Exchange Student Program The Soka University is presently engaged in academic exchange agreement
with 96 universities in the world. In the Philippines, U.P . had entered
into this agreement with the Soka University in 1988, and De La Sale in
1996. Every year, two exchange students from each university are dispatched.
Aside from that, because this is the only English speaking country in
Asia, many Soka University students came here to study at their own expense.
Furthermore, short term language training program is launched in Kalayan
College where Dr. Abueva, a friend of President Ikeda, serves as principal.
File 019: February 2008
Yuka Maruoka
(University of the Philippines in Diliman)
Hello, my name is Yuka Maruoka.
I'm a third year student majoring in the English language at Soka University.
Since May 2007 I've been studying at the University of the Philippines in Diliman as an exchange student.
The purpose of my study abroad
with my Filipino friends
This is not the first time for me to stay in the Philippines. I actually took part in the English intensive program that is being held annually at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman where I stayed together with 17 other Soka students for about three weeks in February 2006. Honestly, my last stay in the Philippines was not full of good memories for me. Because it was my first experience to stay abroad for a long time and it’s very hard to accept a different culture. Other than this, I also became aware of how poor my English communication ability was. Gradually, I became negative and tended to see everything critically. I always compared the Philippines with Japan or other countries.
After I went back to Japan, I realized how narrow my views were. And although
I was fortunate to have an opportunity to learn English in the Philippines
– and many Filipinos and SGI members I met helped me a lot on this, I noticed
that I could do nothing for them or I couldn’t accomplish anything in return.
After that, I decided to challenge myself in studying abroad since I wanted to fulfill my pledge when I was still a high school student to Sensei to master English. However, I couldn’t make a quick decision as to which country I would go to because I didn’t know where my mission was. I chanted daimoku eagerly, praying to the Gohonzon to “Let me go to the country which will make me grow as an individual who can contribute for world peace and kosen-rufu”. As a result, I returned to the Philippines after an interval of 14 months.
My Life in the Philippines
with my Filipino and Korean friends
with my friend during a leisure trip
Since my return to the Philippines, I’ve started to discover many things
that I didn’t notice and appreciate during my last stay. Things looked
very different from what I felt before. It was probably because I tried
to look at the positive side of the Philippines and to accept the cultural
differences. Of course, I also got my share of culture shock several times
for having a different set of culture and values from the Filipinos. But
one day I realized that I would be able to enjoy the Philippines more if
I don’t stick to the way of living in Japan. After noticing this, I rarely
complained about my environment and I was able to accept things more easily.
So much so that I can now say that I have fully adjusted to life in the
Philippines.
However, the biggest difficulty I encountered here was my language proficiency and personality issues. I already imagined how difficult it would be to study abroad before leaving Japan. But the reality was harsher than I had expected. I couldn’t understand what the professor was teaching and it was very hard to follow every class. I was not able to answer questions the professor was asking me and I got the lowest score on one particular exam in my entire life. Moreover, at some classes most of the students use Tagalog instead of English in discussing things. In such a case, I am at a total loss as to how I can understand the lessons and I’ve even asked myself in frustration whether there was any meaning to my attending the classes.
Besides my classes, I also encountered a problem in my daily life. That is, I couldn’t make friends easily. I’m not a very sociable person to begin with and I cannot open my mind easily up to people I don’t know very well. Truth be told, I’ve been worried about this personality problem for years and it also made me suffer here as well. I’m staying in a dormitory inside UP campus where there are residents from different countries. So I always had the chance to make friends with them if only I had the courage to talk to them. But my lack of confidence in my English speaking ability worsened my shy disposition. When I tried to speak English, I couldn’t express myself well or I couldn’t be my usual self. I was too cowardly to talk to someone in English, afraid that people wouldn’t understand my English. I became overly sensitive to people’s reaction to my words. In addition, I tended to compare myself with others and I envied my friends who were good at making friends and who could speak English well. This made me really disappointed with myself. Things became gradually stressful to me and I withdrew into my shell. I sometimes felt that I didn’t want to meet anyone or to even speak English any more.
Strangely, I’ve never thought of wanting to go back to Japan even though I have encountered such difficulties. This is because of the fact that I completely believe that the Gohonzon has sent me to the Philippines and because I’d like to respond to the expectations placed on us as Soka students by Ikeda-Sensei. Whenever I became depressed, I was always encouraged by Ikeda-Sensei’s speeches and poems. His words never fail to rouse me from depression. Through them and through chanting daimoku, I felt that Sensei was always watching and waiting for my growth. Local SGI activities, especially the activity of the Diamond Kotekitai also stimulated me where the members’ cheerfulness always gives me strength and power. This enabled me to chant more daimoku and consider how I can make my situation better. Gradually I’ve made more and more friends and I’m really enjoying studying Tagalog which has very much annoyed me before. And now I can really say that I like the Philippines.
My Determination
at the Birthday Party of Ikeda sensei held at
the residence of Dr. Quiambao (The Order of the
Knights of Rizal)
First of all, I wish to express my gratitude to all the people who have
always supported me. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to spend a
fulfilling and safe life as I have. Especially, I would like to thank my
mother for praying for my safety all this time.
I’m still in the process of growing into a person who can really contribute
to worldwide kosen-rufu and world peace. Although I have to go back to
Japan next month, I’ll keep studying and making efforts to accomplish our
eternal goal of kosen-rufu. And I will be a person who can repay my debt
of gratitude to the Philippines and all the people who have been supporting
me.
