My Exchange at Sophia University
I found out about the 360 programme when first deciding on which uni to go to, as I was already set on doing an exchange as some point in my studies.
I was comfortable in Tokyo from the beginning because I have already lived in Japan before. When I first started going to uni at Sophia I was met with many friendly students and I surprised by how delicious and cheap the food was in the various school cafeterias.
I stayed in the Soshigaya dorm which is Sophia’s cheaper option for accommodation. It was quite a distance from campus but that didn’t bother me because I could relax on the train. The dorm was nice and my room was surprisingly spacious. I also made a lot of really close friends with others staying in the dorm, by socialising in the share spaces. The dorm had some great facilities like a music room with a piano which I used very often.
I found that the course content at Sophia is very assignment-heavy, I was spending a lot more time working on assignments outside of class than I would be with my courses at UoA. One of my courses, SOC312/Introduction to Field Research, was an extremely immersive and interesting workshop course that left and impression on me unlike any other course throughout uni.
Tokyo is a bustling city full of various places with different things to do. Some might find it to be a little overwhelming, personally I love the convenience of having all sorts of fun things to do nearby. Many people think that the people in Tokyo might be somewhat cold or unfriendly, but the reality is is that this differs from where you go in particular. One area of Tokyo, Shimokitazawa, was among my favourite hangout spots. There I had multiple cases of speaking to strangers who I ended up becoming great friends with.
The cost of living (and the cost of pretty much anything else) is about half as much as Auckland. This might be a shock at first, but if you get a part-time job here you’ll realise that wages are about half as much as NZ, so it balances out that way. Living anywhere outside of Tokyo becomes significatly cheaper though.
Sophia had a wide variety of clubs and circles to choose from, and I got involved with their a cappella circle, Larbre Du Harmonie (or Larbre for short). I thoroughly enjoyed my time singing with Larbre; we had a winter concert at the end of the semester which involved many long rehearsals, during which I became especially close with the other members of the circle.
Being on campus was so much fun – personally I strived to make a lot of friends, which resulted in me bumping into somebody I knew every time I left the classroom. The campus is relatively small with a narrow design which makes everyone walk down the same path to get from building to building.
Food was amazing and so, so affordable. There’s so many different things to try, I never found myself wanting to cook for myself. I worked a part time job at an Izakaya (Japanese style inn/pub), and at the end of every shift they would make me an amazing quality dish for my staff meal, something which would be different every single time.
Highlights of my exchange include all of the friendships I made, the amazing part-time job I worked which I absolutely loved, and having the freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want in a city which never sleeps.
Challenges would be in regards to things like paperwork/forms; something which Japan is notoriously tedious with. Many things will have an unnecessarily long process which can be very annoying and sometimes difficult to understand, but it’s important to remember that there’s always someone who will be willing to help.
My main piece of advice when going on exchange is to try step out of your comfort zone right from the beginning. Some of the most precious friendships and memories I made were the result of me speaking to an interesting looking stranger on the street or in a park, something which usually would be nerve-wracking. I said to myself that I’ve come all the way here after tedious amounts of preparation, effort, and waiting. The last thing I want to do is miss out on making the most of the experience.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
For me, an anthropology course I took, Introduction to Field Studies, was by far the most memorable course I’ve taken throughout my time as a university student. It was a workshop-style course which was very involving, and had a professor (David Wank) who is very passionate about what he teaches. Unfortunately we were the last class he would teach this course to, as he is set to retire afterwards.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Sophia, like most Japanese universities, has an extremely wide range of club activities and circles available to join. Many exchange students found it intimidating and didn’t end up joining anything, which I found to be such a waste and very sad to see. My personal experience with getting involved in the a cappella circle was something that will be a significant part of my memories being on exchange, something that I’m very grateful to have been a part of.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
Number one is to step out of your comfort zone and really put some effort into experiencing anything that piques your interest. It’s better to do something than to regret not doing it afterwards.
Number two is to put some effort into becoming friends with the locals and Japanese students at uni. I noticed many of the exchange students exclusively became friends with other internationals, completely missing out on experiencing a chunk of Japanese student culture which is worth experiencing.
Number three is to get a part-time job somewhere (if you speak enough of the language). I learned so much more Japanese from speaking/reading it at my job than I even did during my Japanese classes at uni. I also ended up making great friendships with my coworkers as well as some of our regular customers.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
I worked hard and saved a decent amount of money for the exchange, although once I arrived in Japan I went to karaoke a little bit (a lot) too often and eventually ran out of money. At this point I was earning enough from my part-time job just to pay for rent and food, and if I wanted to do shopping or hang out somewhere, I would need to pull some money out of my savings account.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
6 months is both a long time and a short time – when I think back from the beginning of my exchange it seems like it wasn’t too long ago, and yet I’ve made a lifetime’s worth of precious memories during my time in Japan.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I’d definitely recommend taking a trip somewhere out of Tokyo at some point during the exchange. Each different city in Japan is unique in a way and has its own charms – something which you should definitely experience.
Tags: 2022, Arts/Humanities, Report