My Journey to a semester abroad in Japan

Preparation & Planning

My preparation for my semester abroad in Japan began several months before my actual departure. As I had been interested in Japan for many years and had previously studied East Asian Studies for two years, I knew relatively early on that I wanted to spend my semester abroad there. I eventually found the International College of Liberal Arts (iCLA) in Kofu, a university that fits well with my current Master’s degree in Applied Psychology and Counseling while also giving me the opportunity to experience Japan not only as a traveler, but as part of everyday student life.

A major part of the preparation was the application process. I had to organize various documents, including academic transcripts, proof of English proficiency, two academic letters of recommendation, and a statement of motivation. Choosing my courses was also particularly important to me. I spent a lot of time researching the courses offered in advance and selected classes that matched both my psychology studies and my long-term interests, such as Health Psychology and Introduction to Global Business Management.

After receiving my acceptance, the most time-consuming part of the organizational preparation began. To obtain my student visa, I first had to apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) through the university in Japan. This required a large number of documents, and the waiting periods were sometimes challenging, as further steps, including the actual visa application, depended on receiving the COE. At the same time, I had to take care of financial documents, insurance, flights, accommodation, and my journey to Kofu. One thing that surprised me was how much planning was required for the journey itself. Since I could only move into my accommodation at certain times and had planned to arrive in Japan a few days earlier, I also had to arrange accommodation for the first few days and carefully plan how I would travel from Tokyo or Narita to Kofu. This made me realize even before leaving that preparing for a longer stay abroad requires considerably more organization than a regular trip.

In addition to the formal preparations, I also prepared myself mentally and academically for my stay. Thanks to my previous studies, I already had some knowledge of Japanese history, politics, and culture. Nevertheless, I knew that actually living in Japan would be very different from simply learning about the country. For that reason, I wanted to approach the semester with an open mind rather than assuming that my previous knowledge would automatically reflect everyday life in Japan.

Ultimately, however, the biggest challenge was not the organization but the emotional side of preparing for the semester abroad. Although I was very excited about going to Japan and had wanted to do this for a long time, saying goodbye to my friends, my family, and especially my cats was very difficult. At the same time, I was aware that I would be making this journey on my own and would be living far away from everything and everyone I was familiar with for several months. In the weeks leading up to my departure, excitement and uncertainty therefore often went hand in hand. On the one hand, a long-held dream of mine was finally coming true. On the other hand, studying abroad meant leaving my familiar surroundings behind and initially finding my way in a completely new country on my own. Looking back, preparing for this emotional aspect was at least as important as all the practical preparations.

Overall, preparing for my semester abroad was a combination of organizational, academic, and personal challenges. This mixture of excitement, nervousness, and saying goodbye made the time before my departure particularly intense. Despite all the uncertainties, however, my excitement prevailed. I was finally about to fulfill a long-held dream and spend several months living and studying in Japan.