What made you want to leave France and move to Japan?
For years I had been interested in foreign countries and culture, especially Japanese culture. This was why I decided to study Japanese in Paris. During my third year, I had the opportunity to do an exchange year at Fukuoka University. During that year I made friends, got used to life in Fukuoka and I met my boyfriend who was a Japanese student. When I had to come back to my country, my life back in France didn’t suit me anymore, so I decided to go back to Japan… and here I am!
Trip to Miyasaki prefecture
How did you adapt to Japanese culture?
I had been studying Japanese language and culture at uni, so I was kind of prepared for most of the culture shocks. However, I found out that studying something was different from actually experiencing it for real. I think that the best way to adapt to a culture is to observe and communicate. When I don’t know how to react, I observe what the Japanese people are doing and copy it. If it’s possible, I ask questions and stay curious and open-minded in every situation. I think that being tolerant is the best way to adapt to a foreign culture, so even though I can be surprised by some Japanese habits, I just say to myself “Okay, that’s different from my own culture, but it doesn’t mean that it’s wrong.”
What inspired you to get involved with Meiji Internships?
I have been in the position of dreaming of having an experience abroad. When I was studying Japanese in France, every day was a synonym of hard work but, in order to stay motivated, I had this goal in mind: go to Japan one day. Therefore, I know the struggles and the dreams of a student craving adventures. At that time, I was lucky because my university already had partnerships with Japanese universities, but I knew that not everyone had this opportunity and that some people had to find their way alone. Using my knowledge, I want to help those persons flourish and succeed in their dream internship. Helping people realize their dream is the best feeling ever
What makes Interning abroad in Asia unique with Meiji Internships?
At Meiji Internships, we all have experience in going abroad and discovering different cultures. Hence, we know what the students’ expectations are, and what could be intimidating when embarking on such an adventure. We organize meetings and events, and do our best to be as reachable as possible so that the interns are not left alone and benefit from every support. We ensure that the students can meet with their fellow interns and with locals in order to have a true immersive experience. Being an international team allows us to have an open mind to every culture and to have the necessary background knowledge to respect every one of our interns.
How does Meiji Internships ensure that every student finds an Internship?
Before accepting any interns into the program, we schedule a Skype meeting with the applicant to get to know their expectations. This is a key moment where we make sure that we will be able to find the best internship for the student. We make sure that we know enough about every student and that we can match not only the internship field, but also their expectations in terms of work environment.
How many students typically participate in your program each year?
Currently, more than 250 students are participating in our program each year. We are glad that the program is expanding every year and that people are putting trust in Meiji Internships!
At a baseball match, I support the Hawks which is Fukuoka's team.
What is the process a student has to go through to find an internship with Meiji Internships?
The student has to fill out an application form on our website and send us a resume, then we can schedule a Skype interview together to get to know the applicant and his expectations. If they still have questions after this consultation call, we can reach by email or schedule another call if needed. Once the applicant is accepted into our program, we start the matching process with our partners. When we receive a positive reply from one of our host companies, we contact the student to schedule a Skype interview between the prospective host company and the applicant.
What differentiates Meiji Internships programs in Asia from one another?
We are the only agent which is physically located in several places in Asia. We also are an international team which is prepared to meet and exceed students’ expectations and is able to understand every culture, and offer the best services.
What are Meiji Internships’ plans for 2020?
Our plans are to further strengthen and expand our professional and corporate network across Asia. We also want to intensify our partnerships with overseas universities and business schools to continue offering personally tailored and customised internships for young professionals and talented students.
