By Ren Ota (The Fountain Staff)
January 28, 2025
Ren: So what is the biggest reason for coming to APU?
Akiko : The biggest one is about my future, because I want to be a diplomat. So you know, about 50% of students in this university are international students, and come from about 100 countries, yes. So you know, if I’m in the Japanese community, I can’t talk about diplomacy or a little bit of difficult topics, but you know, and when I’m in the international students community, I can talk about that. So yeah, that’s because the most recent is the biggest future.
Ren:
So you said the biggest reason for coming to APU is because it’s going to be like, it’s going to connect with your future, like the diplomat. Like, do you have anything you want to do after becoming a diplomat? Like, solving any problems or something like that.
Akiko:
Actually, the diplomats’ job is to support the people who go on the trip.
If they had some problems, like someone stole my passport or someone was injured because of the car accident, we need to support it. And we gave any lots of advice about the hospitals or to solutions and, yeah, just support.
Ren: supporting.I didn’t know that
Akiko: but that’s just one of the jobs.
Ren: is there any like bigger jobs?
Akiko: searching information at the foreigners of the countries or the countries, because there are two kinds of diplomats. One is just staying in Japan, but the the other one is to move to the foreign countries and stay about three years, four years, and search the information about the country. For example, when, if I’m staying in London, United Kingdom, I need to search information about the United Kingdom because, such as is it safe now, or is it dangerous? Or is there a lot of problems, kinds of Japanese murder, something like that? Yes.
Ren: Okay, thank you. And also, you said that your goal at APU is to get a high GPA. But do you do anything to get a high GPA?
Akiko:
That means, how can I get to, how can I get a high eight GPA?
Ren:
like, what do you do to get a high GPA? it’s like, obvious to come to study class.
Akiko:
Yeah, study, just study. because, you know, in international relations class, Ms,Park, Who’s from Korea, it’s really hard. And, you know,
tough. So I need to even assign the, just only the Assign assignments, homework. I think there’s not enough points to pass the class. Oh, really, yes. Last year, I heard from my senior that more than 50% of students dropped out.
Ren:
So how many hours do you usually study per day?
Akiko:
What?
Ren:How many hours do you study per day,
Akiko:
international relations?
Ren: all classes
Akiko:
I haven’t counted, but maybe six, five hours at least, at least five hours,
Ren:five hours every day.
Akiko: Yes, at least five hours.Because, you know, I was taking the English based class, and at Japanese history, I need to read more than 40 pages the English sentences about the hijab, news history after the war, really crazy, and moreover, the culture and society class. I need to read about 12, no 20 pages and watch about one hour of YouTube videos. All of them are English, of course, crazy, so I need to study harder and harder.
Ren:That’s a tough thing.
Akiko: Yes, it must be tough, but I will do my best.
Ren: So you’re Japanese basis, but taking the English basis class,
Akiko: yes, because I passed the IELTS test at the 6.0 and Thanks for for this, or because of this, I don’t know about because so I can take the English based class, yeah, if the students get more than 6.0 at the IELTS test, they can pass all English based class, no, all English class language class, but can take the English basis class.
Ren: So it’s going to be a different question. But
Akiko: okay,
Ren: do you speak any third languages or learning third language right now, English and Japanese and other one
Akiko: Actually, I’m learning German but you know, the R is really difficult for me.
Ren:
It’s kind of different from English, yes.
Akiko:
Do you study German?
Ren: No,
Akiko:
no、 okay.
Ren:
So is there any big project that you ever joined like that was the best project,
Akiko: At APU. Big project,
Ren: big project, like anything. Ah,
Akiko:
I didn’t know about the SSW, I was a member of this special class, so I’m searching about sexual crime. Do you know about sexual crime?
Ren: Yes,
Akiko: You know, talking about that is really difficult in that class, because the Japanese, yeah, of course, the Japanese, but also the international students don’t mention that because it’s really serious. So I think searching about that is the most difficult and the most hardest project for me. Okay, yeah.
Ren : So do you think that, APU will shape our future career?
Akiko:It depends on people. Because, you know, there are some students who don’t have any purpose for the future, but the other students have that. And, you know, working hard and studying hard. So yeah, it depends on people. Not all people can shape your future.
Ren:
So it’s going to be the last question. Yes.
Do you have any advice to give for the younger students, maybe the new students coming next year
Akiko:for the high school students.
Ren: yes
Akiko: If you don’t have any plans.
You don’t need to go to the university. That’s all.
Ren: Okay, thank you.
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