Student Blog

Proactiveness

In Japan, people naturally tend to reach out to you, but living abroad made me realize that nothing starts unless you take action yourself. Actively initiating invitations and participating in events broadened my social network and made my exchange experience much richer.

Communication Skills

Different cultures have different communication styles. In Japan, we have a culture of reading the room and often understand each other with only about 70% of the information explained. However, I learned that in international settings, where everyone comes from a different background, it is crucial to articulate your thoughts clearly. Especially in group work, you need to state what your contribution has been and what your ideas are to avoid misunderstandings. It was challenging at first, but I developed the ability to communicate my thoughts effectively to people from diverse backgrounds.

I also noticed that in Sweden, I was frequently asked if I wanted to do something. The culture deeply respects individual opinions, and it felt normal for people to have their own will, even regarding things that might seem tedious.

Immigration Issues

In Sweden, I met many people with immigrant backgrounds, including a friend whose parents were Iranian immigrants but was born in Sweden. This brought the issue of immigration, which I hadn't paid much attention to before, closer to home. For example, Swedish schools have systems for children to learn their parents’ native languages, and the city hosts welcome events for immigrants. On the other hand, I also heard about challenges such as an increase in crime rates and the segregation between immigrants and native residents. The question of how to respect and integrate immigrant cultures and languages is a crucial issue that Japan will also face. Studying in Europe allowed me to see these issues firsthand, hear direct accounts, and learn deeply.

In Summary

Thanks to my exchange program, I encountered new values. In Sweden, things felt slow-paced—whether I was having fika (a traditional Swedish coffee break) with friends, taking a walk, or cooking together. The different way of using time initially surprised me, but I gradually came to find it very comforting.
I am now enrolled in an English-medium seminar and plan to write my graduation thesis in English. I was worried that my improved English skills would decline after returning home, but I want to actively take English-medium courses at APU, interact with international students, and continue to improve my proficiency.
Despite the difficulties, my exchange experience was incredibly fun, and I'm so glad I took the plunge. If you have even a slight interest in going abroad, please take that first step!