By: Maia Ganley

Going on an exchange to Kansai Gaidai University in Japan was something I never thought that I would ever be able to experience. Not only was I able to spend time in the country I had seen on social media, I experienced moments that I will never forget.

Of course, the best part of the trip was meeting my friends. I spent most of my time around them, and often went travelling with them. One of my favourite moments was the time I went to Kobe. My friends and I saw the night-time light show. Music started playing, and my friend asked if I wanted to dance. This was one of the moments where I realised how much my exchange had made me grow as a person, because I did not care what anyone around us thought as my friend and I just danced around Kobe port.

The food was incredible, I can never stress that enough. In Japan, sushi is ten times tastier than in New Zealand, and almost half the price. My favourite places to go were the sushi train restaurants, especially Sushiro, Kurazushi, and Hamazushi. Another highlight of my trip was when I went to Northern Hiroshima with my friend, and we stayed at a little guest house. It was so adorable, and the owner was so nice. A big challenge I experienced while being in Japan was adapting the way I respond to people’s kindness. This is because the way we view acts of kindness in Japan compared to New Zealand are very different. I was often on-guard, and wondered how I should respond or reciprocate these acts, and often overthought it. This is because in New Zealand, we are a lot more straight-forward, whereas in Japan, people are very polite. I often worried whether my Japanese friends agreed to activities out of interest or burden. Overcoming these concerns was probably one of my biggest challenges. I realised that worrying was causing me to be distant, and it is better to be yourself and ask if you’re unsure.

I will be truthful and say that Japanese class was difficult. Despite this, I learned so much, and most importantly learned how to persevere. Some things were easier than others, but my teacher was wonderful, and all of my teachers were incredibly understanding. I got the most out of my Japanese while in Japan than I ever have, simply because I made so many mistakes.

My exchange has taught me how to sit back and relax. Before going, I was set in my ways of planning trips out to every little detail, stressing when behind on schedule. Then I found the beauty in just wandering and taking my time, because I realised how nice it was to not think, and just be.

My exchange will affect my future in many ways. I was able to reconnect with people, make some potential career connections, and learn more about the culture and living in Japan. This experience helped me know for sure that I want to work there in the future.