国際交流センター

留学先　　　　：College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University　　　　
学部・学科　　：外国語学部　英語コミュニケーション学科　国際ビジネスコミュニケーション専攻　　　　　
留学期間　　　：2021年8月31日～2022年5月10日　　　　　　　　　　　
氏名・学年　　：N・Dさん（留学時：3年生）　　　　

Hard Times

1. Spring Semester

　　　The spring semester is so much harder than I thought it would be. Before coming to the U.S., I was told that everything will get easier. Sure I got used to living at the dorm, the differences in education style, the weather, the food, and other things. Therefore, a lot of people might think that Spring Semester wouldn’t be as hard as Fall Semester. However, I feel more stressed and everything harder this semester. I got to choose the classes this semester, which was exciting. I asked my friends for their recommendations, I asked about the classes I’m interested in, and I asked how I should make my class schedule. Since I got to plan my Spring Semester, I was very excited about it until I found out it was going to be busy. Though my classes are what I am interested in, though my classes are fewer than last semester, I am having a harder time than Fall Semester. One of the reasons is the load of homework and projects. I get two to three sets of readings almost every time. Even if I feel like I am getting used to reading and getting faster at it, it is still a lot of information to take in, tiring to my eyes and brain, and very overwhelming. I always want to skip reading, but without doing it, I won’t be able to follow and participate in class. Another reason is the writings. The required pages are longer compared to what I’ve written in BGU. I’ve written paragraphs and essays about personal experiences, but never papers about what I’ve learned in English. Explaining my knowledge in my own words was hard at first, but it is very satisfying when the work you’ve done is graded not only high but the highest in class. Finally, the most tiring cause and the one thing I have struggled with and been frustrated with the most so far is group projects outside class. Every class I am taking this semester has a group project. We have to present an assigned topic that was discussed in class. We have to do research, and remind and give a deeper understanding to our classmates through presentations. It has been halfway through this semester, and I haven’t had a good experience with my group so far. No one will do or say anything to prepare until the last minute. If someone does say something, they’ll say “I’ll work on it tonight,” but most of the time end up doing nothing. This was hard for me as I was used to doing everything in advance and together as a group in Japan. I didn’t know what to do and was worried that my group wouldn’t finish the work.

　　　With all these struggles, every day is busy, hard, and tiring, but at the same time, I felt a sense of fulfillment and growth. Through the walls I’ve overcome, I learned how to manage the hard times. With scheduling, I was able to stay caught up with the work I have to do. By being proactive, I was able to make group projects successful with the team. I have gone out of my comfort zone and have been more responsible than ever in everything I do.

　　　As this semester started, I did not only struggle with studies but also with homesickness. After six months, being in a new environment begins to feel very hard and sad. Not being able to go to places, drive, see the family has been very hard these past few months, but my friends helped me go through those hard times. They plan fun hang-outs, take me out, and make me forget the bad vibes. Though I feel this semester has been a pain so far, I am feeling the growth in myself. All of the hard times have taught me important skills. As a person who would rather do things on my own instead of asking for assistance, I have learned that asking for help is not a bad thing. Seeking help may seem less independent, but when your parents or close ones are not around, finding help is another thing you need to do on your own, which I believe is independent. I also think I have become more open in meeting and talking to people. Through the discussion-based classes, and being put in an environment where you have to take the initiative and be social, talking and interacting with new people has become less uncomfortable and I am starting to enjoy it.

　　　Going through hard phases is never a bad thing. It is just a matter of time and how you handle it. My advice is to always be open-minded. I understand that people will want to be alone when they are feeling down, but sometimes, going out and socializing can be more helpful. As you spend time on other things, by the time you realize, you have overcome the hardest phase, and will be enjoying and thriving even more. Going through downtimes was not easy for me, but facing it has made me grow in a lot of ways.

2. Memory

　　　For winter break I went to Las Vegas. I spent the holidays with my relatives and had a really great time. It has been more than 20 years, or maybe the first time seeing them, and I’m glad I got to make memories with them. It was nice being able to go around places. Unlike Minnesota, there was no snow. When you look around you will see mountains and deserts, and the weather was nice and warm. My relatives took me around Las Vegas and we also visited Los Angeles. (Picture: In front of the Las Vegas sign w/ my sister)