Student Blog

4 min read

Many APU students not only want to study on campus, they also want to gain real-world experience through internships. At APU, there are students who have gained practical social experience in various ways, such as by taking contract-type internships, independently-arranged internships, or taking a leave of absence to pursue long-term internships.

Some students even directly email overseas companies to inquire about internships. This time, I interviewed an APU student who used this a unique method to secure an internship at an Indonesian company. I hope this article will be helpful to everyone who is interested in internships!

Student interviewed :

Kyoka Kanai
4th-year student
College of International Management (Major: Management Strategy and Organization*1)
From: Nagano Prefecture
*1 2017 Curriculum

What kind of studies and activities have you done at APU so far?

I am majoring in management strategy and organization*1 in APM, and in my seminars, I have learned about the influence of culture on business strategy and social contribution and financial gain through business. I also worked as a TA for SSAW (a mandatory workshop class for first-year students) twice and as an RA (resident assistant at APU’s international dormitory) for one and a half years.

Please tell me the details of how you applied for your internship. Did you use APU's Career Office or an agent?

I received an internship opportunity by contacting the company I was interested in directly via email. Therefore, although I did not use an agent, I needed to submit my resume in English, so I asked APU's Career Office to help me with writing it.

What was your job during the internship?

I worked at an agency that provides Japanese and cultural education as well as departure support for workers going to Japan from Indonesia. I attended Japanese classes with trainees, participated in meetings between host companies and the trainees, and performed tasks such as signing contracts with other companies and organizations to ensure high-quality education.

What was your life like during your internship?

My working hours were 8:00 to 17:30. It was about a 30-minute drive from my apartment to my workplace, so I left home before 8:00, took a taxi to work, and followed the to-do list I had made the day before until lunchtime from 12:00 to 13:00. After I ate lunch at a nearby restaurant, I continued working until 17:30, occasionally going to sign contracts. There were some Muslim people at work, so we had a two-hour lunch break on Fridays, including time for prayer at the mosque. Even at work, we prayed five times a day, which was a good cultural experience for me.

Did you face any difficulties during the preparation stage or during your internship?

What was difficult during the preparation stage was the slow response times to emails from overseas companies. I wanted to maintain close communication, but I often felt anxious because I received replies slower than expected. What was difficult during my internship was probably the language and cultural barrier. I was stressed out because in a business where mistakes are not tolerated, it would be a big problem if there was a misunderstanding. It was very difficult to carry out work efficiently in such a confusing situation where I was not sure I understood what people were saying correctly.

What did you enjoy, what did you find rewarding, what skills did you gain, and what has changed since you returned from your internship?

I have fond memories of the people I met at work inviting me to weddings, cooking meals for me, and providing me with cultural experiences that could only be found in Indonesia. Also, after returning to Japan, I sometimes met foreign workers at my part-time job or while traveling, and I felt a sense of kinship with them. I was able to converse with them in Indonesian and find ways to support them as Japanese person.

Please tell us about your schedule for future job hunting and your work values.

I went for an internship in Indonesia during the fall semester of my third year, and after that, I took a year off from school at the end of my third year and started job hunting. I am looking for a job as a ‘26 graduate. Work values? Let me see, I’d say I want to sustainably support people in need. Rather than pursuing business solely for financial gain, I would like to find something I can do in a place that doesn't violate human rights. Another important aspect is being able to lead a life with peace of mind. This is very important to me. I experienced a lot of anxiety while living in Indonesia and was really stressed out. In fact, I was hospitalized and almost died from food poisoning. From these experiences, I realized that even if I can do what I want to at work, if I don't have a sense of security in my life, it will be hard. Therefore, I would like to work in a job that does not involve excessive stress but allows me to take care of the people I care about.

What do you all think? It may take some courage to take on the challenge of interning abroad, but by gaining a variety of skills and experiences at a company you are interested in, you may be able to reconsider your career values and plans. I hope you will start thinking about internships while referring to the experiences shared by senior students in this interview series!

Natsuki Aoki

Hello! I'm Natsuki, an APS 3rd year majoring in International Relations. I hope to inspire you all by sharing my interesting experiences, new discoveries, and encounters at APU. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!