Kalina

My name is Kalina Georgieva, a 22 year old student from the Netherlands. My major is International Communication at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, specializing in Japanese language and culture.

>What brought you to Japan and Jissen Women's University
I'm currently in the third year of this degree and a part of my education requires going abroad for one semester. Because I have a great interest in the Japanese language and culture, it was my goal to study in Japan once in my life.
Jissen Women's University has two campuses, one in Hino and one in Shibuya. The two cities are total opposites and this is what really attracted me to Jissen. You get to live and study in the peaceful city Hino, but you get to experience the vibrant life in Shibuya as well.

>How is the life in Japan
What surprised me after starting my exchange period at Jissen is how kind, helpful and curious about my own culture, the teachers and students here are. I got a great amount of opportunities to get in touch with the community, by participating in activities organized by teachers or students, by joining a typical Japanese school club or being a teacher myself by teaching English to Japanese students. Additionally, I experienced a great amount of improvement of my Japanese language skills, because we study in very small classes. There, I get all of my questions answered by the teacher and I get to speak with Japanese students who are often invited to the classes. In conclusion, all these valuable experiences - that I'm very grateful for - shaped my personal growth too. Life in Japan is challenging in a good way and incredibly exiting as well.