Students wishing to study abroad from Akita University
Reports on study abroad experiences

Hello, everyone. My name is Chiharu Tanaka and I am a student of the Department of Regional Studies and Humanities, Faculty of Education and Human Studies. I studied abroad at Lanzhou University in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, China for one year. I’m sure that very few people know much about Lanzhou. So here are some of my favorite places in Lanzhou! Since there are many Chinese Muslims living in Lanzhou, there are many mosques, specialty stores and other places for them in the city. I especially recommend the night market run by them where they sell unique snacks. The grilled lamb skewers and sweet wine made with warm milk, beaten eggs, raisins and nuts are extremely addictive. Food in Lanzhou is sold at very low prices, making it easy to enjoy the local cuisine. Lanzhou has also long been a strategic point on the Silk Road, and the Yellow River running east and west through the city is impressive, and attracts many people every day as you can enjoy the different scenery day and night. Due to the vastness of China, the food culture and scenery of each region is completely different. Also, China’s economic development is remarkable, and you can make new discoveries every time you visit. If you have even the slightest interest in China, don’t hold back from going there and experiencing the unique atmosphere. I truly hope you will visit Lanzhou!
 
My study abroad experience at Lanzhou University has been really fulfilling. I mainly took Chinese classes, and the teachers would teach according to the level of the students, and there were many opportunities to give presentations in the classes, which naturally strengthened my speaking ability. Since there are few Japanese students and English is not spoken by the locals, you can spend your life immersed in Chinese. Of course, the most important thing when learning a language in a foreign country is to take action on your own, but the teachers and students at Lanzhou University supported me enthusiastically, and I was able to study Chinese while my classmates and I helped each other every day. I think it is a relatively easy environment for first-time learners of Chinese. Even though I could barely understand Chinese at the beginning of my study abroad, I was able to gradually get used to and enjoy communicating in Chinese.
 
Finally, I would like to introduce some of my closest friends. I had a Moroccan roommate and a Pakistani friend. It was a daily custom for the three of us to get together every night and enjoy chatting in Chinese with my roommate’s Moroccan tea in one hand and my Pakistani friend playing music from his home country in the other. Since they are Muslim, they taught me many things about Islam. I could never have imagined that I would be fascinated by their culture and the Islamic world and study Arabic on my own now. All the friends I met in Lanzhou treated me as if I were family. I would like to grow to be a kind-hearted person like them.
 
For those of you who are wondering whether you should study in China in the future, I know you may feel anxious, but believe in yourself and take the first step. I can guarantee that you will have many wonderful encounters and great experiences.