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Student voice

In this page, you can read the articles written by the student participants of EU Campus program. Students to take part in this year's program will post the updated information continually. Please check out their articles and get a variety of information on the EU Campus!

Doshisha EU Campus European Studies Program 2022


Please see the “Voices” from students participating in Doshisha EU Campus European Studies Program 2022. It is the first time for this program to be held in person at Doshisha EU Campus. Please take a look at the students' various experiences and lessons learned in Tübingen, Germany.
Hi there, I’m Sachi :) The five months of the study abroad program is finally about to end. Looking back on my memories, I had uncountable precious experiences. It was the first time I came to Germany and lived in a dorm. I used English when I talk to my buddy or take classes but tried to use German in daily activities such as shopping and ordering at restaurants. I visited various places in Germany and other countries of Europe as fieldwork or travel. I met so many friends by trying not to be shy to speak in English. I feel I grew up much more than before by absorbing everything I experienced during this study abroad. There are too many of the best memories to pick up, so I show you some pictures of Tübingen where I spent almost every day. I am so thankful that I could have my great study abroad in this historical and beautiful city, Tübingen!


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Second year student)
My name is Misuzu, a student participating in the EU Campus Program.
What I am most grateful for is that I have met so many wonderful people through this study abroad program. I was a little anxious at first, but thanks to all the people I met, my buddies, roommates, and Doshisha students who participated in the program with me, I was able to have an enjoyable study abroad experience.
I spent a lot of time with my buddies making sweets, having parties, going to cafes, Christmas markets, Oktoberfest, and many other places.
With my roommates, we talked in the kitchen, watched movies together, and so on.
With the Doshisha students who participated in the program with me, we traveled to different countries, studied German, and enhanced each other.
Through this study abroad program, I met many people, changed my thinking, and became able to think about things from a broader perspective with more options for the future. I appreciate having met people with whom I hope to remain close even after returning to Japan.


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Second year student)
Hello! I’m Shiina from the EU Campus Program.
I’d like to talk about how to spend the winter in Germany. In December, chocolate markets and Christmas markets are held in Tübingen and people enjoy them. At this time of year, the temperature drops below zero, and in mid-December, we had 10 centimeters of snow. It's rare for snow to pile up in December, but the snowy scenery is very beautiful. I'm glad to see it before returning to Japan.
On Christmas Day, German people generally stay home and relax with family. In contrast, people celebrate New Year actively. Rocket fireworks, which are usually prohibited by law, go on sale only at the end of the year. They are launched everywhere at the same time as the countdown. I could see a very beautiful sight from my room.
As you read, there are many events in Germany during the winter, so I spend my days experiencing a different culture from Japan and making new discoveries!


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
Hello! I’m Shun who is participating in EU Campus Program and I’d like to tell you about the Christmas in Germany.
I guess you may first think of Christmas market when you hear about Christmas in Germany. The market starts somewhere at the end of November, I went to the market not only in Tübingen but also in other cities. The enjoyable thing in the market is drinking Glühwein in cold outside. The hot wine with some spices makes our body warm. You also can take the mugs home with you. Collecting different mugs as a souvenir from each market is fun!
Besides, I want to introduce Christmas cookies called plätzchen. We hardly see the custom of baking cookies in Christmas season in Japan, but it is popular in Germany. I baked plätzchen with my friends and I enjoyed the Christmas season in Germany a lot!


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
The mind not to waste anything of Germany

Hello! I'm M.O. from Doshisha University.

I introduce the German "zu Verschenken" culture. When I came to Tübingen, I saw many times the scene shown in the picture.
It means, "Please feel free to take it home." This means that people leave clothes they no longer wear or things they no longer use on the side of the road.
It is a culture of sharing things you don't need with people who need them, and is often seen in residential areas rather than in the city area.
I studied abroad during the summer and winter, so I sent winter clothes from Japan to Germany by sea, but the summer mornings were colder than expected, so I took long pants and long sleeves!
When I go back to Japan, I will offer unnecessary stuffs by "zu Verschenken!"


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
Hello! This is Kentaro from the EU Campus Programme. You can learn about EU or Europe thoroughly in this programme but also can feel the strong links of European countries. Tubingen, located in southwest Germany, allows quick and easy access to countries like Switzerland, Austria, Italy or France. Lots of friends were enjoying travelling neighbouring areas such as Belgium, the Netherlands or Czech Republic. These are precious experiences that you can never do in Japan. Learning about Europe and visiting actual places greatly promotes our understanding. Europe regions have both commonalities and their uniqueness, and you can enjoy those points from each unique city. Interested in cultures, history, and languages of Europe, I am totally enjoying my life and studies here!


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
The cityscape in Germany

Hello, my name is Kanta and I am a student participating in the EU Campus Program. I have been in Germany for about 3 months now, and one of the things that impressed me about Germany is the beautiful cityscape. I can see the history in each building and each building has its own charm. I can feel this to the fullest in Tübingen. Whether you are on the bus on your way to school, heading to the cafeteria for a lunch break, or heading out on the town after class, you will always see beautiful German cityscapes everywhere you look. And once you are out of Tübingen, you can also enjoy different kinds of German cityscape. For example, Hohenzollern Castle, one of the three most famous castles in Germany, can be reached by bus in about an hour and will allow you to enjoy the medieval atmosphere. If you go to Stuttgart, you will see a modern European cityscape different from that of Tübingen.
In December, the city is in the mood for Christmas, and the atmosphere is joyful. Christmas trees are erected, Christmas markets and chocolate markets are held, and every day is fun. I hope to enjoy the remaining two months of the year with no regrets.


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
I would like to introduce the sports situation in Germany. In Germany, there are no university club activities like in Japan, and it is common to participate in community-run sports clubs. I participated in local fencing, fitness, kendo, and other sports clubs. The clubs have everyone from students to senior citizens. Even sports that require special equipment, such as fencing, can be experienced easily with the loan of equipment. Since there is no retirement or graduation as in Japanese club activities, I felt that there is an environment in which it is easier than in Japan to start a sport and continue it for a long time.
In October, I went to a soccer game in Stuttgart. It was a great experience to watch a real soccer match in a big stadium with a capacity of over 60,000 people. I am looking forward to the World Cup between Japan and Germany this month.


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Department of Health and Sports Science, Second year student)
I'm YANA, a student participating in the EU Campus Program!
I would like to tell you about the dormitory where I am currently living in Germany. It takes about 15 minutes by bus to get to the city and campus. There is a supermarket within 3 minutes walking distance from the dormitory. There is a place where you can see beautiful stars, and I was able to see a shooting star the other day. Also, if you have a room on the upper floor, the view is very beautiful.
There are 8 students living on my floor, and each student has a room with a shared kitchen, toilet, and shower. There is a washing machine and dryer in the basement for 1-1.5 euros. To be honest, I was shocked at how dirty the kitchen was on my first day in the dormitory. My friends and I were talking “we would eat out every day because we didn't want to use the kitchen”. However, now I can cook every meal by myself and have parties with my friends on weekends.
Living together with eight other people can be difficult, but dormitory life is a special experience for me after living with my family for so long. I'm going to enjoy the remaining two months of my stay here!


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Social Studies, Department of Education and Culture, Third year student)
Hello everyone, I’m Ayana participating in EU campus program.
It has been 2 months since I arrived in Tübingen, and I finally get to be used for Tübingen life.
Today, I would like to write about how to spend holidays which is different from Japan. In Germany, clothing shops and supermarkets are always closed on Sundays, so I don’t often go out on Sundays. However, I often get together to cook and eat together with buddies on Sundays. Also, we went picnic with foods we made when it was sunny day. In Japan, I barely cook and eat with friends, so it is new and exciting for me!
I use English to communicate with buddies, it is good chance to use English not only cook together. Because of it, I had a precious experience. The last time, we cooked Japanese food “miso soup” and “tempura”, I was happy my buddy got to like them!
In Tübingen, it gets colder but my favorite time of the year, Christmas, is coming soon, we have plan to make Christmas cookies and cakes!
We have only 3 months left for Tübingen life, I want to continue to spend a great time from now on.
Thank you.


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Social Studies, Department of Education and Culture, Third year student)
Life in Germany

I’m Yuki, I’m student of EU campus program.

I’m going to introduce the life in Germany. Classes are held from Monday to Friday, Sometimes from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., depending on the class you take. Many students eat lunch at Mensa, the school cafeteria. There are some places where you can get a meal for 5 euros, or you can go to a café or supermarket after class. It is interesting to see how different things are sold and priced between Germany and Japan. Supermarkets are closed on Sundays, so we have to buy some things by Saturday. After dinner, we go to a bar near our dormitory. Tuesday is karaoke day, so many people gather, and you can talk with many different people. The dormitory holds various events such as Halloween. It's busy life, but I never get tired of it, and it's a lot of fun.


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Policy Studies, Department of Policy Studies, Second year student)
Hello! My name is Haruko.
I started my study abroad program in September, and I've been having a great time!! I think time passes very quickly…

Today I would like to write about veganism in Germany. In Japan, there may not be so many vegans or vegetarians yet, but in Tübingen there are so many vegans.

Deutschland has so many options for vegans compared to Japan. First of all, a menu for vegans is available in the school cafeteria as well. And if you go to the supermarket, you can find a wide variety of vegan meats, cheeses, milk, and other items (and they are so delicious!).

If you were in Japan, you would not be able to find vegan foodstuffs unless you went to a specialty store. In Germany, however, you can find vegan food in general supermarkets as well as large supermarkets. I think that vegan options are much more accessible than in Japan.
The reason why they do not eat meat is not always for environmental protection or animal welfare, it depends on the person. One of my friends doesn’t eat meat but eats cheese and milk, and another friend eats meat with us on festivals and other special occasions. I think that the variety of choices is a very good thing about Germany. I hope to learn a lot more to expand my world and return to Japan!


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Policy Studies, Department of Policy Studies, Second year student)
Berlin, the city that still retains the Nazi atmosphere


I am Yuki, a member of the EU Campus Program!
I went to Berlin for 4 days of fieldwork from October 8 to 11.

On the first day, after a long journey by train, we all went to eat Curry Wurst, Berlin's soul food. We were very satisfied with the sausages, which were so big you can't find them in Japan.

On the second day, we enjoyed a guided tour by our instructor, Jan. During the explanation, he told us that since the east side of the city was socialist, many buildings were simple and similar in design, and we were able to feel the difference between the east and west sides of the city.

On the third day, we visited the German parliament building. During the guided tour, we learned how the building is currently used and the history of the parliament building architecture.

On the fourth day, we had free time in the morning, so we visited an art museum called Gemäldegalerie. We were able to see famous European artists such as Donatello and Vermeer.

By visiting various places such as the Holocaust Memorial, I could also understand how horrible the Nazi regime was.
We experienced a beautiful city that we could see only in Europe.


Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Policy Studies, Department of Policy Studies, Second year student)
Hello, this is Kanako.
I found European Studies ES Campus Program to be a great opportunity to learn many things deeply about EU and German culture from different point of views. We can take special lectures made for this Program in English and in Japanese. In the classes, it is really interesting to learn about EU from the point of view from not only Japan but also Germany (EU). Also, we can learn German culture and German language. Talking with students in Tübingen through the buddy program and walking around the town make me so interested in European Society. Every day from weekdays to weekends, I can always find something new in this program.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Law, Department of Political Science, Fourth year student)
Hello, my name is Ryo and I came to Germany in September.
Time has passed very quickly since I came to Germany, and already one month has passed since I arrived here.
It is very cold in Germany in October, and the mornings and evenings are unbearable unless you wear a HEATTECH and a down jacket.
 In September, I traveled to various places in Spain and Germany.
 In Spain, I went to see the Sagrada Familia and went to see Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid soccer game.
 In Germany, I went to Neuschwanstein Castle and Oktoberfest in Munich.
 I think one of the best things about studying abroad in Germany is that I can travel all over Europe, so I hope to visit many places before I return to Japan!
 Thank you for reading to the end.

Japanese translation is available here

(School of Theology, Department of Theology, Second year student)

Doshisha EU Campus German Language and Intercultural Studies 2022


Please see the "Voices" from students who are participating in Doshisha EU Campus German Language and Intercultural Studies 2022, which was the first time in two years that the program was held on site. Please take a look at the students' various experiences and lessons learned in Tübingen, Germany.
Hallo, ich bin Kubo, ein Student, der am EU-Campus-Programm teilnimmt. Mein Auslandsstudium ist nun zu Ende, und obwohl es nur fünf kurze Monate dauerte, hatte ich eine sehr erfüllende Zeit.
Wenn ich jetzt an Deutschland denke, denke ich an klassische Musik! In Japan bin ich nicht zu klassischen Konzerten gegangen, aber seit ich in Deutschland bin, habe ich versucht, viele davon zu besuchen. Ich möchte hier einige der denkwürdigsten vorstellen. Es war Beethovens "Kaiser", den ich in Stuttgart gehört habe. Ich hatte zufällig einen Platz in der ersten Reihe, und das Konzert war sehr preiswert, denn jeder Sitzplatz kostete 7 €, wenn man Student ist! Auch als Zuschauer in der ersten Reihe konnte man die Anspannung der Darsteller spüren und das war sehr beeindruckend. Auch die Leistung war sehr gut. In Deutschland finden häufig Konzerte statt, und man kann oft sehr günstige Angebote bekommen, besonders wenn man Student ist. Wenn Sie nach Deutschland kommen, sollten Sie unbedingt versuchen, ein klassisches Konzert zu besuchen!

Japanese translation is available here

(Graduate School of Letters, Philosophy, Second year student)
Hallo! Ich bin Hikaru.
Unser Auslandsstudium endet nun in einer Woche.
Wir hatten einen Ausflug zum Bodensee.
Der Bodensee ist der größte See in Deutschland und liegt zwischen der Schweiz, Österreich und Deutschland.
Am Vormittag haben wir das Pfahlbauten-Freilichtmuseum in Unteruhldingen besucht und dort haben wir eine Menge über die Geschichte des Bodensees gelernt.
Es war eine sehr spannende Tour, bei der wir Ausstellungsstücke wie Speere und Äxte tatsächlich anfassen und vieles lernen konnten.
In Konstanz haben wir das Münster besichtigt, sind Ruderboot gefahren, haben im See gebadet ... jeder hatte eine spaßige Zeit.
Der Bodensee hat eine gute Wasserqualität. Er ist sehr beliebt als Erholungsort im Sommer. Die Landschaft ist auch schön, deshalb ist der Bodensee populär bei Radfahrern in Europa.
Wenn Sie nach Deutschland kommen, empfehlen ich, dass Sie den Bodensee auch mal besuchen!

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Second year student)
Hallo, ich bin Riku. Die letzten Tage war es zu heiß Wetter. In Deutschland ist es nicht normal, dass ein Haus Klimaanlage hat. Also es war zu heiß, ob ich draussen oder zu Hause war.
Dieses Mal stelle ich Restaurants und Essen in Deutschland vor.
Das Essen, das ich oft im Restaurant bestelle, ist eine Spezialität in Süd-Deutschland, heißt Käsespätzle.
Das ist Nudeln mit Käse. Eine schmackhafte Soße passt sehr zu deutschem Bier .
Ich empfehle auch so etwas wie ein dünnes Katsuretsu namens Schnitzel, das in ganz Deutschland gegessen werden kann. Der Teig ist knusprig und Sie können ihn bis zum Ende köstlich essen, indem Sie ihn mit Zitronensaft genießen.
Die meisten Restaurants haben sowohl Außen- als auch Innenplätze, und Außenplätze sind sehr beliebt, weil Sie an sonnigen Tagen das Wetter genießen können.
Wenn Sie nach Deutschland kommen, essen Sie doch draußen und genießen das schöne Wetter!

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
Guten Tag, ich bin Sawano, Studentin des EU-Campus-Programms.
Gerade nähert sich der Tag der Rückkehr nach Japan, und ich fühle mich einsam und ungeduldig.
Ich will ehrlich gesagt noch nicht nach Hause!

Deswegen möchte ich dieses Mal über Flixbus sprechen. Flixbus ist Europas bekannteste billige Busgesellschaft!
Ich bin in Europa, also möchte ich an viele Orte gehen! Und die Reise ist billig! In diesem Sinne habe ich Flixbus mehrmals verwendet.
Es ist jedoch ein Feind namens 9-€-Ticket aufgetaucht. Mit dem 9-€-Ticket darf man alle Züge benutzen, außer den ICE. Seit kurzem nun nutze ich dieses Ticket voll aus, indem ich alle Züge außer den ICE nehme.
Allerdings sind die vielen Verspätungen der DB (Deutsche Bahn) und die Zugausfälle zu schwerwiegend. Verglichen mit der DB finde ich den Flixbus besser.
Während meines Aufenthalts bin ich ca. sechs Stunden mit dem Bus von Wien nach München gefahren. Mein Hintern hat weh getan, mein Nachbar war ein Fremder und es war dreckig... (Übrigens, die Toilette von Flixbus wackelt sehr und manchmal ist sie außerordentlich dreckig). Außerdem kann der Flixbus plötzlich bremsen, sodass Gegenstände herumfliegen, was blaue Flecken verursacht.
Abgesehen davon scheinen die Mitglieder des EU-Campus auch starke Nutzer von Flixbus zu sein, und einer der Mitglieder hat den Flixbus für elf Stunden nach Italien ausgehalten. Es gibt nichts Gruseligeres.

Ich denke, wir, die wir die harten Verkehrsbedingungen in Deutschland ertragen mussten, sind nun abgehärtet.

Bitte nutzen Sie den FlixBus, wenn Sie in Europa reisen. Ich denke, Sie können verschiedene Erinnerungen bekommen!

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
Hallo! Ich bin Shiho. In den letzten Tagen hatten wir den Ausflug nach Straßburg in Frankreich. Es ist immer interessant, dass wir einfach die Grenze überqueren können.
Vor dem Ausflug hatten wir über die EU gelernt, und dann haben wir den EURat besucht. Am Mittag haben wir elsässisches Essen gegessen, z.B. Flammkuchen, Sauerkraut und Wein usw.. Am Nachmittag haben wir das Straßburger Münster besucht. In der Freizeit sind manche ins Cafe oder Spazieren gegangen, und haben die Souvenirs gekauft. Es war sehr heiß, aber das Wetter war sehr schön. Der Ausflug hat uns Spaß gemacht.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Third year student)
Guten Tag, ich heiße Shibuichi. Es ist schon Juli und wir können nur noch für einen Monat hier bleiben. Ich bin traurig, weil ich mich von meinen deutschen Freunden verabschieden muss.
Ich habe bemerkt, dass die meisten Freunde von mir sehr gern Sport machen. Nach der Uni oder in den Ferien machen sie zum Beispiel Tischtennis, Schwimmen, Radfahren und Bouldern. Sie laden mich oft ein, und ich mache mehr Sport als in Japan. Neben einem großen Naturpark gibt es viele Sportanlagen zum Beispiel Radwege, Schwimmbäder und Boulderplätze. Menschen in Tübingen können einfach dorthin gehen und Sport machen.
Sport kann unabhängig von Nationalität oder Sprache gemacht werden. Ich möchte daher Freundschaften durch Sport vertiefen.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Fourth year student)
Ein bisschen gefährlich...?Stocherkahnrennen!!

Hallo! Ich bin Yuri!
Es ist in letzter Zeit sehr heiß und ich verzweifle an der Frage, ob ich mir einen Ventilator kaufen soll oder nicht.
Ich stelle euch das Stocherkahnrennen vor. Das ist ein bekanntes Event. Der Stocherkahn ist ein kleines Boot, in das circa 16 Leute einsteigen können, ähnlich einer Gondel. In Tübingen findet jedes Jahr ein Rennen mit diesen Booten statt. Der Sieger bekommt Bier. Und der Verlierer muss 500ml Lebertran trinken. Das ist Öl, das aus Fisch gemacht wird. Deshalb ist das Rennen unerbittlich. Eine Person hat ein anderes Boot getreten und ein anderer ist in ein anderes Boot gestiegen und hat rumgepöbelt. Das war sehr lustig für uns Japaner.
Wegen Corona gab es dieses Event 2 Jahre lang nicht. Deshalb ging es dieses Mal viel heißer her als sonst. Wir haben nur zugesehen, aber ich möchte irgendwann teilnehmen (obwohl ich natürlich nicht streiten will).
Wenn ihr nach Tübingen kommt, müsst ihr das Event anschauen!
※Vergiss nicht Sonnencreme zu verwenden. Ohne die wirst du für 3 Tage Schmerzen haben, wenn du duschst.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Fourth year student)
Meine Ferien

Hallo, ich bin Shun und nehme am EU Campus Programm teil. Ich habe mich allmählich an das Leben in Deutschland gewöhnt, aber manchmal vermisse ich Japan.
Ich stelle Ihnen meine Ferien vor.
Wenn es schönes Wetter gibt, mache ich oft eine Radtour. In Deutschland gibt es viele Radwege in sehr gutem Zustand! Verkehrsschilder für Radfahrer gibt es überall, also kann ich mein Ziel erreichen, ohne mich zu verirren. Außerdem ist die Aussicht vom Zielort wunderschön, und ich mache immer viele Fotos.
Ich entschied mich, das Auslandsstudium zu machen, weil ich mich für deutsche Natur und Kultur interessiere. Und ich kann sie durch meine Radtouren genießen.
Ich möchte meine Zeit in Deutschland wirklich genießen. Und außerdem lerne ich jeden Tag fleißig, um mein Selbstvertrauen zu stärken!

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Commerce, Department of Commerce, Third year student)
Hallo, Ich heiße Fumi.
Es ist bereits Juni und ich bin schon seit drei Monaten in Deutschland.In Baden-Württemberg, wo wir leben, ist vom 4. bis 12. Juni unterrichtfrei. Alle Bundesländer in Deuschland haben einen gemeinsamen Feiertag(Z.B.Weihnachtsfest), aber die Feiertag können sich von Bundesland zu Bundesland unterscheiden. In dieser Pause werden wir nach Schweden, Polen,Österreich, Italien und in die Schweiz reisen. Ich reise in die Schweiz und nach Frankreich. Deutschland grenzt an neun Lämder, so dass es einfach ist, ins Ausland zu reisen. Ich werde noch zwei Monate in Deutschland bleiben, also möchte ich viele Orte besuchen und viele Erinnerungen schaffen.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Law, Department of Law, Second year student)
Bahn in Deutschland

Hallo, ich heiße Atsuko!
Unser Programm haben wir gerade zur Hälfte geschafft und ich habe viel Spaß dabei. An Wochentagen gibt es viel Unterricht und ich lerne mit meinem Tandem. An den Wochenenden reise ich meistens mit dem Zug, aber die deutschen Züge haben sehr oft Verspätung - einer von fünf Zügen hat Verspätung, manchmal für eine oder zwei Stunden, und manchmal kommt der Zug gar nicht. Außerdem werden Verspätungen von weniger als sechs Minuten nicht als Verspätungen gezählt. Das ist normal, deshalb bin ich immer nervös, wenn ich mit dem Zug reise. Die Pünktlichkeit in Japan ist wieder einmal sehr schön. Seit Juni gibt es in Deutschland nur zeitlich begrenzt ein 9-Euro-Ticket. Damit kann man für 9 € pro Monat mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln in ganz Deutschland fahren, mit einigen Ausnahmen. Ich hoffe, noch viele wichtige Erlebnisse zu bekommen.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Law, Department of Law, Second year student)
Die Exkursion nach Freiburg

Hallo, ich heiße Mao.
Letzte Woche habe ich eine Exkursion nach Freiburg gemacht. Freiburg ist bekannt als Umweltstadt und es liegt in der Nähe von Frankreich. Ein Stadtführer hat uns die Umweltpolitik und die Geschichte von Freiburg erklärt, deshalb konnten wir die Umweltpolitik besser verstehen. Ich finde auch, dass in Tübingen das Umweltbewusstsein höher als in Japan ist, zum Beispiel gibt es viele Arten der Mülltrennung und es gibt auch ein Pfandsystem. Also war die Erklärung für mich sehr interessant. In der Stadt Freiburg gibt es wenige Autos, weil es eine Zone gibt, in der keine Autos fahren können und es gibt viel Natur. Das hat mich beeindruckt. In der Stadt habe ich auch ein Stück Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte gegessen. Das ist ein bekannter Kuchen aus der Region und er war sehr lecker!
Das EU-Campus Programm ist zur Hälfte vorbei und ich möchte die übrige Hälfte auch genießen!

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Law, Department of Political Science, Fourth year student)
Ein schönes Wochenende

Hallo! Ich bin Reiko und nehme am EU Campus Programm teil.
Ich stelle Ihnen ein schönes Wochenende vor.
Wir haben jüngst ein Fußballspiel in Stuttgart genossen. Dieses Spiel ist für den VfB Stuttgart ein wichtiges Spiel, weil es das letzte Heimspiel ist und er nur in der 1. Liga bleiben kann, wenn er gewinnt. Also waren alle Tickets verkauft und die Atmosphäre im Stadion war erregter und gespannter als sonst.
Ich habe nie ein Fußballspiel live gesehen, wollte das aber immer schon mal in Deutschland machen.
Dann war das Spiel sehr dramatisch. Endo, der ein japanischer Fußballspieler ist, hat ein Tor geschossen und hat VfB Stuttgart zum Sieg geführt, sodass der VfB Stuttgart in der 1. Liga bleiben konnte.
Ich habe den Triumph mit deutschen Fans gefeiert. Dieser Tag war unvergesslich für mich.
Wir machen an Wochenenden immer Ausflüge an Orte, die wir besuchen wollen.

Endo gut, alles gut.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Law, Department of Political Science, Fourth year student)
Hallo, ich heiße Sarasa.
Nach mehr als zwei Monaten seit meiner Ankunft in Deutschland haben sich meine Ohren endlich daran gewöhnt, Fremdsprachen zu hören. Tübingen wird von Tag zu Tag wärmer und wenn man nach draußen geht, sieht es sehr sommerlich aus, da viele Menschen Tanktops und T-Shirts tragen. Es gibt keine Klimaanlage im WG-Zimmer, also lerne ich in letzter Zeit in einem Klassenzimmer des EU-Campus. Mir ist kürzlich aufgefallen, dass sich in Deutschland viele Menschen draußen sonnen und picknicken. Jeder verbringt seine Zeit anders, manche essen Eis, spielen Frisbee oder schlafen mit Gepäck auf einem Kissen tief und fest. Ich habe einmal versucht, mich mit meinen Freunden draußen zu sonnen. Die hell scheinende Sonne und die erfrischende Brise, die ab und zu wehte, waren sehr angenehm. Leider hatte ich meine Sonnenbrille nicht mitgenommen. Ich hatte ein Buch gelesen, aber die Sonne war so hell, dass ich die ganze Zeit blinzeln musste. Wenn Sie sich im Sommer in Tübingen draußen sonnen möchten, tragen Sie bitte eine Sonnenbrille und haben Sie Spaß.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Letters, Department of Philosophy, Third year student)
Hallo, ich heiße Momoka.
Ich bin seit 2 Monaten in Tübingen und habe mich an die neue Umgebung gewöhnt. Jetzt kaufe ich im Supermarkt ein und spreche mit meinen Mitbewohnern ohne Probleme. In Deutschland sagt man immer „Hallo!“ und „Ciao!“ bei der Kasse im Supermarkt. Außerdem grüße ich oft Personen im Aufzug im Wohnheim, selbst wenn ich sie nicht kenne. In Japan gibt es immer Abstand zwischen zwei Personen, vor allem wenn sie fremd sind. Aber ich finde nicht, dass es „eine Mauer zwischen Fremden“ wie in Japan gibt. 5 Monate sind sehr kurz für mich, aber ich möchte viele Personen hier in Tübingen lernen.

Japanese translation is available here

(Faculty of Letters, Department of Philosophy, Third year student)

Online Program: Doshisha EU Campus German Language and Intercultural Studies 2021


German and Intercultural EU Campus Program is usually held in the spring semester at EU Campus. However, it was canceled in 2021 due to the pandemic of COVID-19. As an alternative to the program, the first online program "Doshisha EU Campus German Language and Intercultural Studies” was held with 10 students participating.
I felt that it would be difficult for me to consider studying abroad in the future with the German language skills I had acquired during my first year. Therefore, I decided to apply for this online program during the spring break in order to make the idea of studying abroad in Germany more realistic.

When I applied, I felt that I was not good enough to even participate in this program, but I was selected and spent a very enjoyable month happily. However, in the first week, I couldn't even understand what Michaela was saying, and I kept losing my confidence. However, I was able to overcome this obstacle with the notes I kept every day, the preparation I did before the class started, and above all, the wonderful teaching skills of Michaela. I was impressed every time by her generous and gentle, but at the same time, steadily progressed classes.

In this program, I was able to experience so many things while staying at home. (I had the opportunity to talk with many people, give a presentation in German, and hear about the culture, etc.)

My most memorable experience was a talk I had with a foreign student who is studying in Tüebingen. "Keep challenging yourself and improving your abilities". The words of advice from someone who is currently studying in Germany, had more weight than just the words, and I was given courage by it. I believe that I have improved my abilities through this program. It is of course such as I learned a lot of words, and I can hear German better. But I think the biggest improvement was in my ability to try to understand words that I don't understand. At the first orientation, I was stunned and panicked by the mixture of English and German, but at the last orientation, I was able to understand a lot of what was being said, and that's when I felt my ability improve.

Also, I think I was able to write and read short essays and presentation drafts in German which I didn't think I could do at first. I think this ability will be useful in my future German classes, and I would like to use it in my future classes as well. Although it was online, I am grateful for the wonderful encounters and love I received from all the people involved. I am looking forward to the day when I can participate in the EU Campus Program next year and beyond, and I will continue to do my best to learn German.

(Faculty of Letters, Department of Philosophy, First year student)
The reason why I joined this program was because my study abroad program in Germany was cancelled due to this situation and I was not motivated to learn German, so I thought I would give it a try.

As I was still in my first year of learning German, I could hardly understand what Michaela was saying in the first week and was struggling to understand the instructions. Furthermore, when I heard that I had to give a presentation in German at the end of the program, I became very anxious at first. Although I started the program with such anxiety, I soon realized that my German was improving as the days went by. In particular, I think I was able to improve my listening skills a lot because I was able to listen to German every day even when I was online. I was surprised to find that I was able to understand what Michaela says and instructions, which I could not understand at first, and then I was able to understand the German spoken by the guests much better than I had expected. I was also able to make a presentation in German that I was worried about, but with the help of the Japanologie students, I was able to make a presentation that I was satisfied with. This presentation was a very good experience for me.

In addition, I was able to learn about German society. I had many guests including international students, musicians, and junior high school students, so we were able to experience the real life and way of thinking in Germany. Even though it was online, I was able to take the class in a warm atmosphere, and I was able to enjoy learning all the way through.

Even though it was online, participating in this program gave me the opportunity to use the German I have been learning at the university. Through this online program, I gained more confidence and motivation in German, and more importantly, I came to love Germany and the German language more. From now on, thank this this one-month experience, I would like to actively take German classes at Doshisha University and study hard to achieve my goal of studying in Germany.

(Faculty of Global and regional studies, Department of Global and regional studies, First year student)

EU Campus program 2019

The articles are diverted from the one on Facebook of Doshisha International Center which was posted during/after the program in 2019.
Car museum
group photo
On June 26, we visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart for a factory tour. At the museum, we enjoyed seeing many Mercedes-Benz vehicles from the early days to the near future with historical background. We were also able to see the process of manufacturing Mercedes-Benz cars and were amazed at the size of the factory. It was a great experience to see Mercedes-Benz, a company that Stuttgart is very proud of.
It has been more than two and a half months since we arrived in Germany. The heat wave has arrived in Germany and it is important to stay hydrated. Tübingen is hot during the day and chilly in the morning and night. I would like to enjoy the remaining month while taking care of my own physical condition to cope with the temperature changes.
(Faculty of Letters, Department of Cultural History, Sophomore student)
group photo
old city office
It has been more than two weeks since I came back from Germany. It is really hot and humid in Japan, and now I can't believe that I was living without air conditioning in Germany.
Now that I have finished my study abroad program, I am filled with gratitude for all the people who were involved in this program. When I think back on my four months in Germany, I feel that there were many people who were always there to help us, and thanks to them we were always reassured and we could live our lives in peace. I am grateful, and at the same time, I feel a great sense of loneliness that I will not be able to see the people in Germany for a while. For me, meeting people in Germany is my greatest treasure.
I am sad that I won't be able to see them for a while, but I will do my best to do what I can do here in Japan and hope to show them a more powerful image of myself someday. I would like to thank all the people who gave me this opportunity to study abroad. Thank you very much.
(Faculty of Global and Regional Studies, Department of Global and Regional Studies, Sophomore student)