深めて！南山GLS　学生の活躍　学生コラム

ライティングセンター　TA ：HD

　I will tell you about how I love being at Nanzan University, especially at Global Liberal Studies.

　As a Vietnamese girl coming to Japan after graduating from high school, it was such a tough experience. My Japanese study was not going well as I expected. There was no peer who had the same passion, and I even met some teachers who had very bad attitudes toward international students. I did not get enough support to go to a good university. A sempai told me, "Making Japanese friends is super hard, so just don't expect anything". I felt so disappointed and annoyed by all these negativities. There was no support or encouragement for my study path. I wanted something more than this unhealthy environment. Finally, I found Nanzan University and started writing my own journey here.

　In the first year, everything was extremely new. I was lucky enough to be able to make good friends from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines and got a lot of support from teachers. I first tried Japanese martial art and became a member of the Shorinji Kempo club at Nanzan University. Participating in club activities has widened my knowledge about Japanese culture and Japanese people. Moreover, I applied for a TA job in my second year, which has been a precious experience because I have more chances to interact with students and teachers from the Global Liberal Studies department.

　I was an introverted person and too shy to express myself. However, being an international student at Global Liberal Studies changes everything. I can develop all my strengths and potential. I am free to do what I want to with the support of my friends and teachers. Although there were and will be numerous difficulties that I need to overcome, I do not regret choosing to study abroad. I always have one thing in mind, and I think it is helpful not only for international students but for all students: DREAM BIG, PLAN WELL, WORK HARD, and SMILE ALWAYS.