My name is Mikaella, and I am studying a Bachelor of Arts at UniSC, majoring in Japanese. I was lucky enough to study abroad in Japan at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) for 2 semesters.

Knowing that immersing yourself in the language is one of the best ways to study, I decided to take the plunge and head to Japan to better my Japanese skills. Spoiler alert, my confidence in using Japanese skyrocketed whilst living there. So, if you’re thinking about studying abroad to improve your language abilities, I can’t recommend it enough! NUFS was my first choice because it’s a small university in a quiet city, where daily life is calm and casual, much like the Sunny Coast. The size of the university meant making friends and recognising friendly faces was easy, which made for a great place to learn.

NUFS also offers frequent cultural excursions where students can experience snippets of Japanese life and culture. This meant I was constantly jumping on the school bus at the end of the week to head to new and exciting locations. To name just a few, I went tea-picking in Shizuoka, wood-block printing in Osaka, and cheered from the crowd at a Sumo Tournament in Nagoya city. My favourite experience, however, was squeezing myself through a small hole in a gigantic pillar of Nara’s Todaiji Temple (to be blessed with good luck) while a crowd cheered for me!

A magical part about living in Japan was watching the seasons change. I saw spring cherry blossoms, lush summer greens, stunning autumn leaves, and was an excited Queenslander when I saw snow for the first time in winter.

My advice to other students heading on exchange would be:

1. Take every opportunity that comes your way. Some of my best memories came from saying yes to trying new things, volunteering, and meeting new people.
2. Don’t be afraid to explore on your own. My favourite travel moments in Japan came from solo weekend adventures where I could explore at my own pace and chat to friendly locals.

Studying overseas was an incredible experience; I made friends from all over the world, learnt more than I could have imagined, and was met with new opportunities every day. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will treasure. I hope that everyone can have this experience.

~ Mikaella Sellars

Bachelor of Arts.