I remember what I felt between being accepted to MJSP and leaving Finland to go to Japan for the first time. I was excited, but I also couldn’t clearly imagine what my life would be like in Sapporo for four years, and I didn’t know what to expect from such a big change in my life. However, now that I look back on the four years I have spent in MJSP, I realize how much I have grown as a person, and how much Japan has let me grow in the right direction. My passion for all aspects of Japan has led to my high interest in Japanese history and religions, and this is thanks to the wide range of classes MJSP has to offer. I have grown to understand my language skills and my capabilities as an aspiring academic, and I have really challenged myself in the program and rewarded myself with new qualities I have found. My years in Japan aren’t over after MJSP – this is just the beginning – and coming to Hokkaido University was definitely the right choice.
(Juliana Hanna Maria Porkkala, Class of 2021, Finland)
