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AIU Voices
Student Voice: My Expectations Betrayed Me (In A Good Way!)
Nur Ain Sakinah Binti KAMARULZAMAN from the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia, is participating in our exchange program Spring 2026. In this article, she shares her experience so far at AIU.
“Scared” was an understatement. The feelings are way beyond that. I felt anxious, scared, and nervous, yet I was also so excited and happy about my first solo trip abroad. When I first arrived in Tokyo, I was scared I wouldn’t be able to manage the entire journey on my own. Fortunately, everyone here was so kind and willing to help despite the language barrier. However, it is still important for me as well to force myself to try to understand and speak Japanese to be able to live more comfortably for the rest of my stay, especially in one of the very rural parts of Japan, Akita, where the locals are not familiar with English.
When I first arrived at AIU, I didn’t expect to make many friends here since I am naturally quite reserved, but surprisingly, everyone is so friendly, and they can converse in English very well. In just two weeks, I had already become close to so many people! It is fun to talk and hang out with students from different backgrounds. And as of May, I successfully handled two events under the Intercultural Event Committee (IEC), which were mainly to help both Japanese and international students get to know each other more and have fun together.
“Isn’t it hard to live in Akita as a Muslim?” Yes, and no. At first, I was indeed worried about my diet here, but as AIU embraces diversity, there are actually a lot of Muslim-friendly choices here! AIU’s cafeteria has a Halal menu for both the meal plan and the restaurant. Additionally, in the AIU shop, you can find many Muslim-friendly foods, drinks and snacks, like Onigiri (rice ball). AIU also has its own College Cafe if you want to buy a fresh hot coffee, as long as you check the ingredients with the staff, and don’t worry too much because the staff are very friendly and they will help you explain the ingredients! The kitchen is also convenient for us Muslims to cook our own Halal meals, while still being able to connect and bond with the other students. Also, there are Halal restaurants around Akita city if I feel like eating outside sometimes. As a Matcha lover, I always get a Matcha Latte every time I have the chance to!
Looking back, many of my fears about studying abroad turned out to be unfounded. Although living in Akita as a Muslim girl comes with its challenges, by understanding my religious needs, carefully researching what I can and cannot consume, and building strong friendships here, I have been able to make the most of my experience. I am truly happy to be here, and I know I will be sad when my exchange at AIU comes to an end.
