Student Voice: A Transformed Summer – James KNAACK II, George Mason University, U.S.A.

James KNAACK II, George Mason University, participated in the short-term program in the summer of 2025. We would like to share his experience at AIU.

　The phrase “Time flies when you are having fun” has never been more applicable than here at Akita International　University. Being a six-week program with three hours of class aday, I always had an entire day ahead of mee; and being an exchange student, I lived every minute to the fullest. At the start of the program, I was thrust into a room with 50 people, most I had never met before in my life, but I didn’t know at the time that they would become some of my closest friends. Things started off slow between us, but about a week in I found myself in a study room talking with everyone like I’d known them all for years. Meanwhile, we were all enriching ourselves in everything the program had to offer.

　The first big expedition was the trip to Oga Peninsula. Everyone’s instincts kicked in and we explored the deep history and rich splendor that Akita has to offer. Additionally, AIU offers many enriching activities in between classes, such as the bus trip to Kakunodate or a class on how to wear a Kimono, to name a very few. This is not to say we were only allowed these expeditions specific to the Summer Program. Here at AIU you are treated like a full-time student, therefore any student can join a club no matter the duration of the stay. I would fill my weeks often by going to clubs like Kyudo and Kendo, and on weekends taking public transit to explore Akita City. A simple written testimonial cannot do this school the justice it deserves; it must be explored first hand. I wouldn’t trade this summer for anything else in the world.