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Interview with Wenxuan

Wenxuan is from Beijing in China. She transferred from Fudan University in Shanghai.

image01Wenxuan enjoying a Japanese ashiyu
(foot spa) on her trip to Izu.

Where did you first hear about GSC?

One of my teachers who met some of the professors from UTokyo recommended us to apply.

What motivated you to apply?

As a high school student, I went on a tour to Japan. I thought it was a beautiful country and I became interested in the culture. Also, UTokyo is the best university in Asia and I thought doing GSC was a really good opportunity.

As a foreign student, what support have you received?

When I first came here they gave everyone a tutor. My tutor helped me a lot to buy things for my room, like quilts. They even picked me up from the airport.

What’s it like to live in Tokyo?

Life is really convenient. All the big shopping malls are around the stations so I can buy whatever I need after getting off the subway. For fun I like going to concerts as there’s always live music and a lot of famous bands come here. I like Korean bands such as CNBLUE and I got the chance to see them at Yoyogi in Tokyo.

How would you describe your experience on this program?

I have never studied abroad before, this is the first time. I feel it’s great to study with the domestic students here and get to know them. For instance, my lab partner always takes care of me. The scholarship is also a big help. I don’t need to rely on my parents to support me or pay rent, so I can be independent.

What are your main impressions of GSC?

I think it’s a fantastic program. Professor Yamanouchi, the coordinator of GSC, cares about us a lot. He helps us with our studies and also our daily lives in Japan. The class material we cover here is taught in great detail. I am getting a better understanding of what I’m learning and I’m becoming more interested in it too. Also, the research programs, for instance what’s happening in the laboratories, is at the frontier of scientific research. I feel very lucky to be a part of it.

image02Exploring the scenic views in Atami.

What have you gained from doing this program?

It’s given me a strong background in chemistry. I’ve learnt a lot here and it will be helpful in the future. In the lab rotations we’ve gotten a lot of graduate-level experience, such as learning different fields of chemistry and improving our experimental skills. I’m interested in biochemistry, but I’ve now had experience in a physical chemistry lab and an analytical lab too. I’ve learnt a lot about how they deal with data and analyze the spectrum. There are several methods to measure the physical and chemical properties of materials and knowing this will be very useful in my future research. You can’t learn all these things in just one lab. Studying at the University of Tokyo also gives you confidence as it has the top students in Japan.

What have been your best memories here?

I have a lot of good memories. I enjoyed the bounenkai (end of year) party we had. It’s cool for us to have opportunities to spend time with other GSC students. I have also enjoyed travelling in Japan and the countryside surrounding Tokyo, such as Izu, Atami, and the island of Hatsushima. The sea and the islands are beautiful. I have a very good memory of Hokkaido too. I really liked the thick, white snow.

Do you feel that you’ve changed during your time here?

I think I’m becoming more outgoing here. I have to force myself to speak in other languages. I’m becoming much stronger, especially with English. I have also learnt some Japanese, enough for living and shopping.

What are your plans for after GSC?

I want to do pharmaceutical science. I am currently getting experience in Professor Shionoya’s lab, which specializes in bioinorganic chemistry. My work is related to artificial DNA and may be applicable to pharmacy. I also want to study in Canada. I like cold weather. After that, I’m not sure. Maybe I will find a job there or go back home, I haven’t decided yet.

What advice would you give to someone applying for GSC?

You should be willing to accept different cultures and try to learn Japanese as much as you can. Also, if you want to apply for this program, you have to transfer to GSC for the remaining two years of your degree. It’s a really big decision, but for me, it was worth it!