グローバルコミュニケーション学科コラム

Week 1

My study abroad life is starting. I have just arrived in Korea before. When I arrived in Korea, I was surprised that city view is very similar to Japan. I have gotten used to living in the dormitory and took my first class today. The content of this class was not that difficult, but the other students were more active than me, which was amazing. In addition, some students helped me about this university. If it were not for their help, my study abroad experience would not have gone well. I am very grateful for their warmth of heart. I will also continue do my best to take the classes.

Week 2

I have been in Korea for almost two weeks now, and unfortunately, I have been infected with a new type of coronavirus. At the time of infection, I had a severe headache and fever and suffered throughout the day. I could not eat properly and could not leave my room, so I had to ask my roommate to buy drinks at a convenience store to get by. In addition, a Japanese staff member at this university took me to a hospital, and after I started taking medication, my health gradually improved. Without her help, I must have been in trouble. If I have any problems in the future, I will consult her immediately.

Week 3

It has been more than three weeks since my arrival in Korea, and I am getting used to life in Korea. In the new classes I took, I interacted with people from various countries and was able to make several foreign friends. However, the English they speak is excellent and their pronunciation is so beautiful that sometimes I don't understand them. But they are kind and explain it to me again in an easy-to-understand way. I realized once again how poor my English is, and I now feel that I have to work harder. So I decided to write a diary in English every day. Thanks to doing this a little, I was able to grow a little in my writing class. I hope I can continue to keep this diary and improve my English as much as possible.

Week 4

In South Korea, from September 28 to October 3, there is a major holiday called Chuseok, during which classes are not in session. During this holiday, I went to Gancheon Cultural Village, a famous tourist attraction in Busan, with my Japanese friends. Since it was a consecutive holiday, it was crowded with many tourists and the scenery was very nice and relaxing. It was the most emotional and colorful town I have ever seen in my life, and it was very beautiful. We also enjoyed ourselves by going to cafes and eating at food stalls. I am beginning to make some foreign friends. After the holidays are over, classes will begin, and I will be ready for them with renewed energy.

Week 5

After a major holiday weekend, classes have resumed. After taking one class this week, I found that all of my classmates except me are very good at English. Their English pronunciation was so beautiful and fluent that I wanted to imitate them. I could understand what they were saying, but I had a hard time knowing how to say what I wanted to say in English. This made me realize that I need to study English harder. Also, I am now learning the words that are frequently used in English proficiency tests. I would like to learn a little more every day because I would like to get the English proficiency test level 2 when I go back to Japan.

Week 6

This week has been a busy one, as we are in the midst of midterm exams. Since last week, I have been going to the library every day to study for the midterm exams. Just today I finished the midterm exam for my writing class, but there is still a lot of work to be done. However, I have come to enjoy studying since I came to Korea. For example, when I speak with native speakers, I am very happy when they understand my newly learned English slang and words, and it makes me want to communicate more in English. I would like to continue to study hard and communicate with others after the mid-term examination so that I can spend a fulfilling time with them.

PS: I am getting along well with my roommates.

Week 7

I am relieved that all mid-term examinations are over. Last week was very busy with a series of midterm examinations. In one class, we had to write about Korean history in English, and in the writing class, we had to memorize a lot of paragraphs for the test. I had a lot of work to do, but I was desperate to get a good score. Thanks to the preparation I did in advance, I was able to answer the questions on the day of the test without any worries. After the mid-term exam, I still have the final exam, so I would like to continue to actively participate in class and increase my motivation to study.

Week 8

It has been almost two months since I arrived in Korea. After the mid-term examinations, classes have finally resumed in earnest, and we are working hard on our assignments. My major is English, but I am also studying Korean at the same time, which is a bit confusing but fun. In one English class, my Korean classmates were very friendly, and we were able to learn about each other's culture. He also taught me a few Korean words that I could use in daily conversation, which made me very happy. I was also very happy that he taught me some Korean words that I could use in daily conversation. I want to be able to speak English better like them, so I am going to try online English conversation classes.