VOICES

Ms. Lee, Dain
Home University: Seoul National University

I took two courses from the Cubic Curriculum, 'Political Sociology' and 'Contemporary Culture in Japan'. The courses were well organized by enthusiastic professors with diverse perspectives on the topic, and I enjoyed the discussion time about topics such as media, gender, power, and authority at the end of every class. Especially, the team presentation from 'Contemporary Culture in Japan' impressed my memory since it was my first time preparing for a presentation with students from various backgrounds. Unlike what I was concerned about at first, the process progressed well, and the presentation was successful. I could gain not only knowledge of sociology and Japanese culture itself but also communication skills and research skills in English. The Japanese language courses organized by CJLE were also helpful for me to improve my Japanese skills. These classes were separated into four parts, so I was able to choose the course that I wanted to focus on. Thanks to the courses, I passed JLPT N2 with a high score.

As an international student, the best part of the ACE program and Rikkyo University is that all the faculties and staff were helpful and warm-hearted. There were diverse programs from the global lounge such as Language Cafe to practice Japanese and meet new friends there. Moreover, all the professors created an atmosphere in which it was easy to ask questions during or after class, so I was able to understand the class materials properly.

Beyond studying, living and traveling in Japan was a fascinating experience. I also liked the location of the dorm, Asaka in Southern Saitama, since it was a quiet dwelling city. It was quite different from Ikebukuro, one of the three subcenters of Tokyo, where the university is located. I enjoyed running at the riverside of Kurome River near the dorm. I also traveled to several places such as Yokohama, Kamakura, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, Shizuoka, and so on. Each place had its charm, so I got joyful memories from it. I was also happy to hang out with friends in Rikkyo, and I especially want to express my gratitude to my buddy group.

I am highly honored to be part of the ACE program, and a semester in Rikkyo was one of the best times in my whole life. I would highly recommend Rikkyo University and the ACE program to students interested in studying in Japan.