Earlier on, during my undergraduate studies in the University of Athens , I won a scholarship by the Japan Foundation for a two weeks trip to Japan . During this few days, I realized how true was everything I had read and learn about this country, its people and their culture: kindness, generosity, discretion, honesty, modesty were only some of their characteristics that sealed my memories.
After my studies in Athens I obtained the MEXT scholarship and left for Oosaka National University of Foreign Studies, where I attended the advance course of the Japanese language for six months, which proved to be very effective for my further studies.
After completing successfully that course, I went to Tokyo where Hosei University is located. What mostly impressed me by this amazing city was the very rapid pace of every day life. Therefore there was no time to waste and I prepared myself for the rough examination of the entrance in the Master's course in the faculty of Social Sciences. That one year was the most difficult of my staying in Japan : competing exclusively with the Japanese students was not that easy…The following two years of the Master course where not that tough. The allowance received was enough to live a decent life without the need to trouble my parents at all.
My life in Tokyo had plenty of beautiful moments as well as hard ones. The unique friends I made is the most precious asset. Moreover, the astonishing function of most institutions, hospitals, public offices, dormitories (where I stayed for two years) are some elements that someone who visits Japan should bear in mind. Needless to mention that it is very hard to live and study in Japan without a very good level of Japanese since English is hardly understandable. In my case, the further improvement of my Japanese determined the success in the completion of my studies.
I returned to Greece in the end of 1999 after a four years stay in Japan , feeling as an international citizen. I found easily a challenging job in the automotive business and my career rolled smoothly from then onwards. Right after my return I started to teach the Japanese language to youngsters to whom I have been trying, since then to impart my enthusiasm and love for Japan on its whole, so that one day they also have the chance to pursue their own studies in Japan.
In conclusion, I would like to thank deeply the Japanese Government for this unique chance as well as my parents, my husband and my professor of Japanese who supported me strongly during all these years.
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