Miyoko Kuzutani

"I will never, never, never come back here!" I remember I was thinking this when my plane was leaving Spokane to my home in Japan. It was about two decades ago, I spent one full semester at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute (MFWI) in Spokane, Washington, a branch campus of Mukogawa Women's University in Hyogo, Japan. I joined the study abroad program because it was required for my major in English Literature.  

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 Though the MFWI campus is beautiful, I had very little time to enjoy the scenery. Every day, I had a stomachache from stress from discussions, presentations, and projects. Crying, I kept a journal in the basement of my dormitory in the middle of night. I tried to join volunteer services outside campus as much as possible to have a break and breathe fresh air. Why did I have so much stress? Because like most Japanese students, I received my education mostly through lectures, known as passive learning. It was one-sided communication. MFWI introduced me to active learning. Active learning requires more energy and time than passive learning.  Therefore, I was very happy to go back home after finishing all of my classes with an ambassadorship award. I never imagined I would come back to Spokane decades later. I only knew the education at MFWI was a lot of work, but it worth it. 

When I went back to the main campus in Japan, I realized that I was more active in classes. I began to be more active in my life, and I dreamt of study abroad again.  

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 Although I had a desire to go to study abroad again, I chose to start my professional career in Japan due to financial reasons and social pressure. I worked as a sub-manager at a restaurant company, a clerk at an insurance company, and a sales assistant at a commercial refrigerator company. At each company, I enjoyed my work with my co-workers. However, I realized most of my bosses and co-workers were giving up balancing work and life. Most of my female colleges quit their job when they got married because companies usually require employees working long hours. I had difficulties balancing my work and my personal life too. At the refrigerator company I worked 12 hours a day and some weekends. My bosses were working more than 16 hours a day plus weekends. I kept studying English to study abroad aside of my work, but one day I realized it was impossible to balance both. I read and was impressed by a book "The Handbook of International Student Advising" (Gary Althen, 1999) which is about a career as an international student advisor.  Then my friend from America invited me to her home in Massachusetts, to restart my life. Eighteen years had passed since I studied in Spokane. 

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I started studying English again at ESL classes in Massachusetts and Gonzaga University, to go to a graduate school and pursue a career as an international student advisor. However, my English fluency didn’t improve right away. My years of working as a supportive position at Japanese companies had halted my ability to have my own opinion, since the work did not require me to voice my opinion.  I spent hours in front of a blank paper, not knowing what to write. I was surrounded by international students from various countries, such as China, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. I couldn’t understand their English and my English was not understandable to them. But Gonzaga ESL teachers helped me improve my fluency. They noticed that I tended to listen and avoided to speak. They knew from my character and from my culture, that women should be quiet and good listeners. Teachers at Gonzaga are experts, not only in English, but are culturally understandable. My immigration advisors are also knowledgeable and helpful. I heard the COML program is great to improve my communication and leadership skill. 

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While I had struggled with English, culture shock, and sometimes loneliness, I still enjoy my academic life here in the U.S. and want to pursue my career as an international advisor, since I believe international students could contribute to better understanding and creating peace among countries in the future. Individually, it will affect one’s life significantly. I would not know what American life is if I didn’t come to the U.S. I would never live my life actively if I stayed in Japan.  I believe the master’s degree in Communication and Leadership will lead me to a successful future career as an international student advisor.