{"id":2003,"date":"2025-07-09T10:31:19","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T01:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/?post_type=alumni&p=2003"},"modified":"2025-12-22T13:15:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T04:15:36","slug":"kawai-minami","status":"publish","type":"alumni","link":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/about\/alumni\/kawai-minami\/","title":{"rendered":"KAWAI Minami"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Meeting a New Version of Myself<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before entering university, I had a vague dream of \u201cworking abroad.\u201d I was particularly interested in the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, but I hadn\u2019t researched it in detail\u2014I simply admired the idea. Since elementary school, I had also wanted to speak English fluently, and during my university life, I hoped to become truly proficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After visiting Hiroshima on a trip during high school, I grew fond of the city and began considering universities there. Initially, I aimed to enter the international studies department of another university, but my homeroom teacher introduced me to Eikei University of Hiroshima. I was drawn to the fact that it was a newly established university, and that one in four students were international students, which led me to make it my first choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Eikei University of Hiroshima, I studied a wide range of Liberal arts courses based on the SDGs, which helped me clarify my interests and goals. Although I originally wanted to work abroad, through courses like \u201cRegional Revitalization\u201d and \u201cProject-Based Learning (PBL)\u201d, I developed foresight and strategy, and began to aspire to work in roles that improve local communities and contribute to society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most influential experiences was participating in an overseas volunteer program as part of the Experiential \/ Practical program. I spent three months in Canada attending a language school while volunteering at a local kindergarten. At first, I struggled with the gap in English proficiency between myself and others, and couldn\u2019t actively participate in discussions. However, over those three months, I overcame my hesitation to speak English and learned the importance of taking on challenges without fear of failure. I realized that the desire to communicate is more important than speaking perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After graduation, I will work as a municipal employee in Shizuoka Prefecture, my hometown. Through my role in public administration, I hope to stay close to citizens and the community, and approach each task with a strong sense of purpose\u2014\u201cfor the region\u201d and \u201cfor society.\u201d Since the area has a large population of foreign residents, I also hope to apply the global collaboration I developed during my four years at university and my time in Canada to support them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To future students and juniors, I want to say: don\u2019t let a fear of English hold you back\u2014what matters most is your attitude toward learning. When I first entered university, I was embarrassed about not being able to speak English well, but I came to realize that what\u2019s important isn\u2019t speaking perfectly, but having the motivation to learn. When taking classes at Eikei University of Hiroshima, embrace the spirit of continuous self-improvement and actively seek out learning opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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