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Vu Thi Hai Yen (Socialist Republic of Viet Nam)

Hoping to become an international person who is active at a global level

Reasons for choosing Kansai University

When I was attending university in Vietnam, I had the opportunity to go on an exchanges student program for one year to Kansai University, which was a partner institution. During that time, I was able to gain first-hand experience of the Japanese language and culture. There is one moment from that time that I still remember, and that made a strong impression on me. One day as I was heading to the university, I saw a little boy walking toward me and drinking juice. When he finished drinking it, his mother told him gently, "trash should be put into the trash can" and they walked together to a trashcan, which was out of their way, to throw it away. In Vietnam, it is normal to see trash strewn along the streets, so it is inconceivable that a small child would practice good manners. I was extremely impressed by this Japanese concept on education, where they teach good public manners and morals from a young age. It was at that moment that I decided I wanted to learn more about Japanese education, and promised myself that I would come back to Japan. And so, after graduating from the university in Vietnam, I studied at Kansai University's Japanese Language and Culture Program Preparatory Course (Bekka) for half a year, and after that, I entered the Graduate School of Foreign Language Education and Research.

About my studies

I am learning about the methods that are used in Japan to teach and study foreign languages. I gained an understanding on what the current situation is and what problems there are regarding education in Japan, which is very interesting. I am also interested in language itself, so I take courses to learn English, Chinese, and Korean together with the undergraduate students. For my master's thesis, I am planning to do research on Japanese language education in Vietnam, particularly on kanji education. In Vietnam, we study Chinese characters in junior high school and high school. Thus, I hope to find ways to have Vietnamese people learn Japanese more efficiently by making effective use of our acquired knowledge on Chinese characters.

About student life

I go to school every day with a feeling of excitement, and the hours pass by very quickly. During the weekdays, I go to school every day. If I don't have class, I go to the research room or the library, and spend my time studying from morning to night. I also try to participate in activities for international students whenever I can. There are many activities for international students hosted by the Division of International Affairs, and each time, I have fun. On weekends and holidays, I see my friends, do part-time work, or do volunteer work, while also pursuing my studies. And from this academic year, I am participating as one of the leaders of an international student gathering. This gathering serves as a community for international students, and is starting to significantly expand its activities, with the full support received from the university. We are planning and hosting a variety of events, together with friends gathered from all over the world. I would like to continue participating actively in this, thereby helping to encourage more vibrant interactions amongst international students and thereby make life in Japan for international students even more fulfilling.

Future dreams

From the time I was in university at Vietnam, I didn't know what I wanted to do for my future, and my dream remained vague. But after entering Kansai University's Graduate School and meeting wonderful professors, I have gained a clear vision for my future.
After finishing my master's program, my goal is to proceed to a doctoral program and acquire a Ph. D. And if I have the opportunity, I would like to utilize the exchange student program at Kansai University and go to an English-speaking country to study their foreign language education. To realize this, I have started studying English. After acquiring my Ph. D., I would like to return to my home country and work as a Japanese language instructor. Instead of just teaching the linguistic aspects of the Japanese language, I would also like to inform the people in Vietnam about the appeals of Japan as a country by educating them about what lies beyond the language, such as the wonderful Japanese culture and the Japanese spirit, while also sharing my personal experiences from my study abroad in Japan.

Things I like about Japan

There are so many things I like about Japan! I initially became interested in Japan when I was in my first year of junior high school—when we studied about the Meiji Restoration in my history class. It was very interesting to learn the process of how Japan grew, before any other country in Asia, to be recognized as a modern nation, and ever since, I always had a sense of respect for Japan.
Upon having actually come to Japan, I was impressed by the unique Japanese spirit of paying respect to the other person's feelings. The spirit of voluntarily giving kindness to another person is unique to Japan, but I think this is an extremely important practice for people in communicating with another person, regardless of country. I would like to acquire the spirit of kindness and hospitality that Japanese people have during my study here, and would like to tell the people in my homeland about it.

What I enjoyed in Japan

I enjoyed being able to meet many people. I met not only professors and the staff at the Division of International Affairs, but also someone who I became personally close with and is like my mother in Japan. I have also been able to interact with international students coming from different countries, which brought me in contact with many different values. When I was in Vietnam, I was a serious and introverted person who only went between my home and school and spent my time only studying. But now, I have come to enjoy interacting with all different people. Coming to Japan has not only allowed me to advance in my studies, but it also brought great changes to me personally. Each time I go back to Vietnam, my friends are amazed at how much I have changed. My study abroad in Japan has made a huge impact on my personality, my future dreams, and my values. Thus, I would like to spend the rest of the time I have left as an international student by giving something in return to Japan.

What I like about Kansai University

The professors are very passionate about teaching us, and you can rely on the staff at the Division of International Affairs to provide assistance to the international students. They are all very easy to talk to, and are very sympathetic listeners when you need advice. The facilities are also very clean, and the Senriyama Campus has everything you need within its large campus. There are also many activities for international students, and my friends who attend other universities are envious of us. Kansai University is a private university, so tuition is higher than national universities, but I think it also has many programs to assist us with tuition, such as the tuition reduction program and the scholarship recommendation system.

Message for students who are hoping to enter Kansai University

Since you are coming all the way to Japan, you should not just spend your time studying, but interact with many people, and immerse yourself in the Japanese society. I think that, like me, you will have many encounters that will change your values. You can only live your life once, so have courage, and challenge yourself to do what you want to do!

What I enjoyed about my student life

This summer vacation, I went on a trip to Okinawa as part of an activity by the international students gathering. Okinawa was a place I'd been yearning to go to, from the time I was in Vietnam. It was wonderful, with really beautiful ocean, delicious food, and warm climate! I was also able to interact with many international students, and had a lot of fun.

Note: This interview was held in December 2013.