Five students of University of Aizu (UoA) had three-weeks short-term Oversea Programs at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand on UoA's short-term Overseas Study Programs for Academic year 2015.
Here are their reports of their research and daily life in New Zealand.
Participants
- Ms. Riko Matsuoka (a first-year student)
- Mr. Shintaro Uemura (a first-year student)
- Mr. Hirotaka Ito (a second-year student)
- Mr. Ryunosuke Murakami (a third-year student)
- Ms. Haruna Nakazawa (a third-year student)
Grade during the program
Study Report
Riko Matsuoka
I went to Waikato University in New Zealand to study English for three weeks. It was university so it was very large and there were many students come from other country. We went to pathway-college for a student studying abroad and studied English. I had two classes in morning and in afternoon. The all of classmates of morning class were Japanese, but there were some students came from other country. So I could have a chance to have an international exchange with them.
My host-family was Sri Lankan, and they were very kind for me. They were vegetarian, so most of dishes were made from only vegetables. It was my first experience but I think it was good for me.
And I could enjoy sightseeing of New Zealand, for example, Hamilton, Oakland and so on, on weekends and after school. It was good for me to have a good experience that I could do in only the spot, for instance, to take public transportation and to go shopping.
I felt three weeks was very short but I could have a very good time and good experience. So if I have a chance, I want to go there again.
Shintaro Uemura
I joined a short period of study abroad to the University of Waikato for three weeks.
I did a home stay and communicated in English there every day.
At first, I couldn't be frank with host family, but thanks to be kind and friendly interact with me, I could have many conversations.
I spent productive days because the University has events every day. I had classes from Monday to Friday, and they begin at 9 a.m.
While I talked to my classmate and my teacher, I could provide more information that it's able to be convey to them. I usually spent days that I watched movies, ant shopping and got excited over talking after school. I planned a trip and went there, and I could join tours on holidays because my host mother has known with a staff of the tour.
I had many precious experiences, and I could learn many things. I felt there is nothing like experience.
And, I thought I need active actions to learn something through this program. I felt it is important in association with not only speaking English but also doing something. I will make use of this experience, and I would like to aim to speak English more than now.
Ryunosuke Murakami
I had a first experience of study abroad for 3 weeks at New Zealand. Before go abroad, I had been uneasy about home-stay. I remember that I was coward so I couldn't relax before having a time to talk with host-family actually. Upon introduction myself to host-family, host-mother tried to make out my unsteady English kindly. Even a introduction of myself, I had a trouble and took long time, but I felt accomplishment after it. I already had relaxed in this circumstance, and I recall that I had a nice dinner time with host-brothers. It dawned on me that "Not to give up anything is important even if without confidence." On weekdays, I had a time to go to English school at University of Waikato, and there offered me good surroundings to study English. For example, group study, reading, hearing and just speaking lessons. My favorite class is speaking foreigners with form of rotation. After school, usually I went shopping center or cooking dinner with host-mother or watching overseas drama together with explaining about uncertain by host-mother. It was actually nice time for me.
On holiday, host-family took me to some nice place, sea, river and lake. I enjoyed those natural view or swimming. What's more I really liked swimming, so it's precious for me. Others are sightseeing on Rotorua that is familiar as a hot-spring city or seeing Maori-tribe that is New Zealand Polynesian. In particular, performance "HAKA" on Rugby game was nice. I was so excited and precious memory! I think whoever feel difficulty of English had better take an action to apply this program(GEG). It's been the best precious experience for me in all of 3 years in my University life.
Haruna Nakazawa
I took part in short-term study abroad program for three weeks in New Zealand. I studied English at University of Waikato Pathways college in Hamilton in New Zealand during daytime. I was bored because I learned basic contents such as English greeting. But I could not use those expressions on a daily basis so I found that it is important. I was radicated those expression by learning many times. And, I joined English club once a week. I could communicate with student in University of Waikato. There are some students studying computer science. I am studying computer science too. I enjoyed speaking English with them.
And, I ate dinner and watched TV with my host family sometimes during night. I went to shopping mall and ate dinner with my host family every Thursday. When I saw my host family for the first time, I was very nervous. But they made me laugh, and I could get used to life in New Zealand. My host family is very kind. When I have problem, they help me.
In this study abroad, I find that it is important to repeat many times in studying English. I could not listen to my host family's English well at first, but I could increasingly come to be able to listen to it. And I was nervous about speaking English at first, but I learned how I should speak English by speaking English with many people. I will study English in the future with this experience.
