In March 2026, I stayed in Ohio with 21 students from the University of Tsukuba. Although the program was originally scheduled for ten days, I participated for eight days due to my job hunting.
During my stay, I attended special classes prepared for visiting students at The Ohio State University, as well as regular courses offered during the semester. The subjects covered a wide range of fields, including business, history, media, and Japanese language studies. These classes allowed me to engage with both topics related to my own field and areas I had not previously explored, giving me new perspectives on how to approach different subjects.
I am currently a doctoral student specializing in modern Central Asian history. My research mainly involves archival research and research trips in Central Asia, and I have had limited opportunities to engage with educational institutions in Western countries. In this context, being able to observe the interdisciplinary education system and well-developed facilities at The Ohio State University was extremely valuable. It also gave me a chance to compare educational environments in Central Asia, Japan, and the United States.
Another important aspect of this program was interaction among students. In addition to engaging with students from The Ohio State University, I found it especially meaningful to connect with fellow participants from the University of Tsukuba. Even within the same university, there are few opportunities to have in-depth conversations with students from different academic fields about research, career paths, and daily life. Since this program brought together students ranging from first-year undergraduates to doctoral candidates, it enabled active exchanges of ideas from diverse perspectives. Furthermore, through continued interaction with students from The Ohio State University who come from different cultural and academic backgrounds, we were able to share our thoughts and values in a meaningful way.
On my way back to Japan, we experienced an unexpected situation when our flight made an emergency landing in Alaska due to a technical issue. However, thanks to the support of the ISS program office, I was able to return safely. This experience also became a memorable part of my stay.
I believe that having the opportunity to visit universities abroad with institutional support is a great advantage for students at the University of Tsukuba. I strongly encourage anyone who is interested to take part in this program.
