Overview Program Application Messages from Participants Photo

Messages from Participants

2015 Summer School Program

• Before visiting Gifu, I was actually a little nervous, but thanks to the tutors I was soon able to relax. I have been extremely happy here for the past two months. Together with the tutors, we summer school students have enjoyed a wide variety of fun events every week. For example, we had very delicious and fun yakiniku (BBQ) and takoyaki (octopus cake) parties. In addition, the tutors made me a cake for my birthday, which surprised me, and at the same time moved me deeply. This was one of my happiest experiences. I’m truly grateful to the tutors.
• I really enjoyed the excursions that I took part in as part of the summer school program. In particular, I still vividly remember the excursion to Gujo. I feel it was the most interesting excursion destination in the entire summer school program. In Gujo, I tried the arts of the Japanese tea ceremony, Japanese calligraphy, and kendo. Although I had never done kendo before, I soon grew to enjoy it. I’m now thinking that I will begin to practice kendo in Sweden. In Gujo, I stayed with a Japanese family. That was also a fun experience. I had a very fun time during those three days. And thanks to my host family, my Japanese proficiency improved a lot.
• The summer school gave me many opportunities to experience things I could not have done outside Japan. For example, in Mino, I tried to play a traditional Japanese drum for the first time in my life. It was so much fun that I’d really like to try it again in the future. Afterwards, I went to a studio where visitors could make bowls and plates. In the studio, I learned how to make a Japanese bowl. I was very happy that I was able to learn about Japanese culture in such depth.
  Although all the excursions and cultural experience sessions were fun, I think nothing was more fun than having fun with the tutors and making new friends. If you speak Japanese while having fun with other people, you will easily improve your Japanese proficiency. This is why I really appreciate this summer school program.
• This summer school was a lot of fun. The plan developed by Gifu University was excellent, and all the excursions were interesting. I particularly enjoyed the excursions to Gujo and Kamikochi, which were really beautiful. I really like beautiful nature, so I took a lot of photographs there. I also truly enjoyed my stay with a Japanese family. Interacting with my Japanese host family gave me confidence, because I was able to communicate with them in Japanese.
  My trip to Japan has been the best experience that I’ve ever had in my life, and I now feel sad that I have to return to my country. I wish I could stay much longer in Japan. When I return to Sweden, I will study harder. I would like to come back to Gifu and study at Gifu University once again. I would also like to improve my Japanese proficiency further. I believe that Gifu University is the best place to study.
• Since coming to Gifu, my Japanese proficiency has improved. At first, I was not very sure about my proficiency level, but I feel a certain change in myself after coming to Japan. When speaking Japanese, I no longer feel hesitant. In addition, the experience of staying with a Japanese family in Gujo has given me further confidence.
  In this program, I had many first-time experiences. I tried many things that I thought I would never try in my life. I also made many new friends. I really look forward to seeing them all again sometime in the future!
• I was impressed that this year’s summer school was so rich in content. In particular, the nature of Kamikochi, our destination on an overnight trip, was superb. It really was dreamlike scenery. I would like to go there again someday to camp. In addition, my experience of staying with a Japanese family was also very good. The three days that I spent together with my very beautiful and kind host family were so comfortable that I felt perfectly at home. It was very fun to watch a Chunichi Dragons baseball game at Nagoya Dome and root for the team.
  Furthermore, I enjoyed working on an off-campus research activity with the tutors. Although I feel that I did not have so many opportunities to talk with them, I still remember one day talking with my tutor about historic issues involving Korea, China and Japan. The tutor listened to me seriously and spoke about how Japanese students felt. That was a very good time for me.