Vol. 11
February 1, 20112011: BENCHMARK YEAR!

International Center Director: Mike Matsuno

Avery Happy New Year to all of you! 2011 will be abenchmark year for the International Center. Up
until this last year, we were mainly focusing on
new exchange partner agreements, language requirements, and partner programs; the so-called “pull” factors of the outbound study abroad experience. Beginning
this year, we will concentrate on the “push” factors for ouroutbound students. Prior to departure, our students require
hands-on, practical instruction and guidance in terms ofsocial skills, interpersonal communication, and basics of
how to interact/behave/participate with non-Japanese peo-

ple outside of Japan. Moreover, we will also focus on helping to complete the experience/individual, of students returning to Japan after a study abroad experience. We will work
to create challenging courses and stimulating opportunities
for them upon their return to OGU.
2011 will be an exciting, powerful year for the International
Center, I-Chat Lounge, Japanese Studies Program, Shoin
Teachers, and the ISST members. Please join us as wetake the next big step to internationalize our students andcampus-wide environment.

Yusuke Tsuruoka (Foreign Language, Senior)
Lithuania is one of the countries Japanese do not know much about. History notes that the Japanese foreign ambassador, Mr. Chiune Sugihara,
saved 6,000 Jewish people during the Second World War in Lithuania.
There is a street named “Sugihara Street” in Kaunas City to honor his
courage. OGU sent the first OGU student to study abroad in Lithuania
last September. Let’s take a look at his life in a European country where
it is rare to spot Asian people.

I

have been studying at Vilnius University in Lithuania since last September. Lithuania is one of the Baltic
States located near Russia. Still adeveloping country, it only has a few
modern buildings. The old urban area
was designated as a World Heritage site,where you can find traces of medieval
times and will rarely see any Asian people, much less Japanese citizens. This isa great place to enjoy European atmosphere and culture. Vilnius University is
located in the capital of Lithuania andwas founded in 1579, which makes it oneof the oldest Eastern European universities. One can see remnants of somehistorical buildings spread out likemazes, and a huge cathedral at the rearof the campus. I really appreciate thesesites, yet unfortunately, I study interna-

tional business in one of the newly renovated buildings. It is a shame I rarely
have a chance to visit the old campus.
About four months ago, I arrived here
in high sprits. Everything seemed to be
so new and exciting. I was looking so
forward to starting my brand new life in
Lithuania. However, soon I found out it
was only a dream. I was majoring in English at OGU yet, the program I participate
in here is the international business program. It was a new field for me. At first, I
had to become accustomed to a very
different instructional style. Students
here are the main players in the classroom. They are often expected to lead
discussions and give presentations. I
was continuously lost throughout class.
Also, I encountered a huge language
barrier. It was extremely difficult to learn(Top) Dormitory student residents(Yusuke third from right)(Bottom) Vilnius University

the new field in English, and people often
pointed out my low level of English. I
didn’t understand what others were saying and I could not explain what I wanted
to say, so I had a very difficult time communicating with others. I was the only
Japanese person in the entire dormitory.

Page 2
I felt very lonely at times. Everything here
was challenging for me: cooking, doing
laundry that my mother always did forme, paper work, unusual weather conditions and much more. Looking back on
my early experiences here; I can now
see how the challenges naturally forced
me to improve my English skills rapidly. I
matured a lot. Now, as I reflect back,those experiences have become only
good memories.

My message to those who aim to study
abroad in the future: “Take risks yourself.” I believe this is the most important
tip for a successful study abroad experience. I have seen many international
students who only spent time with students from their same home country andspoke in their language all the time. Unfortunately, those same students returned home without improving their foreign language skills at all. It is similar

here in Lithuania. Fortunately, I am theonly Japanese person on campus andalthough I faced some adversities fromtime to time, I took risks and tried many
new things and overcame many obstacles. As a result, I now really enjoy mylife here. I hope you will also challengeyourself to try different things during yourfour-year university life. Even, if they
seem too difficult in the beginning.

Homare Masuoka (International Studies, Junior)
Unique to the University of Gävle in Sweden is a special program in
Nordic Ecology. This program is offered at no other known university.
After an absence of a few years, OGU sent one female student to participate in the special program instructed in English, and to learn theparallels of physical fitness and the connection it has to life skills.

W

hy Sweden?” Everyone
asked me. Many were curious as to the reason I hadn’t selected an Englishspeaking country if I wanted to masterthe English language. Unlike others, I
wanted to do something non-traditional
if I have a chance to study overseas.
When I saw the outdoor course in theexchange student guidebook, it definitely peaked my interest!
Even before leaving for Sweden, I
encountered minor challenges. The
University of Gävle does not have adormitory, so I needed to find an apartment. It took me a long time to locate
one and I barely secured the placeshortly before my departure. That mademe a little nervous! Even then, I wasn’t
able to move in upon my arrival andhad to spend the first several days in
Sweden at a youth hostel. I later foundout that other international students ran
across the same problem.
What did I learn in the Nordic Ecology course you might ask? I learned allabout Biology! Although I was aware I
would be taking biology, I never
dreamed it was the majority of thecourse. I had never taken any biology
courses at OGU, so it was challenging

to learn all the biology terms and understand the lectures in English. I wasoften lost throughout class. This course
is also quite different from othercourses at University of Gävle because
classes were not held regularly. Eachweek, class times fluctuated from twicea week to four times a week. This prevented me from registering for otherregular courses such as Swedish language. Yes, that was unfortunate, however my experience overall was very
interesting and would have been impossible to get any other way. Class
was often held in the outdoors awayfrom campus. The classes included
activities such as: camping and hiking,canoeing, visiting national parks, mines
and many other interesting sites in thefield. I was very lucky to be given theopportunity to visit places I would haveotherwise never had the chance to see
as a tourist in Sweden. Only a small
group of students register for thiscourse, so we developed strong bonds
with one another. In fact, they helped
me with my homework everyday.
A word to those interested in participating in this program in the future: youwill study all about biology once in Sweden. Beforehand, it is crucial that you

With classmates

study English at OGU. I personallythink that in order to ensure success inthis program, a student will needs English skills far above the required levelon the exchange program application.
A student in this program really shouldhave the ability to use English effectively on a daily basis. This is a very
challenging program; so if you want todo something unique and a little alternative, try this Nordic Ecology program.
I am confident you have never experienced anything like it!

Marta Aðalsteinsdóttir (University of Iceland)
We welcomed our first two students from Iceland this school
this year. How many of you havebeen to Iceland before? In thisarticle, you will learn about theculture in Iceland through theeyes of one of our international
students; Marta.

Iceland is an island in northern
Europe, between the Greenland
Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.
It is in total 103.000 km2 and the
population is about 320.000. The
capital and the largest city is Reykjavík.
Iceland is volcanically and geologically
active because it is situated on top of a
hot spot. Hot springs can be foundscattered all over the island because ofthis hot spot. Despite all the heat in theearth a full 11 % of the island is buried

beneath ice caps. Iceland’s largest
glacier is larger than all of Europe's
glaciers combined.
I came to Japan on the evening of
September 2, 2010. I got a major
culture shock; everything was very
different from what I was used to in
Iceland. I didn’t understand anyone, it
was extremely hot, and the city seemedhumongous to me. I was so homesickthat I did nothing but cry and wish that I
could turn around and go go back

Page 3home. Now I have been in Japan foralmost 5 months and everyday I feel
grateful that my wish of going homenever came true.
I have come to love Japan and the life
I have made for myself here. I would belying if I said I didn’t miss my family andfriends in Iceland, but here I’ve also
made friends, friends I can call family.
My stay in Japan and the people I’ve
met here have given many positive
things for both my self confidence andindependence. I feel much closer toknowing who I am and what I want fromlife due to my time in Japan. I have met
so many wonderful people here I will
never forget; people that have changed
my life and way of thinking. My mind
has changed and I have grownmentally.
I’ve had a wonderful time in Japanand I am very grateful that I get to stayfor another semester. Many of my goodfriends, within the foreign exchange
program, have returned back to theirhome country. I miss them terribly, but
no good comes from wallowing in one’s

own misery. I have decided to enjoy mytime in Japan even more for those who
could not stay longer.
The Japanese and Icelandic culturesare very different. I admit that somethings in Japanese culture I don’t
understand and even find ridiculous attimes. But I respect the culture andunderstand that even if one is raisedwith one mentality in mind it doesn’t
make a different one wrong. I am in no
position to judge others, I came here
not only to learn the language, but also
to observe the culture and learn from it.
Everyday I watch the Japanese to see
what makes them so “Japanese”.
I’ve done many things here in Japanthat will make for good stories when I
go home to Iceland. I patted a little
shark at the Kaiyuukan; went to themovies and understood surprisingly
much; was interviewed by random
Japanese students while eating at
McDonald’s; got lost on numerous
occassions; helped a drunk Japaneseman out of a ditch; got to experience
Japanese hospitals and healthcare

New Partner Universities!
In 2010 OGU partnered with five new universities. As a result, we now
have a total of 46 partner universities located in 21 different countries
throughout the world. For those students who have the desire and required dedication to study abroad, there are plenty of new opportunities!

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Metropolitan University Prague

hat comes to mind when you
think of Prague? A beautiful
city featured in the movie“Nodame Cantabile Finale”. Or, perhaps you enjoy Korean dramas,“Lovers in Prague”. Or a city known for
Moldau composed by Smetana. The
city itself was created along with the
Moldau river in the late 16th century.
Prague is now the capital of the Czech
Republic, which hosts a population of
1.2 million An interesting fact is that
21,300 out of 1.2 million residents are
students.
A relatively new Metropolitan University Prague, was founded in 2001. The
total student body is about the same as
OGU, yet they host about 350 international students on campus. Students
study in a full immersion university set-ting using Czech and English. Students
study international relations and European studies.
OGU students will participate in the
English or Czech language courses
designed for the international students.
Those with higher English levels may
also take undergraduate courses. How
about studying English in a city rich inboth culture and history, How about
Prague?

Sookmyung Women’s
UniversityConveniently located near thecentral train station in Seoul,
Sookmyung Women’s University
was the first private women’s university
in Korea and was founded by the Empress Sunhen, the last emperor of Korean Dynasties, Gojong’s wife in 1906.
Empress Sunhen believed that women's
education was critical for the nation’s
development. It was first named Myungsin Girl's School. Later in 1955, it was
known as, Sookmyung Women’s University. The university celebrated theirsystem; had one of the best soba
noodles in Japan on top of Mt. Hiezan;
and so much more.
I’ve had a fantastic time in Japan but it
hasn’t been just all fun and games. I
had to live alone which is something I
have never done before. I have neverlived in a foreign country before andhave never spent this much time awayfrom my family. I admit that sometimes
I thought about going back to my little
island because there life just seemedeasier for me, since it’s my own
country. Yet, if life was that simple, thenit wouldn’t be any fun at all.

With Japanese Level 3 classmate
and teacher (Marta second fromthe right)

centennial in 2006.
The Korean Government started Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)
targeting female university students lastyear.
ROTC isan educational
system inwhich
students
receivetrainings to be officers as well as study
university courses as regular students.
Sixty female students were selectedfrom 7 Korean universities, and among
them, 30 students are from Sookmyung
Women’s University. Needless to say,they are the elite females in Korea!
Although the University name implies it
only accepts female students, anyone
can apply for the exchange program. In
addition to Korean languages classes,
there are also specialized courses offered in English. It is common for students to study to become trilingual in
Korea. Why not consider studying in
Korea?

Page 4

Internship Report: Antti Kunnas
blocks to employment and also thatwhile some Japanese companies
accepted interns, unlike westerncompanies, the system was limited toshort periods throughout a month,with no guarantee of a future full time
position with that company thereafter.

Lessons learned during my internship:
During the fall of 2010 and the early partof 2011, I had the privilege of serving as
the first intern for the International Centerat Osaka Gakuin University. As my firstexperience working in a Japanese office,I became familiar with office practices
and captured a view of the International
Center office I had not previously seen
during my stay as an exchange student. I
enjoyed the majority of my time in theoffice yet, at times, I felt frustrated. Not
only did I dress differently from the average Japanese “office worker”, but also, I
spoke a different style of Japanese in theoffice. As an exchange student I neverfelt intimidated to speak the Japanese I
had learned; yet in the office I often
lacked confidence to speak Japanesenaturally. I worried that I would use incorrect vocabulary or phrases while speaking. Gaining objective awareness about
the language errors I made, and how tocorrect them, was one of the most impor-

KC News
International Student
Internship Symposium
In January, 3 international students
started an internship in Japan. They will
be interns at Fuji Xerox Osaka until May.
Prior to that, the International Student
Internship Symposium was held andreceived 160 attendees from companies,
high schools and other universities. Dr.
James Yellowlees, a representative of
Canadian Education Alliance, gave the
keynote speech. A variety of presentations were also given throughout the
symposium. Among the featured presenters were Mr. Shiro Yoshimura, aconsultant for the Global Recruiting Support Project of the Osaka Prefectural
Government, Ms. Tomomi Kumai fromthe International Center, and Mr. Antti
Kunnas, an intern at the International
Center.

tant lessons I learned from my internship.

Observations of job hunting inJapan:
I worked in the office throughout the
weekdays, with the exception of a few
weekends when we sponsored special
events. Throughout my internship, I wasfortunate enough to participate in various
job fairs in both Osaka and Tokyo. Although most job fairs were geared forJapanese nationals, others were usefulfor international students to attend. Surprisingly, more companies than I had
expected were proactively pursuing therecruitment of foreign employees, although the actual number of foreigners in
the Japanese work force today is notclear.
In June, I will graduate from my home
university in Finland. If, at that time, I stillwant to be employed in Japan, it will benecessary for me to revisit the job hunting process again next year. It was discouraging to learn of the many road

OGU Short-term Japanese
Program
The winter short-term Japanese program
was held from January 17 to February 4,
2011, it welcomed 5 international students from Soonchunhyang University in
Korea and 3 students from CQ University
in Australia. They not only studied Japanese and Japanese culture, but visited
Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara and other majorparts of the Kansai area. OGU students
hosted them as language partners andNear Osaka Castle

Advice for international students considering an internship in Japan:
Clearly, an internship is a great occasion for any international students tohave a special experience and gain useful language skills as well as participate
in the job hunting process. That said, if
you do not explore every opportunity togrow within the opportunity, your experience will remain limited to the office.
Take a risk and push yourself beyond
your limits to discover who you really are
and what you are truly capable of being.
During my internship, I not only thoughtof the present, I tried to imagine what I
would like my career to be mirror in the
future. This method helped me to extend
myself through unknown territory seeking
new experiences to formulate my future
life. Most importantly, never waste a
moment of your journey throughout yourinternship. If you are given the opportunity, don’t waste it, treasure every encounterMM. for you may only get one
turn!

supported them throughout their stay.
We expect to welcome international
students from the U.S., Canada, andKorea in the near future.

Spring Semester Begins—International Exchange
Program
The spring semester of the International
Exchange Program began in January.
Although, 35 of the 73 internationals
students returned to their home countries, 4 new students came in their place.
The international students can often be
spotted spending time with their Japanese friends in the student lounge inbuilding #1 and at the I-Chat lounge inbuilding #13. Those fluent in Japanese
may take regular undergraduate courses
beginning in April, so someone sitting inyour class may be a foreign student!
Let’s enjoy sharing language and cultures with them throughput the springtime!

Osaka Gakuin University/Osaka Gakuin Junior College
2-36-1 Kishibe-Minami, Suita City, Osaka 564-8511
Tel: 06-6381-8434 Fax: 06-6381-8499 Email: inoffice@ogu.ac.jp