable lifestyle and food culture where anything is delicious. (Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies)

Please make use of this experience in your future university life and future endeavors. We look forward to your continued success.

Source: International Exchange Center