Naoko Moriyama is from Kyoto, Japan and is an exchange student from Akita University. She is a global studies major in Akita but she is studying English at Winona State University for one year. She hopes to get a job working in hotel management once she graduates.
 

   Naoko had all her classes in English at Akita University so she felt she was prepared for Winona State, but once she came to Winona State she began to have issues adjusting to her courses. “It is difficult to take note of other students opinions and it is difficult to speak something during classes,” she said. Naoko would often remain silent during class and try to listen as much as possible because she was worried she would not understand.
Naoko records all of her classes and reviews her recordings after class. Many of her classmates have been very helpful and she said many of them were, “very patient and understanding.” Her professors have also been very accommodating and helpful.
 

   One issue that Naoko has had was she was surprised at the casual relationships students have with her professors. In Japan it is considered disrespectful to question or speak up to a professor during class.
Naoko is currently one of five Japanese students. She has said she is, “very lonely.” She has made more international friends than American ones. Naoko said this is the case because, “during orientation we are together so it is easy to make friends.” Still, she tries to speak to as many of her American classmates as possible, because she wants to improve her English.
 

   Naoko has not been discriminated on campus or has felt harassed in any way by the students or faculty on campus. Still she felt many American’s, “don’t care about us,” but has also said, “it is the same thing in Japan with foreigners.”
 

   Overall, Naoko has enjoyed her experience at Winona State and has specifically enjoyed how cheap things are in the United States and American films, such as “Die Hard” and “Oceans Eleven.” She wishes it was easier to get Japanese food and she has had to rely on Amazon to buy her food. Naoko wishes that she were more informed about what to expect for college life in the United States, before she came here.