Profile
- Name: Jenifer
- Home Country: / From: Australia
- Studied in: Kagoshima
- Exchange Year: 2015
- What I’m Doing Now:
Interview
- What I Gained from Studying Abroad:
- My year in Kagoshima was a time that completely changed the direction of my life’s compass. To be honest, before I left, my only image of Japan was Tokyo and Kyoto, and I remember feeling a little anxious when I first heard I was going to Kagoshima.
- For the first few months, I struggled not only with the language barrier but also with the unique local dialect, “Kagoshima-ben.” But my host family loved me like a real daughter, my classmates would rephrase things over and over until I understood, and the neighborhood grandmas always cheered me on. It was precisely because I wasn’t in a big city that I was able to fully immerse myself in the warmth of the people.
- The biggest thing I gained is the conviction that “hearts can connect, even without perfect words.” I also gained a flexible strength—the ability to face any difficult situation and overcome it with a laugh and an “it’ll all work out somehow” spirit. This has been my greatest treasure, supporting me through my university life after returning home and even in my job today.
- Advice for Future Students: / A Message for You:
- To everyone about to embark on their journey to Japan. Some of you are filled with excitement, others might be too anxious to sleep—I’m sure you’re all feeling many things. But I can promise you one thing: the year you are about to experience will, without a doubt, be the most colorful year of your life.
- My one piece of advice is this: “If you’re invited, just try saying ‘Yes!'” Whether it’s an invitation from your host family to go dig for sweet potatoes on the weekend, or from a classmate to go to karaoke after school. Even if you don’t understand what’s happening at first, or even if it feels like a bit of a hassle, your best, most unique memories—the ones you can’t find in any guidebook—are waiting just beyond that “yes.”
- Your “difference” is not a wall; it’s your greatest strength. Japanese high school students are dying to know about your country and about you. Don’t try to speak perfect Japanese; just talk to your new Japanese friends a lot, in your own words.
- Your year abroad will fly by in a flash. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, don’t be shy, and just soak up everything in front of you like a sponge. That experience will make the “you” of 10 years from now so much stronger and so much kinder. Have the best adventure!
My Trail on TTJ
- Explore My Stories & Posts:
Cooled Down by a White Bear (No, Really) in Kagoshima
