Japan: Nagasaki - Japanese Language, Society, Culture Studies

Going to Nagasaki through USAC was seriously the best thing I could have done in college. The experience was life changing: I met some of my now best friends there, and made relationships that will last a lifetime. The experience has now driven many of my career and life goals, like learning Japanese in my free time and a desire to teach English. The classes are fantastic, your support system is impeccable, and everyone's desire to help you learn is at the forefront of everything. I recommend this experience from the bottom of my heart.

I'm so glad that I went to Nagasaki to study abroad for the spring semester. Not only did I have the opportunity to meet many friends from around the world, but I also gained insight into Japanese culture and history. It was also great to interact with Japanese students and improve my Japanese language skills, as now it would be how I would have to communicate. Having this opportunity, I believe I improved not only in speaking Japanese, but with interacting with so many people and making new friends. New experiences like speaking a new language or learning the transportation system in an entirely different country helped me get out of my comfort zone and gain a new level of independence.

Coming to Nagasaki, what I really enjoyed was the beautiful scenery of cherry blossoms that appeared at the beginning of the semester, and the abundance of trees in a rich green that I had never seen before. Not to mention how Nagasaki is enriched with so much history and international cultural influences as a port city. There is just so much to learn, see, and even eat.

The year I spent in Nagasaki was the best year of my life. The university is small, with less than 1000 students and teachers combined, making it easy to meet people and form connections. I typically struggle to make friends, but here I made friends from countries all over the world. There are many opportunities for personal growth, both academically and through community involvement. Nagasaki is a great location because it has a rich history of cultural exchange and is very welcoming to foreigners.

The idea of being sent to a country across the other side of the world scared me. However, after arriving in Japan, last March, I had one of the most memorable semesters ever. Through USAC, I was able to not only immerse myself into the culture and language, but I also met some of my best friends too. My school, being abroad, was very active in terms of extracurricular events! The area surrounding the dorms were filled with all types of mini-restaurants, hole in the walls, and unique shops too. My experience has not only shaped my view of the world but along with my career path too!

This program was life-changing. The staff made the transition into Japan smooth and helped with any issues. I never felt overwhelmed, and I was set up for success. The school's community is amazing. It is impossible not to make friends, and you will meet the coolest people. I genuinely fell in love with life again after this program. The education is informative and interesting. The Japanese classes are well structured, and I enjoyed them. I encourage everyone to apply for this program! Nagasaki is a lovely city, and you get a lot of perks for being a student! I recommend the art museum, the rope line, and my favorite place-- Nagasaki Seaside Park!

It wasn't until I arrived in Nagasaki that I learned about its rich and significant history. Though at first it may seem like a small town with not much to do, if you have an open mind and willingness to explore, you'll always find something new to do here.

It was in Nagasaki where I gained a complete sense of independence and freedom that I had not experienced back in America, even as an out-of-state student. Being in a whole different country I had never visited prior to this study abroad trip equipped me with a fresh lens to look at the world with and motivation to get out of my comfort zone.

Upon succeeding in immersing myself in a new culture, I was able to discover more about myself than I ever have. Before these four months, I didn't have a strong sense of self identity and confidence in myself. However, throughout this semester abroad I found beautiful friends who I had the privilege to share my study abroad experience with. I could completely be myself around these people and given our living situation (small school, one dormitory building), we naturally grew closer from seeing each other every day from morning until nighttime.

There is so much more I gained from this experience, but that would take years to tell so this is all I will be sharing for this prompt!

The Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies is a small school with about 1,000 students. Surrounded by lush mountains has improved my physical health. The Japanese students major in foreign languages such as English, French, or Korean. This creates a friendly environment as many students are open to socializing and interacting with each other. I have met so many friends and practiced my speaking in and out of school. Waking up every day in a new country has helped me gain confidence and live experiences.

USAC’s Nagasaki, Japan program had been my number one choice when looking into study abroad programs. I applied to this program in the hopes of just getting in. That was my biggest goal at first. Initially, when I questioned one of USAC’s advisors about applying, they said that I probably wouldn’t be allowed to participate in one of their Japan programs because I was a community college student. Yet, they still made an effort for me, someone who was only a potential applicant. And after a few weeks, I got the email saying that I had been approved and that they would be changing their policy so that community college students could now apply for their Japan programs. I knew right then, after the incredible effort that they had made for me, that studying abroad through USAC was best possible choice I could’ve ever made.

They walked me through every step of the process. Whenever I had a question, they were ready with answers. The school application, forms, and visa stuff was all scary, but the advisors were able to support me when I was unsure and worried.

Since arriving at Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies, I have literally never been happier in my life. Being in this program may actually have saved my life. It is so easy to make friends at this school. The people are so kind that if you are shy and sitting alone they will just come up and talk to you. The classes are great and the professors are amazing. I feel like I am learning so much here and it is all stuff that I want to learn.

The dorm is much nicer than I was expecting. I got a single dorm. It comes with the obvious stuff like a bed, desk, closet, sink, shower, and bathroom. It also came with an electric stove top, which is actually really nice. The bed has storage draws, so I can put a lot of stuff under there. They gave us a pillow, sheets, and a blanket, but you might want to buy some extras. And you should definitely get a little mattress for your bed. You don’t absolutely need one, but I would highly recommend it. The lobby is where most people socialize. There are usually people playing games in the lobby and they are always very welcoming to more players. I will say, guys and girls aren’t allowed on each others floors, so that is a little annoying when wanting to hangout with friends, buts it’s not too bad since we can hangout in the lobby.

The area is absolutely gorgeous. If you are a nature person, then you would love it here because there are mountains everywhere. If you are a city person, then you would love it here because basically just down the street from the university is a city. I thought I would miss my car but I love walking around and the transportation system in Japan is amazing. Almost everything in Japan is so much more affordable, as well!

I would recommend for anyone who is interested in studying in Japan to apply for USAC’s Nagasaki program. I love this program so much that I extended my stay from one semester to a whole year! Because of this experience, I am now planning to live in Japan. None of this would have been possible for me if the USAC advisors hadn’t done everything they could to help me get into their Nagasaki program