GARON MALO PATRICK

The warming experience of Aichi Prefectural University

From the end of September, I had the chance to be accepted as an exchange student at Aichi Prefectural University. As of today, I have been a student for almost a year and I only have good experiences to share. The location itself, the state of the buildings, the multiple resources we have access to are, of course, great arguments to explain why I had such a pleasant time here, but what really makes it special has to be the people you can meet here. Administration staff, teachers, and the students themselves, all make it lovely to be here. You never really feel left out or alone because there is always somewhere for you to be.

As for the studies themselves, there is a lot of support from the teachers, even meetings with the teachers to discuss potential problems we might face as students, foreigners, or both. Multiple activities were proposed throughout the year, some conducted by the administration; dyeing, tea ceremony initiations, a trip to the Ninja museum and so much more. The Japanese students too, put their back into it, helping the staff from iCoToBa, the international language learning centre, to make up activities for the foreign students and help them feel included. And let’s not forget the club activities and the Campus festival, which are sources of cultural learning and friend making!

Message to Future Aichi Prefectural University International Students

On a more personal note, I just find the place to be great to study and live. You have very warming scenery, given that here, we are higher than Nagoya, we can see it in the distance as much as the mountains that are surrounding us, which feels very comforting. Living here is something that I feel really lucky about. My student life went through the rhythm of class with great and attentive teachers, to meeting with fellow exchange students and Japanese students, punctuated with my volleyball circle activities that brought me joy and strength even during times of stress and anxiety.

I can only recommend this university to anyone that would like to be an exchange student to do it here. You will be supported, guided, and included which are all the things we need the most as a foreign student. If you have the opportunity, please come to Aichi Prefectural University!