The scholarship I used, “TOBITATE! JAPAN Young Ambassador Program,” supports study abroad plan made by students. The plan must include local activities to do during study abroad period, so it is different from general language training.

My study abroad destination was “Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft” in Germany which has 24,000 employees and 69 institutes and independent research units, and is the largest organization for applied research in Europe. I got a research position as a member of “Green Diamond” project. The project aims to produce power devices using diamond semiconductors and it is a collaborative research by 13 universities and institutions in Europe.

My very first overseas days started with great expectations and worries. When I finally started to get used to the environment and various equipment, I had to face a big doubt, “Is this really what I wanted to do?” What I was doing at that time was more like “doing tasks” rather than “doing research” because I was only doing what my supervisor told me to do. I tried to tell the supervisor that this is not what I wanted to do, but it was ineffectual.

One day, I decided to take drastic actions. I listed all problems about the research and directly informed the highest administration of the institution that the given instructions were not appropriate. Also, I decided not join meaningless meetings and did not respond to meeting attendance request from the group leader. The group leader came to my office angry, but I shouted at him, “Let me do my research!” As a result of such actions, I got the right to do research. From then, I desperately worked on my research in day time, and read a lot of research papers at night. When I came to, the year 2016 was already over and I couldn’t get over the flu for 2 months. I gained a little success and a big confidence from this experience.

Studying abroad without any purpose is a waste of money and time, since most things can be done in Japan. It is better for you to give up fast. However, for those who would like to go abroad with a purpose, please never give up on your dreams.

(Updated: Janurary 9, 2018)