By Michael Skains (exchange student)

I am a student from Ball State University (BSU) in Muncie, Indiana, one of Sapporo University's sister schools. Iﾕm here until December studying Japanese language and culture. I chose to come to Sapporo because the city and the program offered at Sapporo University were very interesting to me, and it seemed to be a wonderful opportunity.

I was born and raised in the south-eastern part of the United States in Monroe, Louisiana. The climate there is very similar to Tokyo, with temperatures reaching 40℃ in the summer with very high humidity and around 10℃ in the winter. Though Monroe is fairly small by most standards― only 70,000 people ― it is by far the largest city in the north-eastern part of Louisiana and the second largest in the northern half of the state.

Life in Louisiana is both very similar and very different to life in Japan. Family and the community are very important in the south, especially in the smaller towns. People generally try to help each other as much as possible. They usually smile and at least say hello to people on the street, and the community typically gathers together for festivals and some holidays. The largest difference, I think, is that things in Louisiana are much more relaxed. Things are usually allowed to happen in their own time and people don't rush so much to get things done. It is a much slower paced society.

I now attend BSU, which is about 1,350 km from where I was born. BSU is much larger than Satsudai. There are over 20,000 students in 47 departments that offer more than 150 degree programs. The campus itself covers more than 4 square km with 67 buildings, including administration offices, residence halls and cafeterias. There is almost constant new construction on campus as well; a new music building and parking garage were just finished, and work has just started on a new communication building. You have to be careful when scheduling your classes. The ten minute break between classes sometimes isn't enough to make it from one end of the campus to the other. The buildings are often made to look like their purpose; for example, Bracken Library was built to look like a stack of books.

I have only been in Sapporo for two months, but I like living here quite a bit. The city is very interesting and fun to explore, and everyone I've met here has been so nice and friendly. The classes and teachers here have been very good and helpful. I am taking classes in reading, writing and speaking Japanese, Japanese Culture and Karate.

It is very difficult to pick my favorite; every class has something that makes it stand out. I think I enjoy the morning Japanese classes most of all, though. They are taught more to my level and allow me to work closer with the teachers and learn more quickly.

All of my teachers have qualities that make them stand out. Professor Matsui is very funny and his classes are always amusing, Miyazaki-sensei sends us out for fun activities that make me actually have to think in and use Japanese and Watanabe-sensei encourages us to learn useful things as quickly as we can. Our teaching assistant, Kenta Sugawara, has been extremely helpful as well. He has helped with many things both in and out of class, such as helping me get a cell phone, which is something that I never could have done without him. He's been a wonderful teacher and a great friend, and I know he'll do well when he goes to get his master's degree and to teach Japanese at my university this August.

This is a wonderful opportunity for me. I've already met many wonderful people and made many great friends, and I look forward to learning more about Sapporo, the people, the language and the culture of Japan while I am here.