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During a break in her exchange program, APU student Anri Okamoto visited Finland. This time, we interviewed her about what inspired her to pursue an exchange program in the country she had admired for so long.
Anri Okamoto
3rd year, College of Sustainability and Tourism
Hometown: Hiroshima Prefecture
Anri’s decision to study abroad in Finland was sparked by a book called My 100 Finnish Routines, which was written by APU alumna Chika. We asked her what moved her so deeply about the book.
Okamoto: I first came across Chika’s essay collection back in high school while scrolling through social media. At the time, I was struggling with relationships and feeling a disconnect between my own need for “me time” and how those around me viewed it. Being alone was something I genuinely needed, but for the people close to me, being alone felt negative or uncomfortable. The difference in values was painful because it involved people I cared about. In the book, there was a scene where Chika sits alone by a lakeside with a pack of blueberries and a beer, saying, “This is happiness.” That single moment resonated with me. I felt connected to her understanding of “being alone” and her idea of happiness. It made me wonder: what kind of place is Finland, the country she loves so much? That curiosity eventually led me to want to study there myself.
Okamoto: There were many culturally fascinating aspects, of course, but what left the deepest impression were the everyday scenes. For example, after classes at the university, I sometimes went to a nearby sauna with friends or by myself, and I enjoyed relaxing swims in the lake. Watching the sunset slowly while spending quiet time by the water felt incredibly luxurious. In Finland, time spent doing nothing is valued as a natural part of daily life. Being in that environment allowed me room to breathe and regain my own pace. I realized that spending quiet time by myself and enjoying lively times laughing with others are both essential for me to lead a life that is true to who I am.
Okamoto: Studying in Finland helped me reexamine the essence of university learning, which is self‑directed learning. Like APU, my host university had many group work‑based classes, but one major difference was that there were almost no detailed instructions for final presentations or assignments.
At APU, presentation templates and assessment criteria are often clearly provided, which means the goal is relatively visible. In Finland, both the format and content of presentations were completely open-ended. The only guideline was the time limit.
As a result, we spent a lot of time figuring out what to do: defining the theme, identifying key issues, analyzing them, and shaping our output from scratch. There were moments when opinions clashed or when differences in motivation caused tension, but through this process of trial and error, I learned what it means to create learning for yourself.
Thanks to this experience, I now feel more confident in taking the initiative in group work at APU, facilitating discussions, and managing tasks to keep projects moving smoothly.
Okamoto: Rather than saying I changed, I would say Finland helped me reaffirm something important—how I relate to being alone. I’ve never been the type to feel lonely just because I have fewer interactions with others. Being with people is fun and fulfilling, but at the same time, I deeply value slow, quiet time to think at my own pace. That combination of values often felt contradictory and misunderstood.
In Finland, however, being alone was simply normal and even appreciated. People didn’t avoid it; they embraced it as time for recharging themselves. Living there—sometimes enjoying lively times with friends and sometimes spending peaceful alone time—felt completely natural and comfortable.
After returning to Japan, I read another one of Chika’s books, which explained two concepts: loneliness as a negative isolation, and solitude as a positive, intentional alone time. I realized that what had caused me distress before wasn’t solitude itself, rather, it was being in an environment where the value of solitude wasn’t widely understood.
Now, I can cherish both my rich alone time and the time I spend with the people I care about. I no longer feel like I must choose between the two. Finland taught me the richness of “finding yourself within the quiet.”
Next time…
In the next post, I’ll share how I spent my time during my study abroad experience.
Hello! My name is Mayumi, and I am a third-year student in the College of Asia Pacific Studies. I would like to share the unique features of APU, as well as my experience studying abroad in the UK for a year. I hope my posts can inspire readers who are considering studying at APU or taking on new challenges. Looking forward to connecting with you!
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