Reasons for Participating in the Program
Right after I entered APU, a senior student told me, “You can get a good start in your university life by applying for the FIRST Program”. I was not interested in Korea at all honestly. It would be my first time going overseas, but I thought the program might be good for me as many first-year students would also be participating, and it would be safe since it is a university-run program. I did not have any deep reason until just before participating in the program.
How the Program Helped You Grow
I was struggling mentally partway through the fieldwork as I had to interview local people despite not being interested in Korea and not knowing any Korean at all, and even if I tried my best to talk to people, sometimes they found me suspicious and would avoid us. But I wasn’t discouraged and tried changing my line from "Please fill out our survey" to "Please cooperate with our survey to learn about this country," which reflected my true feelings. I also tried suppressing my fear to call out to people extra cheerfully and studying Hangeul during the program (I was able to read it by the end!). After trying various methods like these, we were able to collect survey responses more smoothly, and I realized that with just a little effort and feeling people and things can change!
In addition, I learned a lot before and after the program, not just during the fieldwork. We had to decide our research question (topic) for the survey before leaving Japan and present the results after returning. The process of debating and examining the content of our research over and over again (even on weekends) with all the group members was really tough. However, we were able to discover unexpected and interesting trends after analyzing the survey responses, and the professor praised our findings at the results presentation. Through these moments, I discovered a new way of learning and enjoying studying that involved collaborating with others to create a final product, which differed to how I studied up until high school.
Message for Students Interested in The Program
I recommend this program to people who:
- ・ Have never been abroad
- ・ Have only been abroad for travel
- ・ Have little experience collaborating with others to try their hardest to create a final product
- ・ Are worried about being able to make friends at university
- ・ Like the destination country (in my case, Korea)
- ・ Are not interested in the destination country
- ・ Want to overcome their shyness
As a new student, you are probably struggling with the differences between studying at high school and studying at university, maintaining motivation, and the differences in friendships. The FIRST Program is a powerful ally that can help you find the answers to these difficulties.
LANGUAGE:
Japanese
Programs Currently Recruiting
