AALIYAH INSAN MAWASI | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Reasons for Participating in the Program

Studying Southeast Asia has been my biggest interest since I was a child; therefore this program provided me with an opportunity to apply what I had already learned at APU as well as to widen my knowledge about Southeast Asia.

Among Southeast Asian countries, I am particularly interested in Singapore, as it has many unique characteristics while also sharing common aspects with other countries in the region.

As a third-year university student, I have also started preparing for my graduation thesis and thinking seriously about my future career. Through participating in this program, I believe I was able to gain new perspectives and skills that are essential for my academic studies and graduation at APU.

How the Program Helped You Grow

I believe the field study program has helped me greatly in preparing my graduation thesis. I recall arriving at Kampong or village for the first time. It was a local residential area, and I sat there for around 20 minutes to build up the confidence to talk to the residents. After that, I was able to talk to many people without hesitation.

Through this experience, I gained skills that will help me better understand my academic interests in the future. Furthermore, I learned more about Singapore through interacting with the locals and exploring what I wanted for my future career as well as my master’s degree plans.

Message for Students Interested in The Program

The field study program provides opportunities that cannot be experienced in usual classes. You will face many challenges that only you can solve, and this experience helps improve both your soft skills and hard skills! Moreover, you will meet many new friends and experience exploring a new country as if you were studying there; Ｉ would like to call it a mini exchange program! Therefore, I recommend the field study program, as it helps you grow and put into practice what you have learned in class.