Hello. My name is Kazumi Sasaki and I studied abroad for one year at the University of Bucharest (UB) in Romania, which is located in Eastern Europe. Before I came to Romania, I had heard a lot of negative stories, but in reality these stories were not true. I spent my days in peace and had the best time. This was a place with no entertainment for a normal life, but if you look for fun in the city, you will find many treasures. I would like to report on my life as an exchange student.
 
First of all, I was taken aback by the high level of academics. It is obvious, but studying at UB assumes that you have the education that anyone can acquire if they spend time in Romania. In my department, you need to be familiar with European and Romanian political science to keep up with the class. However, it is in this environment that you will learn the art of learning. The people in Romania are very friendly, so when I had a problem, everyone helped me. You can take classes not only in your own department but also in other departments if you so wish. Many of the professors in the department are really generous to students who are serious and diligent about their studies, so thanks to them, I was able to learn the best I could.
 
As for living, it is quite easy for Japanese people. You can live in a student dormitory for 9,000 JPY a month. The rooms were grouped together with other Asian students. In my first semester, my roommate was a Japanese student. In the next semester, my roommate was a Korean student. The biggest advantage of living in Romania is the low cost of living: you can spend less than 500 JPY a day on food. Eating out is a bit expensive, but stores like stalls are very cheap. There is a supermarket a three-minute walk from the dormitory that has the highest sales in Eastern Europe. It is like a Costco, so it is very convenient.
 
Lastly, Romania is a very pro-Japanese country. If you tell them you are Japanese, their attitude will change dramatically. There are many students who study Japanese in Romania, and some of them have been studying it in class since they were in high school. I was able to participate in Japanese cultural festivals and events, and I began to feel some kind of patriotism. This feeling led me to start attending a tea ceremony class and an aikido dojo in Bucharest. I took on many other challenges, experienced many successes and failures, and felt a lot of personal growth in my study abroad experience.

Click here for the study abroad experience reports of the Akita University ‘Miraisozo Fund’ overseas student study support program.