Contact
Mr. Arunava Acharyya
- From
- Kolkata
- Degree
- 2nd Year Undergraduate Student, International Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Course, School of Engineering, Tohoku University
Message
Please give a short introduction of yourself.
I am from Kolkata, India and I am studying Mechanical and Aerospace engineering in Tohoku University in Sendai. Also, I am a member of Sendai Cricket Club, TUFSA as well as the english newspaper of Tohoku University named The Sentinel. Apart from that, I also love travelling and exploring new places solo or with groups.
What is your favorite thing about Sendai?
The thing I like best about Sendai is that it is one of the most student-friendly cities inside Japan. It has the touch of modernisation of Japan and has many big malls and places to eat but at the same time every part of the city is accessible by walking or by bicycles. Also, on an average, the cost of living in Sendai is among the least in Japan. Last but not the least, Sendai has a lot of nature and hence the city’s scenery remains beautiful throughout the year be it any season.
In what way has your impression of Sendai or Japan changed since coming here?
My ideas about religion and society have changed a lot after I came to Japan since atheism is a big part of Japanese society. Also, after coming here, I am able to eat a lot more types of foods than I would eat in India. Of course, every society has its pros and cons and there are some problems I faced here mostly due to cultural differences but nothing that I could overcome. All in all, it has been a very learning experience till now and I hope it continues to be the same.
What attracted you to choose Tohoku University as a place to study?
First and foremost, my department in Tohoku University is ranked as one of the top in the world and I was very much interested in the aerospace and aeronautics research going on in Tohoku University. Secondly, as mentioned above, Sendai appealed to me as a very student-friendly city which was financially viable for me. Lastly, even though the number of international students is not much compared to bigger cities, the closeness and interactions between the international community is stronger since the city is not that big and we always keep meeting each other.
In what way did you adjust yourself to Japanese culture?
The first problem I faced was problems with food like sushi and sashimi and also foods which contained beef and pork. It took me almost half a year before I started eating sushi and other meat stuffs. Also, the culture shock was very big but as I started learning the language I came in touch with the culture more and more and hence, helped me overcome the initial shocks.
Please give a message to students or researchers in your home country who may be thinking about studying in Japan?
To all the new students or researchers in my country or from different parts of the world who want to study in Japan, Japan is a very attractive destination as a student and a country with lots of opportunities but be prepared for a lot of culture shocks not necessarily bad and choose the University in Japan based on what you expect from the University as well as the kind of city you want to live in and explore as much as you can.