[Study in Japan Report] By Ines from PIASS

Nkusi Ines INEZA our former exchange student from Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences, Rwanda, who studied in Japan from Sept. 2022 to July.2023 wrote an essay of his one year stay in Japan.

Nkusi Ines INEZA
MY STAY IN JAPAN

My name is INEZA NKUSI INES from Rwanda, student of the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS) in the department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management. and I studied in Japan for one year as an exchange student at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS).

I arrived to Japan last year on early morning of September 27, 2022.  it was a long journey that took about to 2 days to reach. Our colleague Jato and Paul; former exchange students came to pick us from the Tokyo’s Haneda international airport to the campus where we get to meet in-person the staff of the Inter-University Exchange Project (Africa)-TUFS who are Dr. Chihiro Kumashiro and Yuko Nishiwaki whom we mostly communicated regularly online in the entire successfulness procedures and arrangements that of this trip.

From Rwanda [developing country] to Japan [developed country] had been with full of excitement to explore everything in numerous fields which includes Japanese development, environment, culture and the society.

My First time abroad. Being to Japan brought to me a wide experience not only of how I understand Japan as a country but also its spheres of life and the broad topics on global arena. In line with this, this report provides overview of the points in regard to the experiences of my stay in Japan from September, 2022 to July, 2023. It covers various aspects such as school life, culture experiences, sites of attractions, impressions and my observations.

In the experience of school life at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, I took part in several courses that discussed broad topics of gender in comparative perspectives. Basically, this is the area that I am interested in and had a broader understanding derived from my country`s efforts to gender equality and the women engagement in all dimensions of the nation-building. With my observation, TUFS classes which are multi-fields related provides with students a good platform to share ideas, experiences and skills on critical issues that do affects global path to sustainable development. Here in this picture, I was invited to a feminism course class while sharing the strategies on what Rwanda has done and doing in the gender equality promotion of recent decades where I got a deep knowhow of the applicability of this in the distinct parts of the world from fellow course participants who are from various backgrounds.

Cultural Experiences

During my stay in Japan, among a lot of joyful moments, I got chances to participate in the cultural experiences organized by the Student Exchange Division of TUFS. In this occasion, we were introduced to multiple kinds of the Japanese cultural ways including the Kimono dressing, writing Kanjis known as Calligraphy and the flower arrangement practices. This has been super beneficial to my understanding of Japan as all are the popular ways of Japanese traditions and culture.

Kurayami Festival

 

Kurayami is one of the cultural and the famous festivals in Japan. This year, I with my fellow colleagues [exchange students from] have participated on the invitation from one of our supporters to this festival that took place in Fuchu city. We were accompanied by our professors from African Studies Center and the Inter-University Exchange Project (Africa)-TUFS.

Outside Tours

As part of my exchange desires to experience the Japanese traditions while making sight-seeing tours to the shrines and temples, I succeeded the visit to the famous Kamakura shrine that is located near the Japanese coast of which we had a good time with my friends both Japanese and international students.

The time flies, we finally came to the end of this program but my appetite to experience Japan remained fresh and I hope that I will visit Japan again in the near future. I have had an incredible, valuable and interesting memories in Japan. This would have never been possible without the kind hearts.  I profoundly express my gratitude of thanks to the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies that hosted us this far, all supporters who cared for us to have all these memories, I’m truly honored by the generosity displayed by Yazaki Corporation in providing us with financial assistance during the waiting period for our scholarships. Your contribution has alleviated the financial burden and allowed me to pursue my education with peace of mind. I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to JASSO for granting us scholarship of 10 months. This support has been instrumental in enabling us to focus on my studies and make the most of my education opportunities.  once again, please accept my sincere thanks to the African Studies Center and the Inter-University Exchange Project (Africa)-TUFS and every person whom I get to know during my stay in Japan.

Big Thank you!