The Voice of a Japanese student: MA Globalisation and Development KOMOMO 2
Interview
1. What have you done before coming to UEA? - Background of the student
I had studied about international development at ICU for two years in Japan. Having an interest in business and fair trade, I engaged with several activities such as developing university goods with fair trade factory in India.
Though I had offers from other universities in the UK, I decided to come to UEA mainly because of the coursed contents. Also, I felt a staff and a lecturer came from UEA are very friendly when I went to the study abroad fair in Tokyo.
I am really glad that I do study abroad! This makes me realised things I have never noticed when I stayed in Japan, since study in the UK means that you need to think about your county and environment which is familiar with from the point of view of outsider. Also, people often ask my opinion as a Japanese national, therefore, this helps to re-realise my identity as a Japanese.
Well, to be honest, I do not feel that much stress by livening in here. That’s relatively surprising. I have heard that I might have a problem with food, but if I cook by myself, there is no problem around it. However, I feel that my English skill is kind of stuck. Having a lot of assignments and Japanese friends, I tend to lose opportunities to polish my English skills. Now I realise that before coming to England, I had expected and worried too many things which might be happening to me.
It is not easy to solve this issue, but I start going to events which are taken outside of a university. I want to find more opportunities to practice English.
If I describe my UEA life in one sentence, it would be something like “to look at myself.” Studying here makes me realise my background and, at the same time, it challenges my capacity to deal with the reality and increase my interest and patient, haha.
I really like to have a deep discussion with course mates. They are from different countries and areas worldwide, so having a discussion and spending time with them is fun and motivate me as well. However, in my course, we tackle relatively vague and huge topics such as the environmental issues and the international economy, so it is not easy to capture detailed trends. In this spring semester, I study analytical tools and methodologies, but in last autumn semester, I feel that the themes I was taught were ambiguous.
Since I love European antique clothes and goods, I'm strolling around the shops in Norwich city centre in my free time. And making small accessories using the parts collected there for a change.
I am quite satisfied with my study environment, but it might be better if module registration become more flexible. There are some time-tables clashes, so I was unable to take modules which I wanted to take originally.
Being in the international environment, now I am more flexible to think and act more than ever before. At UEA, there are opportunities to listen to and feel “the real of development.” Having these experiences will surely positively influence the ways in which I associate with societies and people in my career.
I recommend prospective students to develop clear and accurate opinions and visions in terms of career and study abroad before coming to the UK. Especially to who think about coming to MA Globalisation Business and Sustainable Development, you need to disclose what you want to achieve during and even after the course. Also, you will get so many things not only by thinking, buts also joining and experiencing! So, please be active in everything at UEA!
Thank you very much KOMOMO!
KOMOMO TANBA
MA Globalisation Business and Sustainable Development
2017-2018
Work was done by Yoko Igari, The Japanese Student Ambassador.
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