ENG
INA
U to U Beasiswa Scholarship, Osaka International University
Introducing, my name is Gede Boy Sistha Nanda Dipraja and usually called Boy. I am a student of the 2015 Japanese Literature Study Program FIB UNUD. I was given the opportunity to receive education, especially Japanese language at Osaka International University (OIU) through the U to U (University to University) route. The scholarship that I received was a scholarship to study in Japan, the selection stage was carried out between Japanese Literature FIB Udayana University and Osaka International University in Japan without going through a selection by the Japanese Embassy. The program that I participated in through this scholarship was the Japanese Studies program specifically called Osaka Kokusai Daigaku Ryuugakusei Bekka at Osaka International university. This program lasts for approximately 6 months, starting from September 14, 2018 to February 7, 2019. Unlike the Monbukagakusho scholarship which provides full facilities, in this scholarship the facilities obtained are only lecture facilities at the university such as tuition fees. As for the living allowance, the cost of the plane must be prepared individually. However, there is no need to worry because in this scholarship, Japanese universities always supervise and support foreign students studying at OIU. In addition, these scholarship recipients are also allowed to do aruibaito or part-time work which I find very helpful and also a fun way to really experience life mingling with Japanese people directly which makes Japanese language skills improve.
Before coming to Japan, the university has provided several recommendations for places to stay that are suitable for ryuugakusei . When I was in Ryuugaku, I chose to live in an apartment in Osaka Prefecture, precisely in the Hirakata area which is not too far from the university, this is because the apartment is the place that Senpai always chose before when he received scholarships at OIU. In addition, the place is also in an area that is quite practical and pleasant to live in because it is very close to shopping centers, amusement parks, train stations and others. The apartment also provides very supportive facilities such as cooking utensils, wi-fi, and other tools that are very helpful in carrying out life as a ryuugakusei. Not only that, the apartment owner is also very kind and supports Ryuugakusei who lives in his apartment. At that time, in the same apartment also lived a ryuugakusei who came from Cambodia. Because we are both ryuugakusei at OIU, we have become very close since we first met until now. All of that made the first impression of arriving in Japan which I felt was very pleasant.
After completing the apartment process, the next nyuugaku shiki or university entrance ceremony was held on September 20, 2018. The event was attended by all ryuugakusei and was also attended by Japanese students or Gakubu sei OIU, so that from the start I was able to get acquainted with all foreign students and also some Japanese students in attendance. Furthermore, in the event, directions were also given about lectures, transportation to university, the rules applied at the university, facilities, clubs, and also courses. Then the Nyuugaku shiki ended with a meal together and a message from the foreign student representatives. Furthermore, after the nyuugaku shiki, a written test is held which is used to divide the classes of foreign students based on their abilities. The class is divided into three types, namely chuukyuu (basic), joukyuu (intermediate) and choujoukyuu (advanced). Based on the exam results, I was placed in the joukyuu class. Furthermore, in lectures, the joukyuu and choujoukyuu classes have some special things, namely being able to choose additional courses that Japanese students take apart from compulsory lectures that are only intended for foreign students. The compulsory lectures for the Joukyuu class are mojigoi, bunpou, koudoku (dokkai), choukai, komunikeeshon and bunshou hyougen. Furthermore, the elective courses that I took were nihonjijou tokubetsu kougi, jissen nihongaku, dentoubunka kenkyuu, nihongo nouryoku shaken taisaku.
In addition to lectures in class, I also had time to join a club at OIU, namely the badminton club. Through the club, I met gakubu students who, although different majors, were still able to help while I was studying at OIU. In addition, there is one course that I find very interesting, namely Jissen nihongaku, this course is not held in class but directly plunges into the lives of students a, high school students, as well as historical places in the Osaka area to Kyoto. During the course, I mingled with high school students from Neyagawakoukou and I understood a lot of things that were popular among Japanese teenagers, especially in Osaka. In addition, because of the frequent out-of-class meetings, it not only made me understand more about the use of general Japanese grammar (hyoujungo), but also made me understand the Kansai dialect which feels very special and has character. Through these lectures, I got to understand various Japanese cultures firsthand, such as the way Japanese people interpret boys through koinobori and kodomo no hi, seeing and reading firsthand the origins of kanji formation in the Kyoto Kanji Museum, the life story of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, how to make cake Dango and others.
During the ryuugaku period, there were times that I found very enjoyable apart from studying, namely participating in the Kyoto one day tour organized by the university accompanied by OIU gakubu students. In the event, I along with several other Ryuugakusei were invited to tour Kyoto to see historical places and some famous tourist objects. Furthermore, the results of these trips are stated in a report in Japanese by the gakubu students, then the report is expected to be translated into their own language by each foreign student, then the translation results are published as university articles. I feel happy because the results of my translation with my friends can be used at universities and become a guide book for tourists who might visit Kyoto. Furthermore, what was no less fun and memorable was when I was asked to present about Bali and Indonesia representing all foreign students from Indonesia in the Osaka International University International Day event. The event was attended by all OIU students, lecturers, as well as the BEKKA program coordinator and the Chancellor. Furthermore, close to the event, I was also given the opportunity to display Balinese art in the form of a flute in the OIU cultural festival (bunkasai). At that time, apart from playing the Balinese flute, I also performed the manuk dadali dance with gakubu and ryuugakusei students from Indonesia. However, what impressed me the most was when I played the flute accompanying a ryuugakusei from China. In addition, there are also several other activities such as Christmas, ryourikai, Halloween party, shinnenkai, volunteer of kansai airport and many other activities. The Ryuugaku program ends with a release ceremony (shuuryou shiki).
Being able to get the opportunity to study in Japan, especially at Osaka International University was really not something I had ever imagined before. I myself was not a good student at first in Japanese. While other friends have managed to memorize a lot of kanji, I still have to try to remember the form after form, how to read and the meaning of the kanji in order to get through the lecture period in Japanese Literature. However, it has never been a barrier for me to try and try to improve my ability to achieve maximum results. For me, studying Japanese Literature is indeed difficult, but as long as there is a goal to be achieved and we remain enthusiastic, anything can be achieved. To get a scholarship, it is not enough just to be a "smart" dean, but also to have more effort, no need to expect perfect results but it is a good thing to perfect the process we live because it will definitely produce positive results that make us proud of our efforts alone. Stay confident and fight with your own abilities without borrowing the abilities of others, and holding on to the initial goals that we have decided, then I can finally get this OIU scholarship and it becomes my outlook on life, as an alumni of the OIU program I can become an individual who thinks globally. Thank you Udayana, thank you Japanese Literature FIB.
UDAYANA UNIVERSITY