By Huang Yao Xu

Senior, Faculty of Cultural Studies

I am an international student from Shenyang in China. I've been studying at Sapporo University for four years and I got an official job offer in Japan. Let me tell you my experiences of studying in Japan.

I wanted to study in Japan after graduating from high school because I had been interested in Japanese and Japanese culture. I entered Japanese language school, Asuka Gakuin in Yokohama, in October 2003. I came overseas for the first time and every day I saw new wonderful and exciting things which made me extremely happy. I learned about various cultures while studying Japanese. It was very interesting to compare cultures and customs in each country. I was fortunate to have a good time with a lot of friends in Yokohama for one year and a half.

When I was thinking about entering university, my homeroom teacher, Mr. Somekawa, advised me that it is nicer to study at a university based in a local community rather than in a big city. I decided to go to Sapporo which is a sister city of my hometown.

In April 2005, I entered Sapporo University and started living alone for the first time. I couldn't get used to it and felt lonely. I became homesick because I was alone far away from my teachers and friends in Yokohama.

Actually, I couldn't follow the classes very well and I got irritated at first. I couldn't catch what college teachers said because classes proceeded at Japanese students' pace. Sometimes I didn't feel like speaking Japanese and meeting people. It was difficult for international students to make relationships with Japanese students because of the language barrier. For a while I couldn't fit in well with my new surroundings and tended to stick together with other international students.

However, I told myself that feeling down doesn't do any good, and decided to be positive and cheerful. Finally, I decided to consult Mr. Somekawa. He advised me, "Don't be obsessed with the present situation. Everyone goes through that kind of experience so you shouldn't think there is anything weird about you." On hearing this, I felt relieved and much lighter at heart. After that, I participated actively in various school events and I could make a lot of Japanese friends. Since then my campus life became much better and more enjoyable.

I think it is important to express yourself to others. Sometimes it happens in a different culture that you can't explain your problems to others and try to solve them by yourself. However, you can feel refreshed if you tell your thoughts and worries to others. I think it is better to talk about it to your close friends and teachers.

Two years passed smoothly and I started to think about getting a job in Japan after graduation, because I didn't want to have to say in a few years, "I once studied Japanese" and I also wanted to work like Japanese people do. Therefore when I was a junior, I got the first grade of the Japanese language proficiency test, the Microsoft certified professional computer test, and a driver's license. Also, I joined a seminar for job finders. I earned 126 credits in three years.

I started job hunting in February before I became a senior. I went to Tokyo in late February because there aren't a lot of IT companies in Hokkaido. I stayed there about a month and attended one or two companies' information sessions and preliminary screenings every day; even so, my applications to about twenty companies were all rejected. I was deeply shocked and lost my self-confidence.

My senior encouraged me warmly, "Everyone gets rejected by twenty companies or so. It is just the companies you were applying for didn't suit you. It is not your fault. Don't give up! You will be all right if you have confidence in yourself." Also, my parents said to me, "Failure is the mother of success. Take it easy and don't push yourself too hard." Thanks to my senior and my parents, I got my self-confidence back. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you give up without trying. I think your dream will come true if you never stop working towards your goal.

In late March, I'd been looking for a job and I got one step closer to my dream. I learned from my mistakes and sometimes I could pass paper tests and interviews. It became fun to participate in recruiting activities. To my joy, I received informal job offers from four companies in late April. I was ready to cry for joy when I received a job offer from my first choice company in Tokyo. I thought all my efforts had paid off.

However, graduating from SU and getting a job for next March is not a final goal, but just a beginning as a member of society. I want to set myself high standards all the time and try hard to reach them. I feel so much gratitude that I was able to come here to Japan and study one year and a half at Japanese language school, and four years at Sapporo University.