Hello everyone. My name is Ayane Ito, and I am currently spending a year studying in New Zealand.

It has been about four months since I started my life here, and living in a foreign country has gradually become part of my everyday routine. While Japan is probably entering the hottest time of the year, New Zealand is heading into the middle of winter. Whenever I talk with my friends back home, we always end up realizing how opposite our seasons are. Every time it happens, I am reminded of how far away I am from Japan. At the same time, it makes me realize that no matter how much my daily life changes, I am still very attached to my home country.

In this ICT Journal, I would like to share one of my memorable experiences during my study abroad program: my involvement with OJSA. OJSA, or the Otago Japanese Students' Association, is a student organization at the University of Otago in Dunedin. The association regularly organizes events related to Japanese culture. I joined an OJSA skating event after being invited by a friend. OJSA members include Japanese students, local people, and others who are interested in Japanese culture. Anyone can participate by paying a small fee, so I would definitely recommend it to future ICT students. It provides a great opportunity to speak English, and above all, the events are a lot of fun. If you search for OJSA on Instagram, you should be able to find more information.

Among the events I joined, the most memorable was a viewing event for the soccer match between Japan and Tunisia. By a lucky coincidence, the president of OJSA invited me to help organize the event. Together with my classmates, Kotori and Madoka, I became part of the organizing team. We spent a lot of time discussing ways to attract participants and make the event enjoyable. After promoting it through social media and distributing flyers, we were happy to welcome around 90 people to the event.

My role was to create a presentation and a short video introducing the Japanese national team. On the day of the event, I gave the presentation together with my two classmates and the OJSA president. I had never given a presentation in English in front of such a large audience before, so I was extremely nervous. However, the atmosphere was lively, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. In the end, I was glad that I challenged myself and stepped outside my comfort zone. To make the day even better, Japan won the match by a large margin, allowing the event to end on a high note.

Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate to have met so many wonderful people during my time in New Zealand. The members of OJSA, my friends, my host family, and even people I happened to meet around town have all helped make my study abroad experience meaningful and enjoyable. Even when I am simply walking through Dunedin, people often greet me or start conversations, which reminds me how wonderful it is to connect with others. Recently, I have also noticed a change in myself. English, which I used to think about constantly, is gradually becoming something more natural. I can communicate more comfortably than before, and that is one of the things I am happiest about.

My study abroad journey is only halfway finished. Living in an unfamiliar place can be challenging, but it has brought me far more exciting discoveries than difficulties. I am looking forward to seeing what experiences await me in the months ahead, although I still have a little bit of anxiety as well.

I hope that my experience will be helpful for those who plan to come to New Zealand in the future.

Greetings from New Zealand,
Ayane Ito