Study at Kansai University
Comments from current international students
I've always felt an affinity toward Japan because I've always loved Japanese anime such as Doraemon and used to watch them often since I was young, and since my sister and other relatives were living in Japan.
When I was in elementary school, I promised my mother that I would become an architect and build a house for my parents. Ever since, my dream has been to become an architect, and I decided I wanted to study architecture in Japan, which is among the top in the world in the field of architecture. I think many students would choose Tokyo as their place to study abroad in Japan, but I experienced life in Osaka for a year during my Japanese language school days, and since I knew the warmth of the people of Kansai, I decided I wanted to stay in Kansai to further my studies in a university. I was also thinking about advancing to graduate school immediately after graduating from university, so I chose Kansai University because it has a graduate school for studying architecture, and because it also has solid facilities and curriculum.
I studied at a Japanese language school for one year before entering university, but when I first came to Japan, I had no friends. And since I did not understand Japanese, I was always alone and by myself, which was hard. I conversed in Japanese with students who were attending the Japanese language class, but since I wanted to become able to pronounce the words like a native, I watched TV programs (variety programs and drama) with Japanese telops. At first, I had no idea what was going on, but as I kept watching them, I gradually started to understand them, and I also became able to communicate with the Japanese people. The university classes were also very difficult to keep up with in the beginning, but I was able to understand what was going on by asking my Japanese friends. I also acquired many friends. In Osaka, people whom you've never met would often start talking to you, on the streets or in the train. This surprised me in the beginning, but I also like this kindness and friendliness of the people of Kansai.
I study broadly, including physics and other basic areas of study, as well as more specialized studies such as architectural history and architectural drawing. In one class for architectural drawing, we were given a theme and had to actually walk around town looking for land that would meet the theme, determine what kind of a building should be built on that land, and develop and present the drawing. I was able to win an award at the final presentation, which made me very happy.
I not only participate in classes, but also take part in a variety of projects. Last year, our research group participated in a project team to build an Osaka Board Game Park that was a part of the Aqua Metropolis Osaka activities hosted by the city of Osaka. During the event period, we created various areas in the park where people can play board games to their hearts content, such as by decorating the park with checkered designs and laying out tiles to play Othello. I am currently only a member of this team, but when I advance into graduate school, I would like to participate actively as a central member of this team.
In the field of architecture, much of the work needs to be done together with other people, which gives me the opportunity to communicate with many different people. So, it is easy to make friends, and I can also build my communication skills. Our current research group gets along very well, between professor and students and also amongst students, so that I can freely share any concerns I might have.
I am planning to advance to graduate school, so I want to first obtain solid knowledge. After that, I would like to work in an architectural firm in Japan and enhance my skills. I'm interested in landscaping design, so my final goal is to participate in an urban planning project in my home country of Malaysia, and give something back to my country. And of course, I want to build a house for my parents!
I was surprised to see a place to wash hands on top of the toilet tank. I was also initially very surprised to see people at a hot spring bath soaking naked with people they don't know. But now, I love Japan's hot spring baths.
I think Kansai University has the environment to allow you to pursue what you want to do. It has many departments, and you'll also be able to make many Japanese friends.
The university has wonderful facilities, and the environment is also great with lots of nature. The university also provides great support to international students, so they give you the right environment that allows you to achieve immense growth, depending on how much effort you put into your studies. If you are undecided about studying in Japan, know that you'll be fine if you have the minimum amount of Japanese language skills. It's better to take action instead of worrying about it, so please come to Japan and have a wonderful experience!
I climbed Mount Fuji with my sister who lives in Tokyo, and we saw an amazing sunrise from the top of the mountain. The climbing was hard, but when the sun came up from the clouds, it was a very inspirational moment.
Note: This interview was held in December 2013.