Field Study of
Economics Department
経済学科のフィールドスタディ

Report from Student 1,Hawaii, 2025

　
From February 10th, I participated in a two-week field study program at the University of Hawaiʻi. Looking back, it was one of the most fulfilling two weeks of my life. I was able to study in a new environment, experience the culture and nature of Hawaiʻi, and spend time with wonderful classmates and professors. All of these things made this program a very meaningful experience for me.
I joined the program alone and did not know anyone before going, so I felt a little nervous at first. However, once we arrived, everyone quickly became friends and my worries disappeared. If any student reading this report is worried about joining alone, I hope they will feel confident to participate. I believe it will become a very valuable experience.
At the University of Hawaiʻi, we mainly took classes about the environment. We also visited places such as museums, botanical gardens, and fishponds. Through these visits, we were able to learn about Hawaiʻi’s nature and culture in a practical way. The classes and tours were mostly in English, but there were real-time subtitles and support from professors, so it was easy to follow and understand.
The dormitory was about a 20-minute bus ride from Waikiki, the city center. Going there after classes was something I really enjoyed. I was able to try many local foods such as poke bowls, loco moco, pancakes, waffles, steak, and açaí bowls. We enjoyed both studying and sightseeing during the program. Running back to the dormitory just before the 10 p.m. curfew also became a fun memory.
This program was held together with students from Konan University, and I was happy to make new friends through this experience. Studying together with students who speak English very well was inspiring and made me want to improve my English even more.
One memorable experience outside the classes was watching a University of Hawaiʻi basketball game. Together with the students from Konan University, we wore University of Hawaiʻi merchandise and cheered for the team. Even though I was not very interested in basketball before, I really enjoyed the game and the exciting atmosphere.
On the final day, we gave presentations in English about our own research topics. Preparing for the presentation together in the dormitory was also a very enjoyable time. I was nervous during the presentation, but I felt proud that I could organize what I learned during the two weeks and share it.
This field study program was truly an experience that I am very glad I joined. I would like to thank the professors who gave us this wonderful opportunity and the friends who spent these two weeks together. I highly recommend this program to students who are thinking about participating in the future.