Student Voices: Opportunities to make friends from all over the world
Tue, Sep 6, 2016-
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From Taiwan
- Name: HSU, Yi Tung
- Graduated from: National Tsing Hua University 國立清華大學
- Affiliation: Department of Pure and Applied Mathematics (Master’s)
- Awards: Ting Hsin International Group, Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp. Scholarship
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Why did you choose Waseda University?
One of the reasons why is that Waseda is a very international university; I checked some information and I thought that Waseda would be helpful to international students like me. I like to interact with foreign people and want to learn about many other cultures, not only Japanese culture. I expect that Waseda would help me to have more opportunities to make more friends from all over the world.
Did you have any concerns before coming to Japan?
Actually not! Before I came to Japan, I contacted a staff in the Waseda Taipei Office. She gave me information, and I also received emails from the Admissions Office in Tokyo. Everything they had done for me was helpful. When I asked some questions by email, they responded quickly. I think all staff members at the Graduate Admissions Office at Waseda are friendly and helpful.
So, I didn’t worry much, but, only the thing I was worried a little bit was the language. Before coming here, I had already studied Japanese for three years, but it was still not enough for me to live here.
As I am a scholarship student, I was able to concentrate on my research without worrying about financial problems.
Did you have any difficulties getting started here?
No, not at all. I think my ability to adapt myself to new places is not bad. I usually travel around by myself. And, I moved out from my home to a dormitory when I was thirteen years old. Living in a new place is not difficult for me.
I think Japanese culture is similar to ours, and it feel familiar for me. Well, in Taiwan, I usually ate Japanese food, watched Japanese TV programs and listened to Japanese songs. So, living in Japan is very normal. Now, it is a little bit colder than in Taiwan though.
How is your life in Japan? What do you do on your free time?
I usually enjoy participating in student club events, like ICC-related activities. The International Community Center (ICC) holds interesting Japanese cultural events: tea ceremony (茶道), kimono-wearing and mochi-tuki (rice cake making). For me, learning Japanese culture is one of my goals during studying abroad. I also participate in language exchange. My partners are Japanese, so they help me much to adjust to daily life in Japan.
At Waseda, I actually have much free time because I don’t need to take experiment classes. I usually stay at my research office.
What are your supervisor and lab members like?
People in the research office are very good; most of them are Japanese, and it is a good opportunity for me to practice Japanese. My professor is very friendly. He always asks me whether I have problems in daily life, and he also asks all the senpai (upperclassmen) to help me, too. All the senpais are friendly and nice, of course. I think that students at Waseda are open-minded.
What is your career goal after you complete your degree?
After graduation, I’d like to find some internship programs here, and I d’ like to go back to Taiwan. I want take the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exam license. Now, I study mathematics and financial statistics, so I think I can make myself better with the license. It will also benefit me when I go job-hunting.
Do you have any advice for prospective students?
in English
It is my honor to be enrolled as a student for the master’s program in Waseda University. With all the abundant resources, help provided by the staff here, I have adapted myself to this new life quickly and enjoy it very much. If you are considering going abroad for a new school life, but at the same time, you do not want to go too far away, then Waseda would be a very good choice.
in Chinese
能夠在頗負盛譽的早稲田大學求學，享用豐富的資源，真的很慶幸自己當初決定來日本念書。早稲田是一所非常國際化的學校，外國學生之多，讓我感覺我不只在日 本，而是在世界中，這也是我只申請這所的原因之一。除此之外，這邊的教職員對外國學生所提供的幫助之多，資料詳細，處理速度之快，讓我的出國適應期很快就 過去了。若是你正在思考換一個環境升學，又不想離家太遠，早稲田將是非常好的選擇。
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