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Maura McGrath
One-Year Study Abroad student at the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS)

Maura McGrath is a Harvard University student currently studying at Waseda University’s School of International Liberal Studies (SILS). While studying folklore at Harvard, Maura grew interested in Japan and came to Waseda to deepen her understanding of the country, its history, and its culture. As part of the One-Year Study Abroad Program at SILS, Maura is enrolled in Japanese language courses as well as in courses on a wide range of topics including Asian culture, history, society, arts, literature, and more.

Deepening my understanding of Japan’s culture and history

I came to Waseda because I knew I wanted to study at a university in Tokyo. One year programs at other universities generally focus on language courses but I wanted to study literature and history, not just language. Waseda lets me do that. Half of my courses are in the Japanese language program and the other half are in the School of International Liberal Studies.

I have been able to take classes on a variety of subjects since coming to Waseda such as Japanese history, postwar literature, classical poetry, and even Japanese folklore. These classes have really helped deepen my understanding of Japan’s culture and history.

Learning Japanese through cultural studies

My Japanese language courses here do not only focus on grammar and vocabulary like they do at home. There are theme classes that focus on a single aspect of Japan such as traditional culture and pop culture where I learn about various topics such as kabuki, martial arts, and anime. It’s really helpful to put my language abilities to practical use in these classes.

Immersing myself in Japanese martial arts

Waseda is not only about classroom experiences but also club activities. Since coming to Waseda in September, I have been involved in one of Waseda’s kendo circles, the Waseda University Kendo Dokokai. Kendo is a Japanese martial art and is sometimes described as Japanese fencing. I started kendo as a freshman back at Harvard and played for three years in America. However, the Waseda kendo club is an entirely different level! There are people such as myself who have been doing kendo for a short amount of time but there are others who have been active in kendo since elementary and middle school. Practicing with them is intense and I learn so much. I practice with them three times a week and hang out with them often outside of practice.

Being able to put “Waseda” on my resume is a huge advantage

I don’t like thinking about going home after this year. I’ve been having a lot of fun at Waseda and when I go back I need to enter my senior year of college and write my graduation thesis. Fortunately, I can use the language I’ve studied here and knowledge I’ve gained about Japanese culture when writing my thesis. More importantly, I hope to work in Japan after I graduate and I know that the language ability that I’ve acquired here and being able to put “Waseda” on my resume is going to be a huge advantage. I am extremely grateful for this. I think that having spent a year here and learning how to live in Tokyo while communicating with people outside of an American university will help me no matter what I decide to do after graduation.