Jei-Hee Hong, International Student from Korea

－What is your major?
I am a student of the GIGA Program, which belongs to the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies. This program is the same as the normal Faculty of Environment and Information Studies program, but allows students to learn everything in English instead of Japanese. Students mainly learn about programming, but it is also possible to take other classes not related to programming. In my case, I normally take the courses in English but also take Japanese language classes to improve my language skills.

－Why did you decide to study in Japan or at Keio?
Firstly, I wanted to learn Japanese language. All my family members learnt Japanese. My father speaks fluent Japanese because of his work. My mother and brother cannot speak Japanese fluently, but they know some words and phrases in Japanese. As I grew up in such an environment, I was inspired by them.
In addition to that, Korea and Japan seem to be very similar to each other, but there are many differences as well. Therefore, I wanted to learn about Japanese culture to broaden my perspective. These are the reasons I chose Japan.
Moreover, my dream is to be a stage manager in the future. To make stages, a huge amount of equipment is needed. The equipment used for staging is related to computers. This is why I wanted to learn about computing. After researching, I found the GIGA Program, which mainly focuses on programming. Therefore, I decided to study at Keio’s GIGA program.

－Please tell us about some of the aspects of your life in Japan or at Keio.
When I first came to Japan, everything was very tough. As I could not speak Japanese fluently, I could not understand what people were saying. I remember that it took me several hours to buy furniture last year. This made me think that I have to be fluent in Japanese in order to have a comfortable life in Japan. For that, I took some Japanese language classes. Also, I joined a “circle,” where I was able to meet a lot of people and make a lot of friends. As I only speak in Japanese with them, I became more comfortable using Japanese.
The other reason why I got used to the Japanese life in a short period of time was because of the people here. I find that Japanese people are always kind. They try to help others whenever they are suffering. When I first came to Japan, they spoke slowly in Japanese or tried to speak in English for me to make sure that I had understood what they said. I was so impressed by them.
I still think that I have to study harder to be fluent in Japanese. Therefore, I am planning to take more Japanese classes at Keio.

－What is your favorite class?
My favorite class is “Presentation Technique” taught by Prof. Simon Bedelo. This is one of the popular classes at SFC. In this class, we learn effective ways of making a speech or presentation. I took this class last semester. Before that, I did not exactly know how to make a good speech. However, by taking this class, I learnt how to open and end speeches and how to organize the contents. I could also listen to other students’ speeches, so I was able to compare them with my own. It was interesting to learn about the techniques for presentation in detail and I think this class was practical.

－What is your most favorite menu item served at the SFC cafeteria?
The menu item I like the most is Sundubu Jjigae. It is a spicy soup made with tofu and vegetables and one of the Korean foods available at the SFC cafeteria. I love to eat spicy food just like most Korean people. As Sundubu Jjigae at SFC is quite spicy, I often eat it whenever I miss Korean food. Since this menu is only served during winter period, I am looking forward to eating it next winter.

－6. What are your plans after you graduate?
I have not decided yet, but I think I will either go to graduate school or get a job. As I mentioned earlier, I want to be a stage manager and I am studying about programming at Keio at the moment. However, I don’t think this would be enough. I want to study about media, which is closely related to my future career. This is why I am considering graduate school.
On the other hand, experience is the most important factor in this field. I need to see many different types of stages and I need to work for a certain amount of time to get used to the process. Experience will make even better stages each time and I think I will be able to be more confident.
Both knowledge and experience are important for my dream career. This is the reason why I still cannot make up my mind.

－Do you have any advice for students who are considering studying at SFC?
Two years ago, the only languages I could speak were Korean and English. I did not even know how to read and write Japanese kana. However, I can speak three languages now and I think this is one of the advantages of studying in Japan for international students.
Moreover, SFC is suitable for students who are interested in computing. There are a lot of programming classes available, and classes related to IT (e.g. IT Policy) are also available at SFC. The faculty at SFC are all specialists in this field, and our dean, Prof. Jun Murai, is especially famous.
Some students might want to take classes other than programming. To them I say: Yes, it‘s possible. In my case, I took a class called “Design Language Workshop” last semester. In this class, I learnt how to use sewing machines and made a shirt for the final. This is one of the various types of courses also available at SFC.
So, please come and join us!


About the writer
Jei-Hee Hong
Second-year Student of SFC GIGA Program,
Faculty of Environment and Information Studies