Sophia Magazine vol.8 / WINTER 2018

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Students enrich their learning and extend their networks throughout the globe.Sophia University offers a wide variety of learning opportunities for students from both Japan and abroad.Here are some stories of students who face challenges daily while having priceless experiences.STUDENTS CONNECTINGWITH THE WORLDfrom “MICRONESIA” to“SOPHIA”The Xavier High School, a Jesuit school in Micronesia; Sophia University; and Association for Promotion of International Co-operation (APIC) in Japan 2014 Student Exchange Agreement was revised in May 2017, to increase the number of scholar-ship students from the high school to the undergraduate program at Sophia from one student per year to two. BACKGROUNDeveral past experiences related to Japan contributed to my decision to study at So-phia, starting with the two Japanese teachers at Xavier High School: an art teacher and a Japa-nese language teacher whose classes I attended in my senior year there. Then there was my rst trip to Japan in 2013 for a holiday with my family. I also have two aunts who are married and raising children in Japan. These connections with Japan, which had all in different ways sparked my interest in its culture, made it a natural choice for me to apply for the scholarship at Sophia. In my rst year here I explored a diverse range of subjects, then at the beginning of my sophomore year I chose Comparative Culture for my major. I am planning to focus on both literature and visual culture, in particular lm adaptations of Japanese literature. I would like to continue my research in a mas-ter’s degree program after completing my under-graduate coursework. My rst choice is to enroll in Sophia’s graduate school, where I would be able to pursue my interest in Japanese literature, but I’m also looking into what universities in the United States can offer. To take a step closer to be ac-cepted into Sophia’s graduate school, I will con-tinue to improve my Japanese language skills. Micronesia, where I am from, is a small country, so getting to know people from a variety of cul-tural backgrounds, as well as Japanese students on the campus in this sprawling urban setting of Tokyo, has been an exciting experience for me. To make the most of my time here, I have been at-tending various cultural activities. So far, the most impressive of these has been the excursion, orga-nized by APIC, to see the Sawara Matsuri in Ka-tori, Chiba Prefecture. Designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, this 300-year-old festival features a parade of beautifully decorated oats. I will also join some clubs on campus over the next two years, to improve my language skills through communicating with other students out-side the classroom.For students who are thinking about the next step after completing high school, I strongly rec-ommend diving into a new culture that is totally different from the one they grew up in. In doing so, they will no doubt face various challenges in adapting to a different way of life and understand-ing the language, but the whole experience is well worth it.SAndrei Miguel Ronquillo➣ DEPARTMENT: Faculty of Liberal Arts➣ YEAR: Sophomore➣ PERIOD OF STUDY AT SOPHIA: September 2016 - September 202026Voice