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Respecting differing opinions, perspectives, and working together to accomplish goals
The key to succeeding in an international environment

How my one-year study abroad in China inspired me

In high school, I began studying Chinese on my own, thinking the language would be useful and wanting to enter a profession where I could interact with other parts of the world. After graduating from high school, I was torn between studying in Japan or China. However, after learning of Waseda’s double degree program with Chinese universities, I decided on Waseda. In my second year, I studied abroad for one year at Peking University’s School of International Studies. The Chinese language of natives was faster than I imagined and I learned as much as possible from my classes with the help of my classmates and fellow program participants. During my one year in China, I was deeply impressed and motivated by the diligence and hard work of Chinese students.

Discovering my path after meeting with various companies

While looking for employment, I concentrated my efforts on the food, infrastructure, and telecommunications industries and interviewed with 70 to 80 companies. I wanted to work in a profession where I could contribute to the advancement of developing countries. Through speaking with representatives from these companies, the path to accomplishing my goals became clear. I received employment offers from several companies and public institutions and decided to join the private sector because of its project-oriented style. During my search for employment, I learned the importance of time management as I continued to work a part time job, participate in extracurricular activities, and catch up with friends every now and then.

Respecting one another’s differences and speaking until we reach mutual understanding

Currently, I am traveling back and forth between Japan, which is involved in nickel mining, and Madagascar. It is very important to understand that working with people of different cultures and work customs is not easy. In order to shorten the distance between my culturally different partners and myself, I am working hard to learn their language so I can converse with them. Respecting others’ differences and conversing until mutual understanding is reached is vital in the workplace. The social network of people I spoke with as a student has become invaluable and I am using the experiences gained in my study abroad and extracurricular activities every day.