My experience in Japan has been particularly special.  As someone who is half Japanese, I guess I have a relatively unique perspective on life in Japan.
　　 I was lucky enough to get an exchange studentship from the University of Oslo to Wasada University in 1999.  I have now lived in Tokyo for 18 months and it has been one of the most interesting experiences of my life.
　　There exist many misconceptions concerning Japan.  If there is one thing you can say for certain, it's that everyone has an opinion about Japan!  No matter how sparse their experience, it seems like everyone has something to say.  Whether through Hollywood movies, manga, or otherwise?  For my part, Tokyo is a home from home.  Here I find the best food in the world, the best drink and the best company.
　　 Ok, so maybe I'm biased!  But then, on the face of it, everything in Japan is also very strange.  There are no free lunches, and in fact many things feel very strange for me here, although I speak Japanese and am more at home than many foreigners.  So, for me, whilst things are in some ways natural, it's also an adventure, but that just adds to the experience!
　　 Since graduating, I've recently started working in Tokyo as a software engineer, which demands quite long hours.  As a student, of course, you have much more time to enjoy all the cultural and social aspects of life as an international student here.  The year I spent as a student was too short!  Sometimes, I wish I were a student at Waseda again.
　　 On returning to Norway after my year at Waseda, I realized it was way too short.  I looked for ways to return to Japan and came across a fascinating experience, involving 6 months in India, based in Bangalore.  It opened my eyes to the opportunities available to many Western students especially students in Norway wanting to travel abroad.  I worked for a Japanese company which I hoped to join in Tokyo.  There was nothing to hold me back except my own inhibitions.
　　 Drawing on my Japanese experience, and the lifelong friends I've made at Waseda University, I was very excited about working in Japan.  Having met many Japanese and international students during my studies many of which are still in Japan I knew I would meet many old friends on my return. I haven't been proved wrong.  My experiences have formed a strong foundation for a bridge between the West and the East which has stood me in good stead and hopefully forged links between Japan and abroad from which others will benefit.
　　 Although many people have an opinion about Japan, how many can really say they know the country from personal experience?  In this world of soundbites, it is all too easy to come to quick and false conclusions.
　　 As a student at Waseda University, you will gain a unique experience that sets you apart from the masses and gives you a special insight into the Japanese intellectual and cultural zeitgeist.