What I learned in KAIST

Mahiro Matsumoto from Tokyo Institute of Technology

I participated in CAMPUS Asia program in this summer. I went to KAIST in Korea for 1 month. In this program, I joined a lab in KAIST and took part in experiments. This one month was really meaningful and had a big impact for me.

I have been interested in studying abroad for a long time, but because of the pandemic, it was difficult to go abroad. But as the pandemic gradually subsided, I found this CAMPUS Asia program. I thought this program would allow me to interact with foreign students, and I decided to apply for it. I could find a laboratory in KAIST that is working on something similar to my laboratory in Tokyo Tech. Also, because I was interested in Korean culture, I applied for the program of KAIST.

Through this program, I could learn more than I expected. One of what I learned is the importance of being proactive and trying new things. Before I went to Korea, I always hesitated to try new things and could not act positively. Even if I was interested in something new, I was afraid of failure and I could not try. Taking part in this program was challenging for me because I worried about a lot of things. I worried about my English, life abroad, research in KAIST, and so on. But in this program, I met many students who were willing to try new things and act positively. I found they enjoyed trying, and I felt they were attractive. I want to be like them. Now I realize it's important to “try”.

Now I think it was a great choice to apply for this program. In a laboratory, I could learn many experimental techniques and earn knowledge about my major. Also, I enjoyed life in Korea. I like the campus of KAIST and Daejeon. On weekends, I traveled around Korea and ate so many Korean food. Since I have been interested in Korean culture, it was a wonderful time for me. I enjoyed not only research but also life in Korea. 

This experience is very meaningful for me because I could realize what I could not realize in Japan, such as the importance of trying. It changed my mind. I was thinking of studying at Tokyo Tech for 2 more years, but I realized that I had other options. I started to think of studying abroad for a longer period. Now I am not sure whether this thought is possible or not, but I want to try something new.  This program had an impact on my future and my career. I was really glad to take part in this CAMPUS Asia program and I would like to appreciate all those involved.