Darko RADAKOVIC and Jamal NAMOUS are International Graduate Exchange Students from German Sports University Cologne. They shared their experiences of life in Japan and at Waseda University.
Darko RADAKOVIC
Q1. What made you decide to come to Waseda to study?
The first time when I heard about Waseda was back in 2018 during my bachelor studies in the United States. I remember reading an article at that time that Waseda is, if not, the most prestigious Japanese university and one of the top places in the world for anything sport science related. Ever since I wanted to come to Waseda whether that was for a degree or just an exchange semester. In the end I decided to go to Germany for my master’s but once I saw that my German university has a partnership with Waseda it was a no brainer…I applied right away and gave it my all to come here.
Q2 What are you currently studying at Waseda?
I came to Waseda to study various topics in sport management and marketing. The 5 classes I took this semester dealt with topics in: sport consumer psychology, sport and new media, sport marketing and management, and finally a research seminar.
Q3. How did you find the typical class sizes?
I liked it a lot. We had 4-7 students in our classes. While I think that 4 might be on the low of the spectrum, I really think that a class size under 10 is perfect to really interact with the professor and gain the most out of the class. No way to go around your homework, you’ll be for sure caught (laughs)!
Q4. Please describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class.
So many. For example, that one time when Matsuoka Sensei took us to a baseball game of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows as part of a practical sports marketing class. Sato Sensei rewarded us one time with delicious dango for a solid class discussion and Wong Sensei would spontaneously give us a candy or two to get us back on track and keep us focused.Weirdly enough all my examples involve food (laughs)!
Q5. Tell us about your campus life at Waseda University.
I walked around all the campuses. I visited Toyama, Waseda main, Higashi-Fushimi and
Tokorozawa. I would always sit on a bench inside or outside and read or study something. I spent a lot of time in the Takata library and would often workout in the Toyama gym and the Higashi-Fushimi weight room. Over the course of the semester, I also visited a few events.
Q6. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as an international student?
For me it wasn’t too hard. I like to think of myself as a very cheerful and amiable person. Being an international student usually sparks a bit of curiosity and then it’s not to hard to get into a conversation. “Where are you from?“ is most of the time a great ice breaker.Overall, I would say Interacted with a lot of Japanese and other international students and made quite a few friends.
Q7. What differences do you perceive between Japanese and German universities?
The two comparisons that I’m going to make are based on my German university and
Waseda experience of course. At Waseda I felt my professors are a bit more approachable and available then in Germany, essentially a bit more available to the students. Additionally, the examinations differ quite a bit. In Waseda we would have numerous tasks divided throughout the semester that each add up to our final grade whereas in Germany it’s one big assignment for 100%. And of course, there are many more differences, but these are two that really caught my eye.
Q8. How would you describe the dorm life – rooms, dining options, location, social
opportunities?
I was in a shared house and not in a Waseda dorm. The location was great, I lived close to Nakano Station and had great connections to other places of Tokyo with both the public transport and the bicycle. A good thing was that the share house wasn’t that crowded, only 8 of us but I didn’t really interact with my housemates that much. As for dining options, I would often cook myself but also spend a lot of time eating out and trying the diverse and delicious Japanese cuisine. Now a bad thing was the room size and price, for what I paid in Japan I could almost get a little studio apartment in Germany, or a room double the size in a 2-3 people flat.
Q9. What surprised you the most when you came to Japan?
The “konbinis” and the vending machines. Both are just awesome. That you have so many places that work 24/7 where you can get things such as food, snacks and many other daily necessities was just mind blowing to me. They are really living up to the name “convenience store”. As for the vending machines, I was surprised that there is one almost around every corner and even more, I was surprised at myself of how many times I used them. From now on whenever I think of Japan, along with other pictures, I will always have pictures of konbinis and vending machines in my mind. But I love it.
Q10. What did you gain from studying at Waseda University?
A lot. I learned about a new culture and country, about a new educational system, and some Japanese during my time at Waseda. And finally, I learned a lot from sports marketing and management from both an international and Japanese perspective.
Q11. What are your plans and outlook for the future?
Following semester, I plan to finish my master thesis and at the same time I plan to start a part time job in the sports management or marketing industry. After I finish my master’s, I will see whether to go for a PhD or look for work.
Jamal NAMOUS
Q1. What made you decide to come to Waseda to study?
Exploring a country such as Japan and its millennial culture has been my dream for some time and having the opportunity to do that while taking classes at the best university in Japan is the cherry on top of the cake.
Q2 What are you currently studying at Waseda?
I’m currently taking classes at the Faculty of Sport Sciences
Q3. How did you find the typical class sizes??
As the classes were small, I found them pretty interesting as it allows the students to have interactive classes where both the students and the professors can easily exchange ideas and opinions.
Q4. Please describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class.
Well, I have quite some but if I had to choose I could say the time when our Sport Consumer Psychology treated us to a typical Japanese sweet called “Dango” on a hot summer day.
Q5. Tell us about your campus life at Waseda University.
I particularly enjoyed using the gym and exploring the different campuses such as the Higashi-Fushimi, Tokorozawa and Takadanobaba.
Q6. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as an international student?
The Intercultural Communication Center’s events allowed me to meet various people, I particularly enjoyed the “Learn traditional dance & try on a yukata” event held in June.
Q7．What differences do you perceive between Japanese and German universities?
There were not many differences, I was actually surprised to see how easy it was to adapt to Waseda. Both Waseda and my German university are very inclusive and in both institutions the classes are interactive.
Q8．How would you describe the dorm life – rooms, dining options, location, social opportunities?
I did not stay in Waseda’s dorm.
Q9．What surprised you the most when you came to Japan?
Without a doubt, how convenient Tokyo is. You can find anything at any time of the day and night, trains are always on time and the fact that Japanese people are keen on sharing their culture made it easy for me to adapt.
Q10. What did you gain from studying at Waseda University?
Studying at Waseda allowed me to hear and learn from people with different perspectives as well as gaining knowledge in my field of study. Having the opportunity to study there made a big difference in my academic education as I think that being exposed to different ways of thinking is crucial in academics and in my future professional life.
Q11. What are your plans and outlook for the future?
I am hoping to use the experience I gained as an exchange student to play a role in the development of the sport industry on both the national and international stages.
