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Dina GRIB

#Real Voice
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From Russia

Third-year student, Doctoral Course,
Department of Human Sciences,
Graduate School of Humanities
(Japanese Government Scholarship student)

Q1.Tell us about why you decided to study at TMU in Japan?

In Building No. 1 on Minami-Osawa Campus

I became interested in Japan after reading books about the rock garden at Ryoan-ji Temple and Japanese culture when I was in high school, so I majored in Japanese language in university. I studied for a year at Kyoto University of Education and returned to Russia. I worked at the Japanese Consulate for two years in Vladivostok and then returned to Japan to attend Meiji University for my master's degree, and then enrolled in the doctoral course at TMU.

Q2.What research are you working on now?

To earn my master’s degree, I studied medieval history, which was extremely difficult for an international student like me. Around that time, I came upon the Chinese classics and became fascinated by and fond of the profoundness and fond of the Chinese classics.
I myself had a hard time studying the Chinese classics, and I wanted to develop useful learning materials for non-Japanese people.
I then started looking for an educator and found Associate Professor Tetsuya Asakawa at TMU.
At present, some of the learning materials have been completed and used in the classroom of two schools in Russia. Now I’m gathering feedback and comments.
In the future, I would like to obtain a position at a university in Russia to support Russians in the learning of Japanese as an educator and researcher.

Q3.How do you usually spend your day?

Schedule for the day

As this is my third year in the doctoral program, I am focusing intently on doing my research. I only have classes twice a week. Every morning, after eating breakfast and getting ready, I go sit in front of my computer at home. I mainly use an online database to gather information on ancient documents and archives to conduct an analysis. I go to the library at TMU when I require more resources and information. It is about a 20-minute walk from the dormitory where I stay, and it is also a nice breather. In the afternoon, I sometimes go shopping or take a walk for an hour or two. After coming back to the dormitory, I make a simple Russian dish for dinner and go back to studying after dinner. At night, I try to get to bed by eleven as often as possible.

Q4.What do you do for relaxation?

I sometimes go out to eat with friends and go hiking on Mt. Takaosan. I enjoy traveling, reading, and crafting with beads as a hobby, but until I finish writing my doctoral thesis, I would have to put my hobbies on hold for a while.

Q5.What is the appeal of TMU?

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TMU has a well-equipped academic environment, such as the libraries, which are convenient and easy to use, as well as the graduate student lounge that is fully equipped with multiple computers with free access. What's more, since the students are all nice, it is easy to make friends, which is a good thing for international students to settle into life comfortably in Japan. I appreciate the teachers for being very nice and for providing kind support for my research, but they are also hard on the students when teaching. Additionally, the TMU International Center helped me look for a dormitory, and its tutoring system will be a strong, encouraging support system for international students who are unaccustomed to life in Japan.

Q6.A message for international students looking to study at TMU.

When I looked at the universities in Japan from Russia, I first looked for the former TMU but I gave up because it was unsuccessful.
I would like Russian students to look into TMU because the name has changed after the merger with other universities.
As TMU is situated just outside Tokyo, adjacent to the city center, the campus is spacious and fully equipped with sports facilities.
What’s more, besides being one of the best universities in Japan, the campus boasts clean air and provides an optimal learning environment.
Anticipate having a fun time at TMU if you have already decided to join.

  • This content is at the time of the interview.