Behind the magic was a dedicated crew of volunteers: Reception Staff, Food Managers, Campus Guides, MCs, DJs, and Cameramen. Each team played a vital role in turning the event into a vibrant, and welcoming experience. A few years ago, I stood on stage as the MC, alongside fellow Student Ambassadors Alex and Vinayak. Back then, […]
For any student considering studying or working abroad in Japan, these reflections might give you an insight into how to prepare, what to expect, and how to thrive when life throws you out of your comfort zone. Waking Up at 4:00 A.M.: The Discipline of Daily Routines In the military, the day often began before […]
17 May 2022 | Pixels Turn to Pavement On May 17, 2022, my long-delayed plan finally stepped off the screen and onto the pavement. Until then, Japan had only existed inside my phone—sakura threads on Twitter, dorm snapshots on Instagram, and endless PDFs from the university. Immigration stamped my passport, and just like that, it […]
The tradition of hakama: a cultural milestone Wearing a hakama on graduation day is a unique and cherished tradition in Japan, especially for female students. Interestingly, while hakama were originally worn by men in the samurai class during the Heian and Edo periods, today, the garment has become iconic for women during university graduation ceremonies. […]
This blog continues from my previous post, “Learning from Learners [Part 1]: Observing,” where I recounted how a chance discovery of an English camp flyer pulled me away from Tokyo’s hectic life and into the quiet hills of Nasu in Tochigi Prefecture. In Part 1, I reflected on the lead-up to the camp, how my […]
Observational learning taps into a basic human skill: the capacity to pick up new behaviors simply by watching (dare I say, observing) others, without ever feeling the need to experience everything firsthand. In a 1973 paper, Bandura and Jeffery[1] outlined four key processes that shape this learning, that is, attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation. […]
Friendship Association for International Students and Japanese Volunteers (RKK)🔗: Improve Your Language Skills With Japanese volunteers from Kanagawa Prefecture, RKK organizes many different kinds of events for international students, including free private Japanese lessons. When applying, you can choose the language level and even specify the theme of the lesson that you want to attend; […]
Why work part-time in Japan? Benefits beyond just earning money Although it might just be a part-time job, it can provide enough money to fund your travels or spend on things you enjoy without disrupting your daily life. Especially in today’s economy, where everything feels expensive, even as a MEXT scholar receiving a monthly stipend, […]
Chapter 2: fib Symposium in New Zealand Due to our (alleged) hard work and perseverance in the lab, my lab mates and I were set to present our research work at the fib Symposium 2024, an international conference focusing on resilient concrete structures. This conference took place from November 11-13, 2024, in Christchurch, New Zealand. […]
Writing this, I’m realizing how lucky I was to step out of my comfort zone. If I’d stayed home, I’d probably be a manager by now, maybe married, living the “normal” life. But I always wondered, what if? Could I really do it, or would I just play it safe? Sure, I missed a lot […]
