Matija McROBERTS

Student of James Cook University, Australia
Exchange to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan

My exchange to Japan was in 2016, I travelled from Townsville in regional Queensland to Beppu in the Oita Prefecture of Kyushu.

It is hard to sum up the experience as the journey changed my perspectives for so many things. We always have some preconceptions on other cultures, but the fact is, only when we actually experience it for ourselves that we are truly able to understand another culture.

I learned so many new things in Japan, not only did I improve my language skills, I also gained lifelong friendships and met some wonderful mentors who are still providing me with advice and support to this day. However, the most incredible thing about the exchange was that I was able to bring my family over to Japan. My husband and son were able to come over and see all Japan had to offer. As someone who started out as a young parent who lives in a small town with little exposure, I was able to show my family another part of the world through my exchange.

My exchange experience gave me the confidence I needed to step out into the world and pursue my goals. I am now a successful entrepreneur who helps the start-ups and run my own consulting business. I also volunteer at the largest Japanese convention in Australia, which is held every year in Sydney. From my experience on exchange, I am able to contribute my language skill and cross-cultural skill to drive business and create opportunities.

I take every opportunity to share my experiences from my exchange in the hope that others will be encouraged to explore the world.

For the past two years, I have been running short programmes as a Lecturer of The Academy of Modern Languages at James Cook University, where students from regional towns around Queensland gathered to complete a one-week intensive course on language learning. As the Lecturer for the Junior Japanese class, I usually start the class with a presentation on my exchange experience and the benefits of it. Many of the students would be excited and would hope they can embark on their own journey to study overseas one day. I often use a quote when talking about my exchange and I think it fits perfectly, "the world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page" – St. Augustine.

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