Home country: Sapparo, Japan
Years in United States: 3

What does studying at New Paltz and in the United States mean to you?

I think studying about different countries let me reconfirm who I am and what my country is. Before arriving, I took my culture and habitats for granted. At New Paltz, I decided to study international relations, which is well-known and promotes better understanding about world affairs.

I enjoy the lucky circumstance New Paltz gave me to advance myself from one level to the next. As a sophomore, to go further I joined various activities such as the International Student Union, Japanese Club and events in my residence hall. I pause to realize that I grew up stronger than before through those experiences, and now I work here and support new international students just like I was helped by older students. New Paltz is the best place for me thanks to a small, but strong-tied community where people all over the world get together. I could experience so many things that I rarely got a chance to do in Japan.