Nominated for Tokai University (Japan)

Hi again!

I know it has only been about a day since the last post^^' But.. I promised to write about the next phase, which is: what to do next when you are nominated for the exchange program?

SO~ I got my email at the early March from our university's International Center's contact person saying something like: "Congratulations! You have been preliminary nominated to represent our university to the University of Tokai, Japan. The final approval will be done by the University of Tokai." Unfortunately, because of the great amount of the applicants, I was only nominated for the period of six months though I applied for a whole year. It was a little disappointment, but I was happy to be nominated at all! ^^ Finally, I would be able to go to Japan to study. <3 In total our university had nominated two persons to Tokai: me (for the autumn semester) and one other girl from our Japanese language course (for the spring semester). So what it really meant for me at that time was: to send the next application! Jeij~ ^^'

I got a really good instructions from my univ. of where to find the information I needed when I filled the second application, so it was a bit easier than the first applications, thank good ^^' What the University of Tokai required and what I needed to send, was four documents:

1. Tokai University's Application for International Students
2. Application for Certificate of Eligibility (Immigration Bureau of Japan)
3. Copy of Passport
4. 3 passport photographs (4cm×3cm and taken within 3 months)

All the documents above (except the Application for Certificate of Eligibility, which were to be send via email directly to Tokai) were to be delivered to my university's international center's office and sent to Tokai so that the applications would be in Japan before the 30th of April. Once again, I was quite organised (maybe a little too much..) and had sent all the documents by 13th of March. ^^' Well, better to be early~

The applications contained everything from my basic personal information to how I would finance my exchange and where I would live. I choose to stay at the University of Tokai's international student's dormitory because that way I would probably meet more people and the rent would be cheaper. ^^

So now all the applications and documents were send :) And just to say, I send many emails to the University of Tokai regarding the applications and they were very polite and kind to me when answering. Also, thanks to my friend I got the courage to ask if it would be possible to extend my exchange period from six months to a whole year. And for my surprise, the answer came on the same day, saying YES!<3 All i needed was the official approval from our university, which also I got on the very same day~ I was sooo happy^^

So i guess the point I'm trying to make here is that don't be afraid to contact the University of where you have been nominated! I am more than grateful for both our University's and Tokai's International Offices, because they have helped me out so much <3 And I don't think they even know how much they helped but really, Thank you!

After the applications, the next thing was The Orientation Event~ and really, if you have one (and I'm quite sure everyone who goes to exchange will have), once again: PLEASE GO! And really, I mean it! It's the same reason again, but even if you have everything ready and you know what to do, STILL GO! You will get to meet the other students who also have been nominated, maybe even to the same country or university as you. In my case, I pretty much had everything done and done, when the orientation event was held, but I still went^^ And it was worth it~ I met many new people and because we had something in common (exchange program), the chatting was easy.

I think that was it this time~ Hope you liked reading and I'm sorry if there is too much text and not-so-much pictures but please try to understand, I'm still in Finland and all this was just "paperwork".. But form now on  I try to write shorter posts~

Have a nice day! The sun is shining here brightly so I know at least I will <3
All the best,
Laura