[Study abroad experience] Mr. Iori Matsuda, XNUMXrd year student in the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences

[Destination] Auckland University of Technology (New Zealand)

[Study abroad period] February XNUMX to June XNUMX

[Type of study abroad] Long-term study abroad at a partner university

What made you decide to study at Auckland University of Technology?

I decided to study at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) for two reasons.The first is that I went to study abroad for six weeks during the summer vacation two years ago, and I really liked the atmosphere of the town and people of Auckland.The second reason is that I became friends with an international student who came to Hongdae from AUT, and I would like to meet him again.In fact, it was a place I had been to once, so I had a general idea of ​​where things were. I think I cut the dash.

Please tell me about classes at the host university

In the classes I took there, I had three subjects in English, and I had a very free course in which I decided to work on a project related to Japan or the Japanese language.In addition to that, I was auditing Chinese speaking and writing classes.It was difficult to study a language that I had never studied before in a non-native language, but it was refreshing and fun!I only attended the class, but I was allowed to take the test just like everyone else, and I got an A+!If you study abroad, there may be certain classes that you can take, but you may be able to work things out by talking to your teacher, so please try it.

When I was studying abroad, I challenged various things with the spirit of doing everything I wanted to do!In the Japanese project class, I was a tutor for Japanese classes at university and high school.It was great to be able to interact with local students of my age, and it was a lot of fun to have the valuable experience of learning my mother tongue, even though I was in the position of a tutor.

Did you join a club or circle?

I joined Kiwi Asian Club, a Kiwi (New Zealander) Asian community, where I went to camp for 2 days and 3 nights and participated in various weekly events.The members of the club are Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Russian, and they all look different, but of course they all speak English.It seems that we (three of us) were the first exchange students to join this club, but everyone was very kind and warm to us.I think it was a great opportunity to interact with local students of the same age.Everyone is welcome, so we encourage you to join us!I believe that your study abroad life in Auckland will be more enjoyable and fulfilling!

Please give a message to students who are thinking of studying abroad.

Please be proactive when you study abroad!It's a waste to hold back when there's something you want to say or ask.At first, I was worried about my English ability, so I thought it would be difficult, but I felt that I could not grow at all unless I overcame it.It's the same in everyday life, but if you can't express your opinion in class, you'll lose out.

This is probably the most difficult thing to do, but don't be afraid to fail, just try talking.Then, about 7-8% of the time, I think you'll be asked "Huh?" You say, "Huh?"It makes me feel better when I think it's the same.And one more time, if it still doesn't work, try one more time!I think that the other party will gradually become more willing to listen.I think everyone will realize that they're not as scary as they think they are (laughs).Good luck everyone!