I鈥檝e had a strong interest in Japan ever since I was a child, whether it be cars, video games, technology, anime etc. and it鈥檚 always been somewhere I dreaI鈥檝e had a strong interest in Japan ever since I was a child, whether it be cars, video games, technology, anime etc. and it鈥檚 always been somewhere I dreamed of living. Bangor鈥檚 study abroad program turned that dream into reality.
What I gained
I had the opportunity to study Japanese in a fully immersive environment (no English allowed during class). In my first semester, all classes were JLPT N3 (upper-intermediate) level, as my ultimate goal was to pass the official N3 exam. Compared to self-study in the UK, progress was unsurprisingly much quicker. When you are immersed in a language, you learn even when you aren鈥檛 studying, and spend much more time using the language in real-life situations.
Moreover, as a Computer Science student, one of my dream jobs is to work for a video game company in Japan such as SEGA or Nintendo: by having both the experience of living in Japan and improved language skills, I am one step closer to achieving this.
Highlight of my trip
Picking a single highlight is incredibly difficult as I had so many! But visiting Hokkaido in February was unforgettable. Being in the winter, I had the opportunity to see some incredible snow and ice sculptures at festivals in places like Sapporo and Asahikawa. Hokkaido is home to many remote places and small towns surrounded by nothing but trees and snow; at times I could hardly believe that I was still in Japan.
Preparing for IEY
My advice to anyone planning on doing a year abroad: try to learn the basics of the language spoken at your destination (if it isn鈥檛 English). Just knowing some everyday phrases goes a long way. You soon get into a routine where everything just becomes normal as if you鈥檝e been there your whole life!
