Suzuka Ito（2024年度OAS参加）
私は小中学生の頃イギリスで生活していたことがあります。生活していく中で、イギリスでも旅行先でもたびたび貧富の差を感じる場面があり、イギリスは先進国であるにも関わらず、貧困率が高い事に疑問を持ち始めていました。そのような中、OASでの留学先の中に開発学で有名なサセックス大学があることを知り留学を希望しました。
大学では開発学とビジネス系の授業を専攻し、様々な背景や考えをもった学生と議論し見識を広げることができました。また、大学には多くのソサエティがあり、友人を作る事が出来ます。私は、language cafeという場所で日本語を教えるボランティアに参加し、日本や日本語に興味を持った学生とも知り合う事ができ、有意義な時間を過ごせました。
サセックス大学は草木が茂った広大なキャンパスに図書館やジム、カフェ、コンビニ等があり、大学自体が小さな町です。学内に寮も有り、フラットを共有していた5人とパーティをしたり散歩したりし、奇跡的にオーロラを見ることもできました。忘れられない経験になったと思います。OASでの留学は授業を受けるだけでなく、自分にとって大切な瞬間をたくさん与えてくれます。
I lived in the UK during my elementary and middle school years. During my time there, I often noticed the gap between the rich and the poor. It made me question why poverty was still such a big issue in a developed country like England. When I found out that the University of Sussex, famous for its development studies, was one of the options in the OAS program, I thought I wanted to go and study at the University of Sussex.
At the University of Sussex, I focused on development studies and business-related courses. There were many chances to join discussions with students from all sorts of backgrounds, which helped me see things from new perspectives. The university had many societies, making it easy to meet people. I joined a volunteer group called the Language Cafe, where I taught Japanese. It was a great way to meet students who were interested in Japan and its language. I had a meaningful and enjoyable time there.
The campus is large and surrounded by nature, with many facilities, including a library, a gym, cafés and convenience stores. It is like a town. I lived in a dorm on campus and shared a flat with five other people. We often cooked together, threw little parties, and went on walks. One night, we even got to see the Northern Lights. These were unforgettable experiences for me.