I started seriously considering studying abroad when everyone around me started job hunting.
I didn't like the Japanese job-hunting style, where you enter a job because everyone else is doing it and because it's the right time, and I wanted a gap year to reconsider my life at this point in my life. I decided to make this happen by studying abroad for a long period of time.

I chose France because I was originally interested in poverty issues in developing countries, and as French is the main language spoken in these regions and France is a major immigration country, I thought I would be able to experience the current state of poverty up close and personal.
I also thought that France, with its outstanding arts and other cultural aspects, would enrich my sensitivity and help me to grow into a person who can see things from multiple perspectives.

As it is a long period of 10 months, I would like to make an effort to gain different experiences from those I have had in Japan, such as lectures at the university, club activities, volunteering and internships.

In order not to waste the precious opportunity I have been given, I would like to actively interact with local university students and international students, deepen my understanding of different cultures, and make my study abroad experience a life of study with an eye to my future career.

While studying abroad, I majored in international business administration.
I studied with classmates from various countries and cultures, half French and half international students (from Germany, Finland, Portugal, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, etc.).
It was interesting to learn from my classmates that different cultures and ethnicities have different good manners and different characteristics of people.

Unlike the mainstream lectures at Japanese universities, there were many group discussions and impromptu group presentations at this university. 1 group discussion/presentation per class was the normal for them.
I majored in English and was often overwhelmed by the high level of English proficiency and familiarity with presentations of the people around me. I was inspired by the way my classmates improvised, summarized and presented their presentations with aplomb, and I absorbed their presentation structure, design and the way they behaved in front of a large audience, and tried my best to be like them. I also focused on improving my English by watching foreign films and video apps after every class.
I thought that even if I couldn't speak French, I wouldn't have to worry if I could use English, but very few people, including the staff in the dormitories, supermarkets, bakeries, bank staff and hospitals, spoke English, so I felt that life would be a bit difficult if I couldn't speak French.
In addition to English, I improved my French language skills as much as I could in class and on my own, and after about six months I was able to converse with my friends in French only.
I would recommend anyone thinking of studying in France to learn it beforehand.

Outside of class, I spent time with my roommate, a Korean friend, travelling in France and abroad, and visiting the home of a French friend who was my language exchange buddy. I also spent a few months volunteering with a refugee support organization, which gave me the opportunity to meet people from even more backgrounds.
It was impressive to see how many working people also took part in the volunteer work.

I have only a few moments left to study abroad, but I will continue to study as hard as I can and enjoy my life in France so as not to waste it.