Student Blog

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Hi everyone! I’m Sho Nishimura, a first-year student in the College of International Management (APM). I’d like to introduce FIRST, a short-term overseas training program that many first-year students at APU participate in. In the Spring Semester of 2024, I had the chance to take part in this program in South Korea,

What Exactly Is FIRST?

FIRST is a short-term overseas program organized by APU for domestic students in their 1st and 2nd semesters, as well as international students who meet the Japanese language requirements. Participants travel in small groups to countries and regions like South Korea or Taiwan, where they conduct local research based on questions they’ve created themselves. This is done through interviews and surveys on-site, and when they return to Japan, they give presentations based on their findings.

What Makes It Different from Other Programs?

There are lots of study abroad opportunities at APU, but FIRST has some unique features that really set it apart:

• You can’t use your smartphone for translation, searches, or maps
• You have to find your accommodation after arriving in the country
• You must conduct interviews and surveys using your own language skills
• Your destination is decided by lottery after arriving!

Have you ever tried traveling without using your smartphone? Most people probably haven’t—even in Japan, it seems pretty tough! Now imagine doing that in a country where you don’t speak the language. Sounds thrilling, right?

So, I Joined the Program!

Boarding an express train

Call board used during the survey

Before heading abroad, we had orientation sessions at APU where we learned research methods, interview techniques, and basic Korean. Once our teams were decided, the actual 5-day, 4-night program began during the quarter break in late May

Day 1

We left APU at 6 a.m. and took a high-speed ferry from Hakata Port to Busan, arriving in about 4 hours. The very first thing we did in Korea was draw lots to find out where we’d be sent! The results could mean a nearby city, or somewhere much farther away. It was such a nerve-wracking moment!
Our team drew a slip with a Korean place name written on it. Since we weren’t allowed to use smartphone maps or translation apps, we had to go to the information center to ask for directions. After a 2-hour express train ride and a transfer, we finally arrived at our destination around 8 p.m. What a day!

Days 2–5

The next day, we got started on our survey project. Each of us had to approach at least 30 people on the street for a survey. It wasn’t easy—we were ignored quite a bit—but we didn’t let that stop us. We stayed positive and pushed through until the end!

After the Trip

Back on campus, we had post-program sessions where we compiled our research findings as a group and gave a final presentation in front of our professor. Analyzing the results and presenting them ourselves was a truly meaningful “first step” as university students.

This was my first time visiting South Korea, and I learned how helpless I can feel in a foreign place—especially without a smartphone! But I also gained a great sense of accomplishment from completing the program. The FIRST experience taught me so much, and I hope to apply what I learned to new challenges in the future!

What did you think?
This was my report on FIRST, APU’s off-campus program for first-year students. If it sounds exciting to you, I highly encourage you to give it a try!

View from the boat on the way back

Streetscape of a Korean city

Sho Nishimura

Hello everyone! I'm Sho Nishimura, a second-year APM student! Recently, my favorite hobby has been traveling to various places and enjoying delicious food!
Through my activities in SPA, I hope to connect with many different people. I would love to share more about the unique features of Beppu and APU with all of you through SPA!