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From Hungary to Japan
Alexandra Bogdanyi experiences a very different culture while studying abroad
Alexandra Bogdanyi
Masters in Social Sciences – Global Studies
Hitotsubashi University
Tokyo, Japan
Year of graduation: 2010
Experiencing a culture very different from Europe was one of the reasons Hungarian student Alexandra Bogdanyi chose to study for her masters degree in Japan. “I felt that it is important to have firsthand experience to better understand the world in this global age. Japan’s global and Asian role made it a perfect place to counter my Western (mainly European, but also North American) studying experiences and provide me with a different viewpoint on international issues,” she says.
Another reason Alexandra chose to study abroad was the high level of education and the generous – though highly competitive – scholarships offered by the Japanese Government to foreign students. These scholarships not only offer an opportunity to conduct scholarly work, but also provide students with the possibility to learn the Japanese language, participate in cultural events and homestays with constant support both from university and embassy staff.
“Studying in Japan, and more precisely studying at Hitotsubashi University is for me, a genuinely international experience,” Alexandra says. “Apart from being able to develop a greater understanding of Japanese culture and society in general, I have also gained a better understanding of other cultures and people. I’ve received great support from the professors of the university and have been inspired intellectually by many of them.”
Hitotsubashi University, which was ranked 96 in the QS.com Asian University Rankings, also provides further opportunities for international exchange with universities and companies outside of Japan. Alexandra says the financial and academic support for individual research from the University, both in Japan and outside its borders, is “exceptional”.
Alexandra plans to continue her studies and pursue a doctoral degree either in Japan or Europe, once she’s completed her masters degree. She would also like a teaching position at a university in either Europe or the USA, or to work for an international organization such as the UN or the IOM. In the meantime, she has a few more months of graduate study to go, and a few more months of her study abroad experience.
Alexandra’s three best and worst things about studying abroad:
Best:
- Learning one or more foreign language
- Immersing herself in a different culture
- Gaining a truly international point of view and understanding of the world and many of its countries through the great number of people I have been able to meet.
Worst:
- Time away from family and friends
- Feeling isolated, especially when experiencing language barriers
- Culture shock
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