Student Profile
Name: Bee Corbishley
Major: Media Studies
Exchange University: Kansai Gaidai University
Advice: “At the beginning of my time here, I always felt I needed to travel with a large group of people or else I “wasn’t doing it right”. In all honesty, travelling around here is usually better when you’re by yourself or with one or two friends with similar interests. Take your time, savour the experiences, and don’t waste time trying to do 15 different things in one day to accommodate other people’s interests. You just wind up burning yourself out and then needing more time to recover from day trips which can cut into your schoolwork time.”
QUESTIONS
Why did you decide to travel abroad?
I really wanted to experience new cultures, meet new people from around the world, and learn through a non-Western curriculum.
Why did you choose to study at Kansai Gaidai University?
I knew I wanted to study at an Eastern country, and Japan felt like the best fit for my personality, as well as my program given its contemporary technological advancements. Kansai was one of the only Japanese schools Trent had a formal agreement with, and the only one that worked well with my program/Trent’s academic calendar.
What was your experience like?
Overall, I would say my experience here has been very positive. There’s been some ups and downs, but Kansai has been very supportive and always very prompt with their help. The environment on campus is not dissimilar to Trent, aside from having a much broader range of student body demographics.
I live in a student residence building with other international students, along with some locals, and the facilities have been very nice. The residence building is only a short walk from the main campus, and the small city that Kansai is in is a lovely area to call home. Taking four classes in the semester, I would say I’m in class for about 12 hours a week, with about an additional 10 hours (average) of schoolwork outside of class. It’s definitely manageable, with most of my course-load being focused on studying for Japanese tests and the occasional essay, so again, not dissimilar to my workload at Trent.
What did you find was the most challenging while abroad?
Occasionally, the anxiety of trying to do as much as possible while you’re here can be overwhelming, especially when you’re studying and having to manage your schoolwork. If you are kind to yourself, not burning yourself out, and managing your time productively, it will all work out!
In your opinion, what would you say are the benefits of studying abroad?
There’s something cathartic about picking up your life and moving to a completely new environment. It can be stressful, but with every mistake you make, you learn a new life lesson! You get to meet people and make connections you never would have otherwise, gain whole new perspectives on the world around you, and submerse yourself in the adventure!
What was one of your favourite memories from your time abroad?
For one of my classes, we took a field trip out to Takarazuka; a 100-year-old Japanese theatre troop made up entirely of women who perform musicals and extravagant cabarets (or “revues”), performing both the male and female roles. It’s a huge thing here in Japan with a whole culture surrounding the company, the actors, and their performances. Getting tickets is infamously difficult for foreigners so I felt very fortunate to be able to experience this. Even though I couldn’t really understand anything on the stage with my beginner-level language skills, it was completely and utterly amazing and such a blast!
If someone told you they were thinking about studying abroad but weren’t convinced they should, what would you tell them?
I think it’s absolutely something to consider. Not everyone has the means to do so, and it’s important to find a place that works for you and what your goals are. But overall, if it’s feasible for you, I couldn’t recommend it enough.