Luna in Waseda

I learned to adapt to completely different circumstances in Japan

I was really happy to get accepted for the Waseda exchange. The university offered a lot of governance related courses. I took courses concerned with Japans past and constitution as well as more general peace and war studies. There was a wide range to choose from and my studies in Tokyo complemented my studies in Freiburg. I also enjoyed participating in the events offered for international students and made some good friends from all over the world.

Personally, I would recommend going in the winter semester as you skip the hot and humid summer and get a beautiful autumn with colourful trees and a sunny winter. Also there was plenty of time to travel in February and March. Japan has a lot to offer, from skiing to snorkelling and I had a great time travelling alone and with friends.

My favourite experience was a daytrip from Tokyo to Hakone with a friend to see Mount Fuji and take a boat ride across the lake. There is a lot of nature outside of Tokyo I liked the balance of city life and more calming activities. In the semester abroad I learned to adapt to completely different circumstances and relied on people being nice to me – which worked out great.

All in all, I enjoyed the semester in Tokyo a lot and would highly recommend it.