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OQEANOUS Plus-IJP Report (KMOU 2022/Feb-Jun)

2022.10.04

OQEANOUS-IJP Report (KMOU 2022/Feb-Jun)

Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology
Course of Marine Resources and Environment
First Year of Master's Program
C. M.

 

[Before Traveling]

  When I received an email from my university offering a study abroad program, I initially dismissed it as, "Well, I hope I get to go someday. I would think about it more seriously after the Covid situation settled down." In the meantime, just before the application deadline, I received a reminder from my professor and classmates in the laboratory, and decided to apply anyway, even though my thesis was still on my mind. After the selection process, I completed a busy schedule of various procedures, including choosing a research lab and class, VISA application, PCR test, tuberculosis tests, SIM cards, and currency exchange. These went smoothly because of the courteous support of the university staff and the precedents set by my seniors. In particular, I was informed in advance about the third vaccine and what to do in case of the infection of COVID-19, so I was able to travel with minimum anxiety.

【Right after Traveling】

  At that time (February 3, 2022), there was no direct flight to Busan, so it took a whole day traveling to university; firstly, traveled by air from Narita Airport to Incheon Airport in Seoul, and then to Busan Station by high-speed train. Even though it was late at night at Busan Station, an international student coordinator from Korea Maritime and Ocean University came to pick me up by car wearing protective suits and provided me with thick mask, and I felt the generous support from the first day. Right after that, I was quarantined for 10 days, which gave me time to write my graduation thesis. As a precaution for this time of the year, it is strongly recommended to keep warm when traveling to Korea in February, as freezing cold and dryness are more severe than you expect, even with heaters on.

 

【Before Class Commenced】

  In Korea, the new academic year starts in March, so I was shuttling back and forth between the laboratory and the student dormitory for about two weeks after the quarantine period ended. The professor and students in my host laboratory were very attentive and took frequent opportunities to dine out or share a delivered meal with me. This allowed me to deepen our friendship in a short period of time. Moreover, the ladies who cooked for us at school cafeteria were very friendly and often talked to me, thus there were no occasions when I felt alienated as a foreigner.

 
【After Class Commenced】

  Every day I went back and forth around the classroom where class was held, the laboratory, the student cafeteria, and the student dormitory. The university was so large that I had to rely on the campus bus, but fortunately I was able to borrow a road bike from a senior in my lab and commute to school. Most students live by themselves in the on-campus dormitories or near the campus, so I got the impression that students spend more time at university, compared to my home university students. Therefore, if a class I took was close to a topic that a student in the lab was working on, I usually had a fellow student to teach me at night, or we would eat dinner together and then do another round in the lab, which was a good environment to keep me motivated in my studies. Everyone has their own way of taking classes, but I took the classes recommended by my host professor. Although the class was a completely different field from my major, I was able to take classes with students from my laboratory, and they supported me while I was learning. Many of the classes were held in Korean, but there were many occasions when consideration was given, such as having class materials in English.

 

【About Everyday Life, About Support】

Although there were numerous events such as getting my third vaccine in Korea and being infected with Corona Virus, nothing was too much trouble for me with the generous support from both the Korean and Japanese coordinators. In addition, with the support of the coordinator at university, I was able to proceed with all the procedures I was worried about before my trip (money exchange, bus card purchase, SIM card arrangement, alien registration, health insurance application, and other procedures required for studying abroad). I think it would be a good idea to make a list of the procedures to be carried out locally before traveling and discuss how to proceed with each step.

  As for food, clothing and housing, the student dormitory was a single room, and there were no problems with the plumbing and running water, so I didn't have any particular problems. I applied for three meals daily at the student cafeteria, and water severs installed in each building (each floor in the dormitory), so I didn't have to worry about anything. Also, since it was about 30 minutes away by bus to a nearby city, I was able to go shopping for clothes regularly and cope with the changing seasons.　 　　

【After Studying Abroad】

There were countless occasions when I received support from not only the coordinator and professor but also students in the laboratory while attending academic conference on Jeju Island and traveling around Seoul. I feel we were close like family as we met face-to-face and shared meals together every day in the laboratory. Through the interaction with them, I was able to take a step back and see my life plan which I had dreamed in Japan and reaffirm the significance of my studies at university. Before studying abroad, I wanted to challenge myself in a new field using English in an environment different from Japan, and to stay in a different culture for five months and receive some stimulation. However, it was a very valuable experience for me to see and hear how foreign students of my generation think and act about their future, and I feel that this was the significance of my study abroad experience. When I read about other people's study abroad experiences, I find that they are all very different and fascinating even if they studied abroad in the same program. I am sure that the next person who will study abroad will also have a wonderful experience, too. I look forward to your updated experience report in the future.