By Heather Robbie (exchange student)

Four years ago I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, what university I wanted to go to and what I wanted to study. Three years ago I decided that I wanted to get a job in the tourism industry when I finished school. Why tourism? Well, I like to travel; I like to find out about other cultures and languages. I had been studying Japanese at high school and I also wanted to continue studying Japanese at university. I decided what I wanted to study and why, but not where; so I ended up going to my Career Counselor to try to find the best option for me. She told me that I should go to Auckland University of Technology (AUT). AUT lies right in the heart of Auckland City, New Zealand. The array of courses that can be taken are not limited to science, applied arts and business, but also hospitality, nursing, sports degrees and visual arts to name a few. AUT was the obvious university for me as it is the only university in New Zealand that would give me the opportunity to mix my Japanese with my tourism in the form of a conjoint degree. So I am studying for a Bachelor of Arts (Japanese) Bachelor of Business (Tourism) Conjoint Degree.

There are many international students at AUT from different countries such as Japan, China, Korea, America, United Kingdom and Fiji. There are students from over 70 countries at AUT.

This is how I came to study at Sapporo University (SU) this year. Last year I studied Japanese for the first time at the university level. It was very difficult and took a lot of time to study in New Zealand. My friend told me about going to SU, and so I wanted the opportunity to come as well. I was informed that there was one place left and was given the opportunity to go to SU for a year. My main purpose in coming to SU is to improve my Japanese. However, I am in the Economics department at SU, so I am also learning about the Japanese economy and management.

My University in New Zealand has many facilities. Comparatively speaking, AUT has a bigger library than SU with many books, videos, magazines and journals available to students. There is also an e-library with databases and such to help with assignments that can be accessed from home. AUT has an on campus student bar where students can go and play pool and meet up with friends. There are many cafeterias and restaurants on campus. The hospitality students run the restaurants as part of their course. There are also bookshops similar to that at SU where course books can be purchased as well as other stationary requirements. There are shops on campus where students sometimes practice marketing products as part of their business studies. There are also other facilities such as the medical clinic, harassment prevention center, international student centre and a student led newspaper.

Overall, AUT is not too different from SU and both have their highlights. Being bigger than SU, AUT has more facilities available, but SU has a greater sense of friendship among students. Classes are similar, but assignments are quite different and there are a wider variety of courses available at AUT.