こんにちわ from the scenic Oita City!

When I visited Tokyo during my exchange and told them I’m actually living and studying in Oita I got confused looks and questions, why? Why Oita?

I honestly didn’t know where Oita was or had never heard about it before when I searched for schools to do my exchange in. It wasn’t even my first or second option but I’m more than glad it was the place I ended up to.

After studying only 2 months in Oita University I was sure I wanted to extend my stay and as for now, writing this during my summer break here, I can gladly say I will be staying one more semester!

 

 

Studying in Oita University hasn’t been easy but not overly hard either. As a media student, suddenly focusing on language studies and global courses, researching, group presentation and essay writing has felt more like what I always imagined studying in university would be like and what I couldn’t have in Finland. I found out that I like studying and staying long hours in the library with my friends to study together. The campus area is green and pretty and I have taken way too many pictures of the mountains I can see in the distance. We also have our own cafeteria with multiple options to choose from every day and own konbini and a shop.

 

 

 

Our dormitory and the campus area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The community in the campus is great, every time I walk to a school I see someone I know. Japanese people live in a dormitory which is close to the international dorm and hang out often with us and we have parties, karaoke nights and izakaya visits together. The international dormitory is also located very conveniently next to 24/7 shop and the train station. I was worried the trains would be loud but I barely hear them at all but that doesn’t mean it’s silent, the cicadas are screaming all night long but it starts to feel familiar pretty soon.

During a semester we have also been able to go on a field trips to see beautiful places around Oita prefecture. I also had a change to try yukata during Tanabata festival and even took a part of Nanase fire festival where me and few other international students dressed in happi coats and took part in a performance where we tossed flaming wooden blocks in air, trying to aim for 11m long bamboo pole and compete against other districts inside Oita. It was very chaotic, little scary and so fun.

My favorite part is the whole feeling of small city Oita has and the nature. It is honestly so beautiful that I never get bored of just walking around and seeing breathtaking views every day.

I have also been able to travel on my own and visited multiple amazing places in Japan. I think the best is how diverse sights it has allowed me to see, from the urban Tokyo to the small rural towns. I’ve also got to experience earthquakes and typhoons as I once got somewhat stuck on a mountain town, waiting for hard rainfall to end as the roads were flooding and I was almost invited into a cult too but I still wouldn’t change a thing from my experiences!

So far only downside of this exchange has been the horrible summer heat with temperature rising as high as 37 with over 90% humidity is something that requires whole different ways to operate in but gladly Japan has lot of things to help with that.

I can’t wait what the next semester has to offer as so far I have already been in so many places and experiences things I thought I never would. It feels cliché to say but this exchange has made me to see new sides of myself and what I want from the future as well and appreciate some things we have in Finland as well.