Undergraduate
Chin Yee Teng (Malaysia)
Faculty of Global Liberal Studies
Department of Global Liberal Studies
Before studying abroad in Japan, I spent one and a half years learning Japanese at a language school in my home country. During that time, I had an opportunity to hear directly from a professor at Nanzan University about the university and the Faculty of Global Liberal Studies. This was the reason I became interested in Nanzan University and decided to major in Global Liberal Studies. At first, I just wanted to study abroad in Japan, but I did not have a specific field I wanted to focus on. However, during the orientation, I learned that the Faculty of Global Liberal Studies allows students to study in a wide variety of research areas, including politics, economics, literature, religion, communication, language, environment, and energy resources. Because it allows students to explore many areas before selecting a specialization, I felt that this faculty was the perfect match for me. I was also attracted to the bilingual environment, where there are classes taught in both Japanese and English. I believe that studying in such an environment would help me broaden my perspectives and continue improving my language skills.
After entering the university, I took many mandatory and elective classes on globalization and sustainability, including multicultural studies, linguistics, environmental issues, and communication. Through these classes, I realized that I am particularly interested in communication and media. This interest led me to choose a seminar that focuses on communication strategies, rhetoric, and persuasive English.
Outside of academics, I work as a teaching assistant on campus. I currently work at World Plaza, where students can learn foreign languages and experience different cultures through conversations and events. I also work at the Writing Center, a space only for students in the Faculty of Global Liberal Studies. Teaching assistants there help students check their English reports and provide writing advice. I still remember how much help I received from the Writing Center during my first year. Thanks to the teaching assistants’ guidance, I was able to handle credits, assignments, and reports more smoothly. That experience inspired me to become a teaching assistant myself, so that I could support others in the same way. Through these roles, I have met students from many different backgrounds and listened to many interesting life stories. These experiences have strengthened my communication skills, broadened my perspectives, and helped me grow both personally and academically. All of these experiences have shaped who I am today and have also made me feel more confident about my future.
Now I plan to build my career in Japan after graduation, using the skills and knowledge I gained through my studies and my work as a teaching assistant. Looking back, I truly feel that choosing Nanzan University and the Faculty of Global Liberal Studies was the right decision for me.
日本に留学に来る前、私は母国の語学学校で1年半、日本語を学んでいました。その時に南山大学の先生から大学のことや国際教養学部のことを直接聞くことができる説明会があり、それがきっかけで南山大学に興味を持ち、のちに国際教養学を学んでいくことになったのです。当初はただ日本に留学したいという気持ちだけがあり、学びたい分野は決めきれずにいました。しかしその説明会で南山大学国際教養学部では、政治、経済、文学、宗教、コミュニケーション、言語、環境、エネルギー問題など多様な分野を横断的に学べることを知り、専攻分野を決定する前に様々な分野に触れられる点が自分にぴったりだと思いました。また、日本語と英語で授業が開講されるバイリンガルな教育環境も魅力に感じました。このような環境で学ぶことで自分の視野を広げ、語学力を磨くことができると確信しました。
入学後は、多文化研究、言語学、環境問題、コミュニケーション学など、グローバル化やサステナビリティに関する必修科目や選択科目を履修してきました。そしてこれらの授業や学習環境を通じて、私が真に学びたいと思える、コミュニケーション、メディア研究に出会うことができました。そして、コミュニケーション戦略、修辞学、説得力のある英語の使い方などを学べるゼミを選択しました。
学業以外では、大学内でTAとして働いています。具体的には、利用学生が会話やイベントを通じて外国語や異文化を学べるWorld Plazaと、TAが英語のレポートのアドバイスをする国際教養学部専用のライティングセンターで働いています。私が1年生の時にライティングセンターがとても役に立ち、おかげで単位取得や課題、レポートをスムーズにこなすことができたので、自分も同じように他の人の役に立ちたいという思いでいます。このような役割を通して、私は多様なバックグラウンドを持つ学生と出会い人生の興味深い話をたくさん聞くことができ、そのおかげでコミュニケーション能力が上がり、視野が広がり、人としても学業面においても成長することができました。こういった経験すべてが、現在の私自身を形成し、また自分の将来に対する自信をもたらしてくれています。
南山大学卒業後は、今のところ、学びやTAとしての経験を活かし、日本でキャリアを積んでいきたいと考えています。今振り返ると、南山大学国際教養学部を選んで正解だったと心から感じています。
