By Maia Ganley

Kia ora, my name is Maia Ganley, and I am a second-year university student at The University of Waikato. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Global Studies majoring in International Languages and Cultures, specialising in Japanese, minoring in Creative Writing and Korean. I chose to go on an exchange for a wide range of reasons, one being that I desired the experience of completely immersing myself in a culture distinct from my own, while studying towards my future. The opportunity to do exactly this was offered by the Global Experiences team here at Waikato Uni, so I took it.

I chose Kansai Gaidai University because, firstly, I wanted to study in Japan. This not only aligns with my major but also allows me to continue with my Japanese language study that I have been pursuing for the past six years. I will be able to expand my Japanese language knowledge and experience the traditional aspects of Japan. Another reason I chose Kansai Gaidai University is because out of the three Japanese Universities, its paper system is the most similar to Waikato Uni. Kansai Gaidai also has a primary focus on international students, so I felt confident in their ability to look after me during my stay.

Kansai Gaidai University is in the Kansai region, specifically in Osaka. It is also an hour out from one of Japan’s oldest cities, Kyoto. The location of the University allows students access to many traditional and cultural sites to travel to on the weekends, and for field trips as part of the school curriculum. Overall, I am most looking forward learning about Japanese culture to while on my exchange (Also, this Uni is close to USJ Japan!!! – priorities).

If you are considering going to Kansai Gaidai, stay tuned 🙂