Discovering Japan

[Danny Hosford]

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Because each unique experience deserves sharing, please allow me to narrate my first two years within Japan and especially the International University of Japan (IUJ). To make it structured and similarly to the popular Japanese Anime One Piece where the adventure is exciting as well, I will highlight my Japanese story in thirteen arcs.

Once arrived to Narita Airport, I felt that the decision was great and that this country is operating in quite a different way compared to the European or North American styles. The first remark I made was related to human resources used within a specific entity. Compared to the different airports that I visited, I think that the Japanese one has one of the lowest, if not the lowest, human resources that are exercising the different tasks. This highlighted probably a high level of efficiency and hardwork as well as well designed and established operating standards. The first station was Tokyo. Several aspects are attractive within the capital including the underground train system, the different restaurants, the big population, and the high rate by which life is going. People are moving everywhere mainly from work to home or from home to work with some entertainment in between. We had some orientation sessions about life in Japan and how to behave in the Japanese context and visited different famous places in Tokyo. Then, we took the Bus towards my new home.

A good portion of physical and psychological landing in Japan was ensured by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). We moved towards IUJ located in the rural area of the city Urasa. Once arrived, the final landing took place with several activities that will ensure a smooth beginning of courses. First, we completed the administrative tasks and had additional orientation sessions related to life on campus, especially with 70 different countries, which is part of the uniqueness of IUJ. Second, we had the welcome ceremony that enhanced my excitement and passion towards living and studying in IUJ. Third, we joined the dormitories, started to cook in shared kitchens, bought daily life items from our senpais in a flea market as well as from the famous 100 yen shop available within the city, and learnt about the close places where IUJ bus goes for daily life needs including supermarket, hospital, bank, etc. We started to have friend from different cultures and backgrounds and were ready to get enrolled into our respective programs.

The MBA curriculum was probably the most exciting program I have ever been through. I had the opportunity to make it as diversified as possible. During the first year, I was both studying and tutoring some classmates. Classes were simply magnificent. From my pure technical background full of mathematics and engineering, I had the opportunity to see life from other different perspectives mainly the managerial one. The passion led me to achieve a successful first year and brought more challenges for the second year that was overwhelming. During it, I added my thesis, my library internship and project, my teacher assistant roles in three courses, two academic conferences, and my facilitator roles in several training for executives from big Japanese corporations. I also had the chance to specialize in the area that I was lacking in my engineering curriculum, which is finance. Of course, this was done in classes and study rooms with people from different parts of the world, different backgrounds, and different mindsets. Except learning Japanese that I couldn't fit on my schedule, the journey was rich, unique, and entertaining.

My university motto is "Where The World Gathers". This is quite expressive of where I have been living. In addition to classes and study rooms, dormitories as well as other campus facilities were places where more than 70 countries are in interaction. This interaction fosters the global mindset and improves the way we behave as humans simply because we are dealing with different cultures that follow different norms. Of course, in such a context, stereotypes are always present. From my perspective, I enjoyed worldwide food, rich discussion about different topics, and daily interaction with my neighbors. My objective was having at least one friend per country before my graduation. I ended up having more than that. My friends became my family for two years. This arc was also very unique because it shaped the person who I am today and the way I deal with others. I still need to improve a lot but my two years where the world gathers added more behavioral skills into my profile compared to any previous experiences.

Concerning activities, I was not quite involved over my first year since the focus was on my studies. Still, I participated slightly in some events such as open day where each community cooks their food and share about their culture. I was also my team captain in IUJ Olympics under the traditional way into which each captain makes a team by asking his/her friends to join. My team was "Samurais", we were quite competitive, faced ups and downs, and enjoyed somehow the games. In my second year, I was elected to become the Head of House (HoH). My role was achieving a better intercultural interaction within campus. With my captains, despite many downs and few ups, we did quite well. In the Houses System, each student joins randomly a house to meet new friends and interact with different cultures. We faced resistance from the traditional system but tried to keep going until the end. This was my harsh experience where I had to improve some aspects related to how I deal with problems and people as well as keep some of the values such as honesty, passion, and belief.

In a parallel way to the academic arc, the sports arc was a way to maintain continuity over the two years. Four main activities were done under this arc. First, I was going to gym four times per week to keep the body sound and consequently ensure a sound brain. IUJ gym became a space where I can relax, refresh my ideas, and return to my daily life. It also gave me frequent distance opportunities from the world outside whenever needed. Second, running competitions were available. They allowed me to share my passion with the local community. I participated in two EKIDENs, also called Japanese relay race, and achieved good results. Third, I enjoyed snowboarding over two winters in Urasa. After a lot of pain, I became good and used to one of the dangerous sports. Fourth, I cannot move on without talking about football, my favorite sport. I participated in several indoor and outdoor tournaments in both IUJ and outside. We won some and lost in some but enjoyed a lot. Without sports, I don't think I could have achieved a lot.

The place where IUJ is located is similar to a Jungle. It's surrounded by mountains and rice plains. There are many way to interact with the Japanese paradise. During fall, there are rice harvesting, EKIDEN marathon, football tournaments, and BBQs. During winter, there are snow shoveling, night snowboarding, and snow festivals. During spring, there are spring festivals, BBQs, international festivals, elementary school visits and rice planting. During summer, there are Suica festivals, or Japanese watermelon as well as other local events. During my stay, I also interacted in different ways with the city. First, I removed my lower wisdom teeth in Kikan Hospital, which is the city hospital. The removal experience was deeply painful but the healthcare experience was great. Second, I visited an elderly home center and interacted with the old population of Urasa. Third, I joined some dinners with some local families and shared information about my country Morocco. Throughout the year, the number of available activities is high and the interaction is great.

During the two years, I also had some opportunities to travel around Japan. While I didn't travel a lot compared to some of my friends, I still got the chance to visit Toyota plant located in Nagoya, try the gold ice cream in Kita-Kyushu, visit the atomic bomb museum in Nagasaki, cup noodles museum in Yokohama, Ueno zoo, Tokyo metropolitan building, Takeshita street in Tokyo, etc. These visits, as well as others, helped me in enhancing and correlating, either positively or negatively, what I studied and read about Japan with what I saw and lived. Two trips where unique. First, my internship trips to ProQuest Japan in Yokohama where I learnt a lot about working in Japan, its pros and cons, as well as the libraries business. With my Japanese supervisor, I learnt a lot about Japan and touched several aspects that are quite difficult to access or understand. Second, my internship within Japan Space Systems where I saw the Japanese work-style, took the metro twice a day in, and simulated the daily job life in Tokyo.

Leaving IUJ was not as easy as getting into it. Despite the fact that the two years went so rapidly, it was quite difficult to leave my supervisors, my professors, my classmates, my friends, and all the stakeholders who made this experience an everlasting movie. In overall, with all the ups and downs, all the cumulative efforts, and all the good intentions, we left with a deep positive footprint both on us and on others. I left two systems that I love so much and that are evolving rapidly and will definitely improve life on campus. First, Better Research Better Life Project with IUJ library and ProQuest. This project that I hope will help in improving the quality of libraries all over Japan. Second, the House System that will ensure that IUJ students will build the global spirit by interacting with others from different communities. With all the efforts spent, the memories built, the ups and downs, the lessons learnt, the failures, the successes, the experience within IUJ is an everlasting movie that cannot be lived elsewhere.

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