TAKAMATSU FU | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Reason for Applying

I have long been interested in poverty issues, and have learned about the background of poverty and the challenges faced by people through classes and the Internet. However, I felt that there were limits to the information I could obtain, and I wanted to visit the area myself, see people’s lives with my own eyes, and learn by directly listening to their voices.

At that time, I was taking a course called “Introduction to Area Studies,” where I became interested in the idea of learning from the local community and the people living there without preconceived ideas. Through this course, I learned about the “Advanced Area Studies” program and was attracted to the opportunity to study at local universities, gain deeper understanding of NGOs, and interact directly with local people. For these reasons, I decided to apply for the program.

What do you hope to gain from participating in the program and how will you apply it to your future undergraduate studies or career?

In this program, I researched the theme of “Water and Poverty.” Data can tell us how many people have difficulty accessing water, but I felt that it is often difficult to understand the background and factors behind these issues without actually listening to people in the local communities. During the program, I had many opportunities to directly talk with local university professors, NGO staff, and residents, which allowed me to consider the issues from different perspectives. Learning from the voices of people who live and work there was a deeper learning experience than anything I had experienced before.

In my future studies, I want to value the voices of people who live in the communities rather than making judgments based only on data and literature. I want to make an effort to understand the challenges they face and their thoughts and feelings. I also hope to make use of the ability to take initiative that I developed through this experience as I continue to learn about international cooperation and development.

Message for Students Interested in The Program

Through this program, I was able to gain a lot of knowledge and experience. Since it was my first experience abroad, I was very nervous before the program started, but I spent the six weeks with the mindset that “everything will work out somehow.”

When I arrived in the local communities, there were many times when I felt confused by the differences in language and culture. I was also not confident in my English, so at first, I found it difficult to talk to people on my own. However, by taking the initiative to act, I was able to interact with local people and have experiences that I could not have had in my everyday life. On my days off, I also went sightseeing and was able to experience the local culture and lifestyle outside of my studies.

Although there were some difficult times, I had many more experiences that made me feel that I was glad I participated in this program. Through this program, I learned the importance of taking the first step toward something that interests me.