The following post was adapted from a conversation between Ibuki Aoyama, Takeru Naito, and the Global Engagement Office (GEO). “Maya” Yiyang Ma ‘29 assisted with editing the post.

Ibuki and Takeru are students from the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) who are spending a full academic year at Swarthmore through our Inbound Exchange program. Ibuki is a major in law and political science, and Takeru is a major in Social Psychology. Both students have taken Swarthmore classes relevant to their majors and other interests.

Why did you choose to attend the Swarthmore Inbound Exchange Program?

Takeru: I chose Swarthmore for its liberal arts curriculum. I’ve always wanted to study topics beyond my primary major. 

Ibuki: I also wanted to explore fields outside of law to broaden my perspective beyond my current major. 

How has your Swarthmore coursework compared to your UTokyo coursework?

Ibuki:  When I came to Swarthmore, I was really surprised by how intimate the classes are. Back in my department at UTokyo, there are a lot of people, and many classes are taught by one professor with hundreds of students in a huge lecture hall.

I was also surprised that professors at Swarthmore have office hours. I feel like back in UTokyo, students have more autonomy and responsibility for their own work. But at Swarthmore, the professors frequently check in on how you’re doing, and there are progress check assignments. I really appreciate how I can interact with other students in class and also with the professors.

Takeru: UTokyo classes are more lecture-based, while Swarthmore classes are more discussion-based. I enjoy hearing how other people see an issue. Listening to different perspectives and opinions is something I really appreciate.

Is there a Swarthmore class that has stood out to you?

Takeru: Last semester, “Introduction to Global Studies” really stood out to me. It broadened my understanding of the world, specifically regarding how trade works and how social movements evolve. Having classmates from all over the world also made it so much easier to connect what I was learning to real life. I plan to continue these studies when I return to Japan. 

Ibuki: Since law isn’t offered as an undergraduate major at Swarthmore, I’ve been exploring a mix of social sciences and humanities, like Sociology. I love all the classes I’ve taken since I came here. But if I have to choose one, it might be “Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies.” It changed my perception of my academic interests and my everyday life. It was eye-opening.

How have you spent your time outside of class?

Ibuki: I’ve definitely gotten to travel a lot since I came here, especially during breaks like winter and spring break. During those trips, I got to visit a lot of art museums. I didn’t really have the habit of going to museums back in Japan, so I think it’s been a good new hobby for me. I took a photography class last semester, which was my first exposure to that field. That experience made me appreciate art museums even more. It’s really lovely how in-class activities and things I do outside of class ended up connecting that way. 

Outside of academics, I spend a lot of time with my friends. Also, Takeru and I both belong to the Japanese student association, Kizuna. We enjoy the interactions happening there, too.

Takeru: Most of the time, it’s just reading assignments for class. But I try to reach out to people to have lunch or dinner together. I really enjoy just talking with people from other countries and learning about where they’re from. I met a lot of my friends during the orientation week, especially international students. 

How have you felt about student life at Swarthmore?

Ibuki: I find it very different and really interesting to live on campus with other students. Back in Japan, I lived my whole life with my family in Tokyo and commuted to campus. Here, I’m on campus basically all the time. Friends feel way more accessible; if I text someone to have lunch in 15 minutes, we can just do that in DCC. I have three roommates, and this is my first experience sharing a room with other people, so that’s another adjustment for me. 

Also, it’s been a good new experience for me to live apart from my parents and family. It gives me a chance to be a little more independent. 

Tokyo is such a big, busy city, whereas at Swarthmore it’s so peaceful and calm. I feel like this environment helps me concentrate on academics a lot, which I really appreciate. 

Takeru: My experience is kind of similar to Ibuki’s, but I’m not from Tokyo. When I was in Japan, I lived in an apartment in Tokyo, so I could go without interacting with anyone if I wanted. Here, it’s different. If you just walk around campus, you might see someone you know and stop to chat for a bit. I feel like I’ve become more extroverted. 

Also, I really enjoy the food. Since people from all over the world live in the U.S., it’s easier to get authentic foods from around the world. When I went to New York, I had Yemeni food. It’s not easy to find Yemeni food in Japan. 

Has anything surprised you about life at Swarthmore or in the U.S.?

Takeru: I think the social norms are quite different. Americans seem more likely to help someone if they look like they need it. I think Japanese people are more shy, maybe. In Japan, not many people hold the door for the person behind them. I think it’s just a difference, not about which is better or worse. 

Ibuki: When you say “liberal arts college,” it’s really liberal. That was a new idea to me, honestly. Students here have a kind of political and social awareness, or at least strong opinions. They’re definitely freer and more active in showing their interest in those kinds of topics. I feel like this isn’t necessarily a Japan vs. US thing; it’s more Swarthmore-specific.

What were the biggest adjustments you needed to make at Swarthmore?

Ibuki: Maybe language for me. English isn’t my first language, and this is my first time living outside Japan for an extended period. Especially at first, it wasn’t difficult to have a conversation, but it was difficult to fully express myself. I’d say I still feel really limited when I’m speaking in English.

Takeru: In class we have to speak up. Sometimes I have an opinion I want to express, but I hesitate because I don’t think I can fully express it in English. In Japan, classes are more lecture-based, so at first I wasn’t used to speaking up in class. Sometimes I still feel that way. For example, if I make a mistake, I’ll be really embarrassed. But some people speak confidently, and they make mistakes too, and it’s totally fine. So that’s an adjustment I’m still working on.

What will you take away from your year at Swarthmore?

Takeru: I’ve met a lot of people here from different countries, and I definitely want to stay in touch with them. I also want to learn more about their cultures, travel to their countries, and learn their languages. Actually, I’ve been reading a Bosnian book; my friend from Bosnia recommended it to me. I really want to travel to Bosnia or other Eastern European countries in the future. 

Ibuki: Before I came to Swarthmore, my major was law, and I was thinking about whether I wanted to pursue law as my future career and grad school. But after coming here and getting exposed to a lot of other fields beyond law, I now feel that law might not be my future career. I’m more interested in the social structure that law presumes, rather than law itself. I haven’t decided yet, but I’m thinking of changing my major to political science. Or even if I keep studying law, it would be more like sociology of law, the relationship between society and law, and how they shape each other. I feel like I’m more academically committed.

Do you have any advice for future exchange students?

Ibuki: It might be an exaggeration to say you can start another life, but you can really change your environment and try something new. In one semester or one academic year, you’ll be gone anyway, so do whatever you want to do. Nobody cares. Be open-minded, ask questions, don’t be shy.

Takeru: Make the most of this program; it’s important to be open-minded. Try whatever you want to do, because you’re only in the country for a semester or a year. So don’t hesitate to do things you’re interested in or want to do.