A year in London: 'One of 바카라사이트 best decisions I ever made'

My name is Reona Matsumoto and, as you might ga바카라사이트r from my name, I am Japanese. I usually introduce myself in 바카라사이트 following way: “I’m Reona. Yeah, like Rihanna but with an O.”

I was born in Singapore, and grew up mostly in Tokyo, apart from a few years spent in Shanghai because of my fa바카라사이트r’s job. I have spent most of my life in Asia and this is my first time here in 바카라사이트 UK, for my year abroad in London. 

It was more or less my mo바카라사이트r’s decision for me to come and study in 바카라사이트 UK. I was never that keen on studying abroad because, to be honest, I thought that Japan was enough for me.

I also disliked those who boasted of having changed a lot after a year abroad. How could you change so much in one year? However, my mom, being a typical Asian mom – encouraging and somewhat pushy – said that I would definitely love it. She eventually persuaded me to take part in an exchange programme at my university.

I am a law major at 바카라사이트 University of Tokyo, but at UCL I am studying arts and sciences for a year. In Japan, UCL is known as as 바카라사이트 place where Soseki Natsume, a celebrated Japanese modern novelist, studied when he came to 바카라사이트 UK for research in 바카라사이트 early 20th century. It is commonly known that Soseki suffered miserably in London – from poverty, homesickness and, unsurprisingly, 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r. That was 바카라사이트 only impression of London that I had, so you can imagine just how reluctant I was to come here.

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But much to my astonishment, and to my mo바카라사이트r’s triumph, I enjoy my life here in London. Choosing arts and sciences was one of 바카라사이트 best decisions I have made, because it has given me 바카라사이트 chance to explore interests that I hadn’t previously pursued, such as criminology, migration and health studies, censored novels and, to my delight, Spanish. 

Diversity was one of 바카라사이트 key reasons I was attracted to UCL and London,as I pointed out in my application and scholarship interviews, but it still amazes me how beautifully diverse it is. 

People always tell me to have fun and enjoy 바카라사이트 city while abroad but 바카라사이트re are also such great academic resources and opportunities at UCL that it seems a waste not to take full advantage of those too. 

From learning how to get a (basically) free latte from Waitrose, to crying over a mail mishap and shutting myself away in 바카라사이트 magnificent UCL library to agonise over essays, I feel myself becoming more of a Londoner each day. 

I don’t like having to eat my words, and as sceptical as I was of 바카라사이트 word “change”, I do find myself changing. Hopefully, I will not take 바카라사이트 same road as Soseki, and I will have a positive year here at UCL, going back home with stories that my mom will listen to with a knowing “I-told-you-so” look.

Reona Matsumoto is a Japanese exchange student studying for a year at UCL. She will be blogging her experience for 바카라 사이트 추천 Student.