Li Boxiang is a sophomore student at ICU, who is receiving a scholarship from the JICUF. He is from China, and has yet to decide on his major but is interested in information science, economics and business. We asked him a few questions to get to know him better.

JICUF: Please tell us why you decide to study at ICU.

LB: I fell in love with Japanese culture when I was in middle school. Japanese cultural products are so amazing for me. From Evangerion to Final Fantasy, from Doraemon to Spirited Away, all of those great works have been created by Japanese and could only have been produced in Japan. Japanese people also protect their traditional culture pretty well despite Japan being a highly industrialized and modernized country. I think the reason why I wanted to study in Japan was because I wanted to explore the culture. Among all the Japanese universities I found, I would say that ICU was the most unique and suitable for me.

JICUF: How is your life at ICU? What do you like about it?

LB: About my life in ICU, I have to say that it is really challenging and stressful for me though I of course have good memories from the past year. In terms of language, as a non-native speaker of English and Japanese, I have to keep learning two foreign languages at the same time. In terms of culture, I think I am experiencing a sort of “dual cultural shock.” The students in ICU have various cultural backgrounds: some of them have spent most of their lives in Japan, some have lived abroad for many years, and the proportion of international students is also relatively large compared with other universities in Japan. I sometimes wonder what kind of culture I have to adjust to. On the other hand, I feel that my skills of dealing with cultural differences and adapting have gradually improved.

JICUF: Have you experienced any difficulties?

LB: After arriving in Japan, I soon found that the biggest problem was language. Although ICU is definitely an international and bilingual institution, when I go off campus, there isn’t sufficient support for people without Japanese language abilities. After I bought an electronic device, I couldn’t even understand the instruction. After a year studying Japanese language and culture, I finally have no problem with daily conversation in Japanese and am trying to take courses instructed in Japanese.

JICUF: What classes have you been taking? Have you joined any student clubs/circles?

LB: I’m taking a general education course in the field of physics, introduction to public policy, two information science fundamental major courses and a mathematics course this term. Since ICU provides excellent liberal arts education, I can explore the most suitable major for me by taking the fundamental courses. So I selected these courses for this term.

I joined the kendo club, badminton club and a dance club last year, but then I found that I couldn’t handle all of them and quit two of them. However, after I took part in the activities of I-WEEK (a student organization which helps international students with conversational Japanese) and ICU Hub (an international communication circle) and talked with one of my friends, I decided to try to form a Chinese language club this term. I know that there are many people in ICU who have learned Chinese for a long period, so if the plan succeeds, it would be a good place for them to practice Chinese. Moreover, other members will have a chance to learn about Chinese culture by communicating with the Chinese students.

JICUF: What do you hope to achieve during your time at ICU?

LB: I hope I can improve my language skills, all-round ability, and gain academic knowledge. I believe I will make progress in language skills and in the field which I will choose as my major, since ICU provides excellent programs. Thanks to the help from JICUF, I can spend more time and energy on my study and other extracurricular activities instead of being busy with a part-time job. Time management is also an important ability that I should develop more. I will try my best to strike a balance between study and all kinds of activities.

JICUF: Thank you very much for your time, Boxiang. Have a wonderful holiday and best of luck with your studies and other endeavors!