Majoring in peace studies, Ms. Yumi Sato, is currently participating in a one-year exchange program at Freie Universität Berlin in Germany.
This series consists of a three-part interview with Ms. Sato and delves into the changes which she experiences during her study abroad. The second part of the interview was carried out six months after she began studying abroad.

Extensive Learning at Freie Universität Berlin

My classes at Freie Universität Berlin commenced from the end of October. In addition to my German language class, I am currently taking a course on international organizations which is taught in English, as well as European comparative political studies. Besides thoroughly reading materials on international relations, there are numerous opportunities to output the knowledge we have gained through discussions among students and presentations. Furthermore, during a course titled "Chernobyl and Fukushima", we examined both utilizing a literary approach, and it provided me with the opportunity to change and reconsider my perspective on nuclear issues which is my area of research.

Classwork involves considerable reading and writing and a large amount of my time is spent preparing and reviewing for my classes. I plan to complete a 6,000-word essay by the end of semester. The amount would have been unthinkable for me prior to entering ICU, but ICU's ELA program taught students how to construct essays and quote from sources, and this foundation now enables me to write essays without too much trouble. Moreover, I have the opportunity to give presentations in all my registered courses. Although it makes me nervous to speak in front of people, I am gradually adjusting to presentations in German. It is also extremely stimulating to listen to the opinions of other students.

Determining My Research Theme After Six Months in Germany

Before commencing my studies in Germany, I planned to carry out comparative research on Japan and Germany, but once my studies in Germany began, my interest gradually shifted to nuclear issues. Instead of basing my research on two countries, I began to consider what could be done towards achieving an international "dialogue" for a nuclear-free world.

One impetus behind this decision was a shocking incident which I experienced in Germany. I discovered that the world still has "misunderstandings" regarding Hiroshima. A classmate once asked me if there was still radiation in Hiroshima. Although the question shocked me, I tried to clear up the misunderstanding and explained that there was no radiation in Hiroshima, but the perception that radiation lasts for a long time was not something that could be easily overturned. I remember feeling frustrated at my lack of knowledge and inability to give a clear explanation on nuclear weapons and radiation. I had initially decided to go to Germany to study international relations and political science, but as a result of this incident, I realized that I also wanted to research the technical aspects, including the types of nuclear weapons and their destructive powers.

Moreover, the recent war in Ukraine has acted as an impetus for my research on nuclear weapons. In a situation where the deployment of nuclear weapons remains a possibility, I now feel an even stronger resolve to never allow a tragedy like Hiroshima to occur again. However, a unilateral advocation for nuclear disarmament will not lead to any advancements. "Dialogue" between the nuclear powers is essential for the realization of a nuclear-free world.

Therefore, once I return to Japan from Germany and graduate from ICU, I would like to be enrolled in a graduate school in the USA. The USA's policy of preventing war through nuclear deterrence will provide me with an opportunity to study nuclear weapons through a different approach which I hope will lead to a further dialogue towards peace. I believe that my experience of a liberal arts education at ICU, which places an emphasis on dialogue, has played a role in my decision.

ICU's Liberal Arts Has Enriched My Life Studying Abroad

Although Freie Universität Berlin is a large university with approximately 30,000 students, the number of professors is large in proportionate to the number of students, and as a result the amount of daily communication is similar to ICU. However, a big difference with ICU is that the twelve departments of Freie Universität Berlin are housed in separate buildings and each department remains specialized in a certain field.

Under these circumstances, I have learned to value my two years in the liberal arts program at ICU. Students at ICU have the opportunity to regularly converse together about their respective specializations. During such exchanges, a broad basic knowledge is essential towards understanding and delving further into what the other person is saying. Furthermore, Christianity, which has many followers in Germany, is a topic that often appears in daily conversation. Introduction to Christianity (a general education course) was a compulsory subject at ICU, and it has enabled me, here in Germany, to discuss and attain a deeper understanding of the universal values rooted in European culture and history. Having studied in a liberal arts program for two years prior to studying abroad has proved to be an immense advantage, which is something I also realized when I decided to revise my research theme.

Similar to ICU students, many of the students at Freie Universität Berlin enjoy discussions on social issues. Students here have asked me about the history of Japan's isolation policy as well as the current political system. Recently, the war situation in Ukraine, Germany's neighboring country, is a topic which is often discussed. My classmates include a student who has fled from Ukraine, and I have begun to think about the issues pertaining to war and peace in my daily life.

When considering Germany overall as a nation, German society generally, like ICU, shows tolerance towards individuality and different ideologies. I believe this is due to the geological contiguity of Europe and an environment which includes multilingual speakers. As a result, a Japanese student like me is not shown any special treatment and I have experienced a natural acceptance by others. Moreover, Germans do not uniformly find a job immediately after graduating, and they tend to respect each individual's career choice. Many students go to graduate school to obtain a Master's degree. On the other hand, I hear of cases in Japan where students avoid long-term study abroad programs since they are worried about how it will affect their job hunting. I hope that Japan, like Germany, will further develop a trend where students are able to pursue a freer career path after graduating.

Towards the Future

Although initially nervous about my German ability when I first arrived, now that six months have passed, I feel considerably more confident. I am no longer just inputting information during my language classes, but am actively seeking opportunities to output, such as talking to my German student buddy after classes and during the weekends. I went to the Christmas market in December with my student buddy and other international students. Germany is filled with a holiday atmosphere from the end of November through December. I went to the market every weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the German culture.

My study abroad program which began in July 2022 has now reached the halfway point. I will begin my preparations to apply for graduate schools in America as well as working on my graduation research. I plan to proceed with my research and focus on areas which can be done while I am still here, such as referring to material in the university library and receiving feedback from my German professor. Moreover, before returning to Japan, my plan is to travel around Europe and visit historical buildings and come into contact with the local culture. In particular, after researching the history of Nazi Germany, I plan to visit the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. I currently intend to do my utmost to expand my perspective and gain experience so that I can utilize my study abroad experiences to complete my graduation research after returning to Japan.