BY YUZURU HONDO

Mr. Hideki Shinada, who is a fourth-year student in the Department of English at Sapporo University, has been at Ball State University in Indiana for study from August of 1997 until May of 1998. He told of his days at Ball State and his future plans.
ﾒI studied mainly business there since I want to run a company in the future. Of course, I studied other things. However, I couldnﾕt think of anything but study for the first a few months because I had to read the textbooks so much everyday as preparation for classes and had assignments everyday, too. Needless to say, those books were written in English. It took me a lot of time to finish them. I often had trouble in doing assignments and couldnﾕt understand the lectures. In such cases, I would visit the professors in their office hours to ask questions. They were very friendly and answered me kindly, however simple my questions were.ﾓ
Then he spoke of some differences between Americans and Japanese. ﾒI felt both students and teachers tackle classes with all their might. Students never speak to each other during class. Few people come late to class. The teacher comes before the appointed time to start the class on time. If they donﾕt understand something, they ask the teacher over and over again until they are convinced. So a lot of time is spent on questions and answers.ﾓ
He told about college life next. ﾒTo my surprise, there were more Asian students than I had imagined,ﾓ he said. In fact, there were about six hundred Asian students at Ball State. Sometimes trouble happens among students from different countries because of misunderstandings or language problems. But they become friends again soon. ﾒI made Asian friends, too,ﾓ he said. ﾒOn the campus, there are tennis courts, a gymnasium, and a movie theater. When I didnﾕt have any class, I played tennis with my friends, worked out in the gym, or went to see movies.ﾓ I asked how he spent the vacations. ﾒI took trips. I went to Toronto with a friend, to Chicago with my host family, to Florida with my friends. Those were great trips.ﾓ
Last of all, I requested a message for younger students. ﾒTo study abroad is good for improving your English skills. But I also think too much information beforehand is unnecessary. It could make your life there dull. Though you may meet with some problems, even they can be enjoyable. You can do anything if you have a strong will.ﾓ
Mr. Shinada will return to America and enter graduate MBA (Master of Business Administration) at Ball State after he graduates from SU. ﾒI thought I need to study business especially in graduate school to run a company in the future. And I want to acquire knowledge as a weapon to cope with the current depression.ﾓ Then I asked him why he wants to study in America. ﾒIt is difficult to major in another field different from that studied as an undergraduate. But in America, people can choose their field of interest. Anyway, the biggest reason is that I like America.ﾓ
He must take GMAT (Graduate Management Administrations Test) to apply for MBA school. He has studied hard for the test and he also works part-time to earn money to study in America. I hope for his success and many people follow his remarkable career.