I've recently returned from Japan and still trying to overcome the culture shock I had when arrived back to Greece. After 6 years of studying and working in Japan I came back to Greece to do my military service. I can assure you the culture shock I had when I first went to Japan was nothing to the one of the Greek Army.

I did my Masters and PHD in the Graduate School of International Socio-environmental Studies of the University of Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture. I am an ecological economist. During my studies I also had the chance to work as an external collaborator to various Japanese Environmental organizations.

But, let me start from the beginning. My first encounter with Japanese was when I finished high school and was soul-searching on what to do in the future. During this period I found out that there was a Japanese woman living in my home-town (Chania in Crete ). I had already finished English and French and thought it was a good idea to try something different. I went and knocked at the woman's door and asked her if she could teach me some Japanese. I was the first student of Ms. Masako Ozawa, who is now a Japanese language professor in ‘Didaskalion' of the University of Athens. Three months of lessons passed and I found out a pilot studied programme of ‘International Business and Japanese Studies' in Liverpool John Moores University in UK. This was a 4 years degree, where on the 3 rd year you spent a year as an exchange student in a Japanese University . Went to Liverpool for this degree and on my 3 rd year landed for the first time to Japan in Kanazawa University . I had a great year, but it wasn't enough. After graduation I applied for the MEXT scholarship in the Japanese embassy in Athens. I already had the contacts with Kanazawa University and luckily got the scholarship. My Japanese level at the time was good enough for basic communication.

As a MEXT scholarship student I had to follow the 6 months Japanese language course, but I was able to skip levels due to my previous experience. You must and you should do the course. Try to learn the language. You'll experience thinks that without the language you cannot.

The money you'll get is enough, unless you want to party frantically every single night. To me it was enough to have an easy life, travel and on general never thing about money.

I never had any problems finding my way around the university. There are lots of orientations, the foreign student office is there to solve all you problems and will do. There are also cultural exchange student associations, which organize loads of events and are a great opportunity to make Japanese friends. From my 2 nd year in the university all my friends were Japanese. That means 24/7 speaking in Japanese.

For the first 6 months I lived in the dormitory, but I rushed to rent an apartment to get away from the foreign students lobby that was formed there, where everyone spoke in English and no one made an effort to learn Japanese. By renting an apartment you get to go out in the real world where new doors of experience and adventure are opened.

Apart from studying I had sufficient time to backpack visit all of Japan with train and night buses, occasionally camping on Buddhist temple's gardens after politely asking permission from the temple's priest.

Going to Japan , learning the language to a high-level and believing that coming back to Greece with great career opportunities relating to Japan is a MYTH. Japanese is useless in Greece . Going for the experience or to learn the cutting-edge of what is going on in your field of studies is why you should go to Japan.

Advice for prospective MEXT scholarship students?

Try to get along with you professor, but BE YOURSELF. Your professor is not GOD. Just another human being. If you don't agree, say it. You are there to do your stuff, not theirs. Building a franc relationship with your professor is something you should put some effort to. They will understand.

Don't prepare yourself for anything. It's going to be nothing like you've planned or imagined. But, that's the funny part…Have fun!



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