A welcoming community from the the very first day: Made a close Japanese friend through international experiences!

Mar 4
4 min read

Global Student Housing

UNINEST STUDENT RESIDENCES BLOG

Uninest International Student Accommodation is home to many young people with an interest in overseas cultures or study abroad experience. This time, we interviewed a student who came to Japan from Iceland. We heard about her life at KAMIKITA HOUSE – a powerful young woman studying psychology at university while working as a sales manager for an entertainment magazine.

From Iceland→UK, then to Japan
Moving into KAMIKITA HOUSE！Feeling at home from the very first day
An enriching international exchange experience: I made a close Japanese friend for the first time!

Thelma ( KAMIKITA HOUSE )

Born in Iceland. Hobbies are gaming, singing and working out💪

While working as a sales manager for a entertainment industry magazine publisher, she studies psychology at university.

【From Iceland→UK, then to Japan】

Uninest:

Hi there! I'd like to get to know you through some questions today!

Thelma:

Yes of course!

Uninest:

First and foremost, what was your inspiration to come to Japan?

Thelma:

When I was young child, I read a story about Mickey Mouse traveling to Japan! It inspired me to start learning Japanese on my own when I was 14.

The first time I visited Japan was through a study abroad program with my university in Iceland.

Uninest:

Self-study from 14 years old is amazing!

Before coming to Japan, did you spend all of your time in Iceland?

Thelma:

I was born in Iceland, but from 2 to 12 years old I lived in the UK. So I spent time in Iceland when I was really young, and for about 10 years from when I was 13 to 22 years old.

When I'm asked "Where are you from?", I don't exactly feel like I'm Icelandic. Instead I feel more like "Earth-ish, a child of the world"!

Uninest:

Earth-ish!? That's great, you sound like the most diverse international person! Actually, being able to speak Japanese, English, and Icelandic is quite rare right?

In your experience, are there any differences you've noticed between these languages?

Thelma:

With Japanese, I think kanji is a distinct concept. I love how each individual kanji has it's own meaning! For example, the Kanji「忙」can be broken down as "one's heart dying" to mean "busy", which is so deep. Icelandic has gendered words, which makes things quite difficult. English is quite interesting because of flexible phrasing. For instance, if I were to express that I don't like something, I could say something like "That's not my cup of tea". If I were to use the same expression in Japan or Iceland I would get blank faces and nobody would understand me, but everyone in the UK would understand and it's really fun!

【Moving into KAMIKITA HOUSE！Feeling at home from the very first day】

Uninest:

So you've been interested in Japan ever since you were young. Finally coming to Japan, how did you feel when you decided to to live in KAMIKITA HOUSE?

Thelma:

The concept of a "share-house" itself doesn't exist in Iceland, so I was really interested to live in on in Japan! I saw some images online and had a tour of the property as well, so I was comfortable with the facilities or hygiene, but I was worried about making friends and finding people who match my vibe.

Uninest:

That makes sense, unlike living on your own, sharing a space to live with others is a big concern for anyone who's trying it for the first time. Did your impression change after actually moving in?

Thelma:

There happened to be a resident party on my first night and I built up the courage to participate. Everyone was so nice, and learned my name on the spot and asked me to talk! In no time my anxiety was gone and felt relaxed, and I recognized myself enjoying the experience!

Uninest:

That's really nice to hear! Our staff tries their best to hold events and support new residents so they feel as comfortable as possible, but we think the best way to feel at home is to have a warm environment with other fellow residents who have gone through the same thing to support newcomers!

【An enriching international exchange experience: I made a close Japanese friend for the first time!】

Uninest:

So now you've been living here for a while, how is your day to day life?

Thelma:

I'm enjoying my time with many of my fellow residents every day! I've always admired the Japanese mindset of always looking out for others, and living at KAMIKITA HOUSE with such a welcoming community has made me fall in love with Japanese people more than ever!

One girl in particular is someone I can call my first Japanese "close friend", and we watch movies in the cinema room, go sing at karaoke, and explore Japan! Including her we built a community called "horror club", and we watch horror movies and visit "haunted" places!

Uninest:

We're so happy to hear that you found a close friend and you're enjoying your day to day life!

Now you'll be the one to be welcoming new residents, is there anything on your mind for the future?

Thelma:

I'd like to make myself the hub between Japanese and foreign residents, and create more opportunities to get to know each other!

Looking towards the future, I'm working on my part time job and YouTube channel to achieve my dream of becoming part of the entertainment industry with a full time job. I'm busy with both my studies and work, but I'm feeling happy and fulfilled to be in that process!

Uninest:

Thelma, you're always positive and full of energy, and you cheer up everyone around you!

We believe that your dream is exactly for a cheerful person like your self, Uninest has your back!

Thank you for letting us interview you!