Exchange Students’ Voice / 交換留学生の声

 I study Japanese back at my home university, so I jumped at the opportunity of getting some first-hand experience in Japan. Add that to my personal interest in Japanese culture and history and, of course, I was not going to let it slide past me. I would also say another reason that pushed me to make this choice was my desire to live on my own for a while. Sure, I live in a dorm with other international students, but I still make decisions for myself, have my own room etc.
So far, the experience is exactly what I wished it would be if not more, and with a fair amount of time still left to it, I want to make of it as much as I possibly can.

My favorite place on campus has to be the “Ivy lounge area”. You can find it on the left side of the second floor of Liberty Tower, and I often go there if have some free time between classes, as all of them are in Surugadai Campus. The area is equipped with pretty big tables, both for individuals and groups of people, and rather comfortable chairs. Plus, every seat has integrated charging and w-LAN outlets, which makes it ideal for working on your computer (don’t worry, the university also provides cable-less Wi-Fi connection). Moreover, this is the only place in Liberty Tower where the vending machines with all the different drinks and the ones with snacks are, and there are also rubbish bins for recycling: very useful in case you are holding onto any trash from the vending machines, for example.

I absolutely have a very positive impression of my time here so far, and things are definitely turning out way better than I first expected. I’m enjoying this new university; the lessons are very interesting, professors are always open to questions and discussion on many topics and the local students have been very welcoming. I really like my dormitory too. Izumi International House is in a good area; Meidaimae is not too central but also not too isolated, with a lot of minimarkets and restaurants, and is a good residential area overall. Furthermore, I soon learned that, if I have any concern, the school offices will always be open to any questions and will answer very quickly.
Suffice it to say, I now know that if I were to have the chance to repeat an experience like this, whether it be in Japan or anywhere else, I most certainly would.

 The thing that surprised me most is the reliability of public transport. While I can only speak for Tokyo, there are quite a few different means of transportation to choose from (my personal favorite here being trains) to get around the city and the areas surrounding it. They pass frequently and are almost always on time, both when they get to your station and when they arrive at their destination. From my point of view, Japanese public transport feels like the of efficiency. It’s look modern too, like a lot of investment is being put into it. Definitely different from my country’s, which is unfortunately quite outdated and unreliable for a number of reasons.

■Things you particulartly enjoy / 楽しいところ
The thing I enjoy the most definitely has to be the feeling of independence I’m getting from this experience. I get to make choices for myself without anyone’s opinion to weigh on my conscience, decide what is good or bad for me etc. I need to do a number of new chores now, but at the same time I can do them at the rhythm that best befits me. I get to live in a situation where I get my share of individuality while still living with other people, so I’m not completely alone. My dorm mates have been welcoming to me as well, and we often travel around Tokyo and the surrounding areas.
I’m having a great opportunity to mature and get more in touch with myself. It is really making me want to participate in more projects like this one.

■Things challenging for you / 大変なところ
The greatest challenge I faced in my student life was basically getting used to it. As a person who tends to overthink, worries too much about the tiniest details and struggles with anxiety, you can imagine how I felt when I first arrived in Japan. I felt so lost and immediately jumped to the conclusion that this was a bad idea. However, after a good night’s sleep and some help by my very friendly (and very patient) dorm mates I was able to start tackling this new reality little by little, until I eventually became accustomed to it. Now I’m having the greatest of times here and I don’t regret it for one second. Sure, I still feel a some manner of anxiety when I try to speak Japanese with the locals, but that’s more of a given of practicing a new language and I’m sure it will slowly fade as I get better at it.

 Truth be told, I’m still very much at a loss when I think about what I want to do and who I want to be in the future:
- On the one hand, I could decide to leave Italy for good, living my life in another country that gives better opportunities to, and has better use for, their young adults (or youth in general), and where you have more chances and freedom to express yourself to the fullest.
- On the other hand, I want to enter politics in the face of a very difficult situation, which sees Italy plagued by extreme political instability caused to erratic policies, increasing economic woes and a climate of hopelessness among Italian citizens, where many now do not believe that any action taken will ever make a difference in the big picture.
It was this personal dilemma that led me to choose the School of Political Science and Economics here at Meiji. For now however, any of these options remains a possibility.

My home university, the University for Foreigners of Siena (シエナ外国人大学), is a small institution that specializes in studies about mediation, intercultural contact and preparing Italian language teachers for foreigners. One of its main selling points are the many ongoing collaborations with foreign universities to promote mobility projects and learning experiences around the globe, which allows its students to get first-hand experience on the field and with very important life-defining experiences. The university promotes an environment of self-expression for its students, creating a safe haven where they can be themselves and the ideal place to incite discussion on the most varied topics, without restrictions.
Quite a different reality from my university, Italy is working with a very conservative, gatekeeping mentality and it has been for a very long time. Economically speaking, the Country relies on small to medium sized businesses, which promotes a strong anti-corporation feeling in favor of protectionism. The current political climate is only making Italy double down on these behaviors in a move that risks making us trail behind other European countries more than we already do.

Absolutely take this opportunity! Occasions like these are hard to find!
They are not just a chance to learn a new language, but to understand the culture of different people who think, feel and act in a manner that’s not yours and why they do so. It is a chance to understand the world we live in a little bit better, broaden your visions, create connections and, most importantly, to mature. In my opinion, what you can get from this project far outweighs the doubts you may have when you make the decision to participate in it, and now that I am doing mine, I’m ever so sure of it. I certainly rank this experience among the most meaningful I’ve ever had to date, so I would definitely recommend this, even if it might feel frightening or a bit expensive.

I would like to thank the Meiji students for the warm welcome and the support they give us. They were the ones who introduced us to the institution, showed us around the campuses and informed us about the student offices. Their help was essential in ensuring us foreign student would get all the tools needed to get accustomed to this new environment. Moreover, they show great interest in getting to know us by making small talk, asking about our countries, inviting us out to dinner etc.
I hope that the time we are spending together means to them just as much as this whole experience is meaning to me.