I believe that studying abroad will help me clarify my vision for the future, and I am looking at myself in a multi-ethnic country.

Ayase Ishizuka, 2nd year
Graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School
Study Abroad Destination: University of Malaya
Study abroad period: September 2019 → January 2020

- Why did you choose your study abroad destination (country/university)?

I chose Malaysia as my study abroad destination because I would be able to use English in my daily life and learn about Islam, which I have always been interested in. The reason I chose University of Malaya is because I heard that it is a prestigious university representing not only Malaysia but the entire Southeast Asian region, and that I would be able to be stimulated by the highly skilled students. Also, if I lived in a dormitory, the students living in the same room as me would be international students, so I thought it would definitely be a valuable experience and wanted to take on the challenge.

-What preparations did you make to study abroad?

I have prepared for this in two main ways. The first is English. I increased the amount of time I spent with English, made a list of words and expressions I didn't understand in all the subjects I was taking, and created my own vocabulary book. I also tried to study English vocabulary for 20 minutes every day (using a special paid app). The second is to improve my expertise. To do this, I read books recommended by my teachers, picked out the important parts, and made an effort to write them down in a new format.

-What are you most looking forward to about studying abroad?

I want to experience the atmosphere of a multi-ethnic country and a life rooted in Islam. At the same time, I think there must be something common to all people, no matter their background. I want to find that out from my own perspective. In relation to these things, I want to think about what I should do in the future and what is expected of me.

-What would you like to challenge yourself with while studying abroad?

I would like to interact with people other than Japanese, such as international students from other countries and local students. I am looking forward to life in the dormitory, meals, events, and other aspects of life in general. Academically, I am a little worried about whether I will be able to keep up with the classes, but I will actively work on the high level of the classes. I am not only looking forward to learning new things, but also to being shocked by my own lack of ability and knowledge. I think that being able to show my classmates the difference in my ability will make me more motivated to study. I also like traveling, so I would like to visit places that I would not be able to visit otherwise, such as hidden tourist spots. Since I have always lived at home, studying abroad itself is a big challenge, but I am going to be optimistic and enjoy my life abroad to the fullest, thinking, "I can manage if I prepare minimally," and "It's impossible to do everything perfectly."

The first local report from Mr. Ishizuka is scheduled for mid-October!!

My life as an international student has begun on a multicultural campus where many different languages are spoken.

Ayase Ishizuka has started her life as an international student in Malaysia. We have received her first report from University of Malaya about her daily life there!

-What are your impressions of dormitory life?

There are many international students from China and Korea, but there are also international students from Europe, such as Germany and England, and a small number of local students living in the dormitory. At first, I was confused by the environment, which is different from Japan, but I am now enjoying dormitory life while deepening my interactions with students from other countries.

-What is the campus atmosphere like and what support is available for international students, such as tutors and TAs?

Since Malaysia is originally a multi-ethnic country, many different languages are spoken on campus. There are about 2,000 international students alone. There were buddy groups of about 10 of us international students, with two local students, and we spent the first two weeks in groups, learning how to apply for a visa and how to take classes. In addition, the staff at the International Center office were also available to assist us, so we were able to live our life abroad with peace of mind.

Ishizuka's week in September

-What topics are you studying?

The class "Non-state actors in international relations" consisted of a two-hour lecture followed by a one-hour presentation and discussion. The class "Sustainable development" was taught by a professor who is well-known at University of Malaya for being moody, and classes are often cancelled or assignments are suddenly given, but on this day the class was held on time, which was unusual. The class "Introduction to international relations" was also split into a two-hour lecture and a one-hour presentation and discussion. During the self-study time, I mainly worked on "reviewing the class content," "preparing for fieldwork," and "preparing for the presentation to be given in class."

-What topics are you discussing in your daily life?

For breakfast, I eat bread and vegetable juice in my room. I usually eat lunch at a cafeteria near my classroom and dinner at a cafeteria near the dorm, but sometimes I go out to eat in town. The cafeteria serves almost all Malaysian and Indian food, and it's generally very tasty. This week, the water was supposed to be cut off on the 3rd floor where my room is located from Friday due to construction work on the dorm, but for some reason it was cut off from Thursday (this happens often so I'm not particularly worried). During that period, 60 people used the 4 toilets and 3 showers (water only) on the 4th floor, so the showers were always crowded!

-What are the topics for the activities?

On Wednesday, I played futsal with about 20 students from England, Germany, Indonesia, China, and Japan. Last time, we played with about 40 students from a local futsal team, and it was refreshing and fun to communicate in English during the game! On Saturday, I went to an amusement park on the plateau with some Chinese and Thai exchange students I had become friends with. It was a very comfortable place, with a temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius, which is unusual for Malaysia.

I studied about seven hours a day and was busy preparing for my presentation even during my homestay.

It has been a month since Ishizuka started studying abroad in Malaysia. Has he gotten used to life there? We have received his second report.

Ishizuka's week in October

-What topics are you studying?

This past week was the midterm exam season, and in my case, it also coincided with essay and presentation times, so I was almost immersed in studying every day. On average, I spent about seven hours a day immersed in my assignments at University of Malaya (I had been doing that for the past two weeks). On the weekends, I participated in a homestay program that I had applied for in advance, but even during that time, I continued to prepare for my presentation in my free time and while traveling.

The specific assignments included preparing two 3,000-word essays (three times the length of those written in Aogaku classes), one midterm exam, and a 30-minute group presentation (three people per group). The essays were particularly difficult, as even the slightest deviation from format or incorrect citation could result in a significant deduction of points, so I worked on them carefully. I consulted with professors from University of Malaya as well as the professor in charge of "Academic English" at Aogaku via messenger and received advice. Students who had never studied how to write English papers seemed to have a lot of trouble or had given up, but I had learned the basics in "Academic English" in my first and second years, so I was able to use that to learn how to write practical reports and acquire knowledge.

As for midterm exams, there are generally no tests like those in Japan. In the class I was taking, we had to write an essay of at least three A4 pages on one topic in 40 minutes, and the content was announced one week before. We had to memorize the title and author of the book and quote at least one place, which I think was a unique exam that Japanese people have never experienced.

This week was e-learning week, so one class was taken online. We uploaded the videos we had made in advance in group work to YouTube, and watched and evaluated each other. We also watched videos selected by the teacher and answered a simple quiz. There will be another e-learning week in December.

-What topics are you discussing in your daily life?

A slight change in October was the start of the rainy season. Heavy rain fell every evening. Once, lightning struck the dormitory where I live, and trees on campus were knocked down by lightning.

Last time I wrote about food, so this time I'll report on transportation on campus. There are three options for transportation: walking, campus shuttle bus, local bus, taxi (Grab), and UNiRIDE. First, regarding walking, it takes about 20 minutes to walk from the dormitory to the classroom, and there are many slopes, so it's quite tiring during the day under the scorching sun. Also, if a rainstorm comes, an umbrella is useless and you'll get soaked from head to toe. Therefore, I mainly use buses or taxis to travel long distances.

The free shuttle bus on campus runs about once an hour and is very convenient for traveling from the dorms to the classrooms. The local bus runs every 15 minutes and costs about 30 yen no matter how far you go. I use it frequently because it goes around the school and eventually goes to the nearest station. Taxis are expensive, and although it takes less than 5 minutes to get to the classroom, it costs about 180 yen. You can also use the "UNiRIDE" as a vehicle exclusively for on-campus use. This is a vehicle like an electric bicycle that you can get on and off anywhere on campus. The fare varies depending on the distance and time, but it is about 30 to 50 yen per ride, no license is required, and anyone can use it by registering on the app.

-What are the topics for the activities?

Although I mainly studied during this week, I participated in the practice of the dormitory's futsal team. At University of Malaya, a sports tournament will be held from late November to early December, with 12 dormitories competing against each other on campus. Each team started practicing in October. There are about 20 types of events, but I participate in soccer and futsal. I have already passed the selection for soccer and have been officially registered as a member. For futsal, I practice about three times a week under the guidance of a former Malaysian national team coach (this week we only practiced once because of midterm exams). The current team is made up of students from various countries, including Malaysia, Japan, China, Korea, Indonesia, Spain, Italy, England, and Germany. It is good for my health because I can exercise regularly, and it is also very interesting to be able to communicate in English with students from various countries.

Over the weekend, I participated in a homestay program in Malacca that I had applied for previously. There was only one other Japanese person there, so I spent most of my time with a good Korean friend. In a rural village with many wild cats, dogs, and chickens, I experienced traditional Malaysian games, sports, and cooking. I always ate Malaysian food at the cafeteria, but it was hard to make it. I ate traditional Malaysian food, but I was surprised to see that they used banana leaves instead of plates. My host family didn't speak much English, so I had some difficulty communicating, but I was able to spend a valuable time with them. However, they were busy preparing their presentation during this time.

While starting his fieldwork in earnest, he also enjoyed Malaysia by playing futsal and taking short trips to popular tourist spots.

We have received our third local report from Ishizuka, who is actively leading an international student life in Malaysia, both studying and playing futsal.

Ishizuka's week in November

-What topics are you studying?

Compared to October, there were no particularly heavy assignments this month, so I had more free time. On the other hand, I started doing fieldwork in earnest from November. In the phone meeting with the professors from Aogaku, we made the final adjustments to the contents of the research plan and the interview content. This week, the "Non-State Actors in International Relations" class was e-learning. In addition, a substitute teacher taught the "Introduction to International Relations" class on Friday. This was the third week in a row that the class times were irregular, but it is common for class times to change at University of Malaya.

-What topics are you discussing in your daily life?

Halloween is over, and in November, Christmas decorations start to appear all over town. The temperature is still over 30 degrees every day, so it feels a little strange for a Japanese person. Since the state religion is Islam, I thought Christmas wouldn't be celebrated with much pomp, but that wasn't the case.

So far, I have reported on "food" and "transportation on campus," so this time I would like to write about "unique rules on campus that are unique to Malaysian universities." In Malaysia, freedom of religion is recognized, so there are people who believe in various other religions, but the state religion is Islam, and there are many Muslims on campus, so the school rules are basically in accordance with Islamic rules.

-What are the topics for the activities?

In preparation for the tournament next weekend, I had futsal practice and practice matches four times a week. It's been a while since I last did a proper workout, so it's hard work, but I'm very happy to be able to play my sporting hobby in Malaysia. And playing with foreigners has been a valuable experience for me.

On Thursday, I went to eat sushi with two local students and two Korean exchange students. We chose a sushi restaurant that had a taste closer to Japanese food, but the flavors and toppings were a little Malaysian-style, which was interesting.

On Sunday, I went to "Sky Mirror," a tourist spot that has become famous in recent years, with my Chinese and Japanese friends. Sky Mirror is an area located on the Straits of Malacca that is shallow only at low tide. It has become a hot topic because you can take photos that look like the Uyuni Salt Flats. It takes about 30 minutes to get there by high-speed boat from the coast. This time, I used a Chinese tour company for the first time. The people at the tour company could not speak any English, so it was very difficult to communicate if you did not have a Chinese friend! By the way, Chinese is also widely spoken in Malaysia, so if you are studying Chinese as a second language and want to study abroad in Malaysia, I recommend that you continue to study. I had a six-month break, so I had almost forgotten about it. Still, it was a very satisfying short trip where I was able to take some strange photos.

The environmental issues that have become apparent to me not just as a tourist but as someone who lives here, are likely to become a theme for me in the future.

Ishizuka-san's time as an international student in Malaysia is coming to an end. We received a report from him on his fulfilling days, including fieldwork, studying for exams, and a trip to Malacca.

Ishizuka's week in December

-What topics are you studying?

All regular classes are over, and we are finally entering the Revision Week of Semester 1. During this period, supplementary classes and substitutes are held, but there were no supplementary classes in the classes I was taking. Therefore, during this week, I conducted interviews for the final fieldwork survey and preparation for the final exam at the same time. I would like to write about the final exam that was held a week later.

Almost all subjects have final exams, which account for 60% of the grade in most subjects. The exam consists of three essay questions and lasts for 120 minutes. To get a good score, you need to write at least three pages of A4 paper for each question (some teachers are lenient with international students). This amount of work can be quite difficult if you are not well prepared. You need to review, memorize the knowledge you learned in class, and think of specific examples to explain it. By the way, University of Malaya has a building dedicated to final exams, where students gather and take exams for many subjects at the same time. This causes traffic jams around the Examination Hall. It takes about 40 minutes to walk from my dormitory to the exam venue (although it is on the same campus), so I took a taxi, but the roads were crowded and it took longer than usual. The exam schedule is very different from Japan, and it is held almost every day, regardless of New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

-What are the topics for the activities?

During the week, there were three phone meetings with club leaders at Aogaku, so I'll explain them here. I started a soccer club in my first year and have been the representative ever since (I have a substitute representative in Japan while I'm studying abroad). Therefore, I had to start thinking about the plans and policies for the next year while I was in Malaysia, so I had phone meetings with several leaders in Japan.

This week, I went out for two days. First, on Wednesday, I went to a theme park in Kuala Lumpur with just some Japanese friends I made at University of Malaya. The overall quality was high, and there were attractions that you can't find in Japan, so it was a lot of fun. In the evening, we had a barbecue at the house of a friend who lives off campus, and had a great time.

On Friday, I went on a day trip to Malacca. Malacca has been a prosperous city since ancient times as a trading hub. The Portuguese occupation and colonial rule also started here. It was also registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. It takes about two hours by long-distance bus from Kuala Lumpur (about 400 yen one way). My local Malaysian friend is from Malacca, so she showed me around for the whole day. Being guided by someone who knows the area means that nothing goes to waste, and we were able to see all the spots in one day. She took me to places that only locals know, and all the food was delicious, so it was a trip that will become a good memory to conclude my study abroad.

After spending valuable time studying abroad, I experienced major changes in my identity and fundamental way of thinking.

I chose University of Malaya as my study abroad destination because I thought I would be stimulated by high-level students. When classes actually started, I realized that I was lagging behind local students and international students from other countries in both academic knowledge and English ability, and I realized that I would not be able to compete at a global level. Needless to say, this motivated me to study harder. Life in the dormitory was very fun, and it was the perfect environment to interact with international students from other countries. I joined soccer and futsal teams formed by the dormitory residents, and it was refreshing and interesting to communicate in English with students from various countries. I realized that "sports have no borders."

Looking back on my time studying abroad, I realize that "symbiosis," which is also part of the name of my faculty, is very difficult. When living with people from other countries and cultures, you sometimes feel that "what is natural to you is not natural." Most of the time I spent studying abroad was fun. However, there were times when I disagreed with someone, got irritated, or couldn't understand something. At such times, I was reminded once again that "symbiosis," especially "global symbiosis," is difficult. However, it is also true that the world needs to further "cooperate" and "cooperate" in the future. I strongly feel that further efforts are needed to tackle the difficult theme of "symbiosis." At the same time, I feel that my own identity and fundamental way of thinking have changed.
The people I met in Malaysia helped me in many ways. I would like to express my gratitude for this support and would like to further improve myself in the remaining two years.