Student Voice: An Exciting New Opportunity – Cassidy CAREY, University of The Bahamas, The Bahamas

Cassidy CAREY from University of The Bahamas, The Bahamas, is participating in our exchange program for Spring 2024. We would like to introduce her experience at AIU.

My first three weeks at AIU

AIU Campus: Sakura, blue sky and Akita cedar

Hello! My name is Cassidy. I’m a student from The Bahamas here at AIU as a part of the Student Exchange Partnership Programme between AIU and my home university, the University of The Bahamas.

As of the time in which I am writing this, I have only been at AIU for about three weeks, but even so, I have lots to say about it!

Back at home in The Bahamas, the temperatures are much warmer! Here in Akita, the warmest temperatures we have experienced have not even surpassed 70 degrees Fahrenheit!* However, in The Bahamas, our lowest temperatures are around that number. I have had to dress a little warmer and accept the icy cold hands, nose and cheeks some days. Luckily enough, I am a big fan of the chilly weather.

*21 degrees Celsius

Sakura Village Housing

Getting around hasn’t been difficult either- there are just a couple buildings and you get familiarized with them rather quickly!

Staying in the Sakura Village housing, I have my own bedroom and two roommates with which I share the bathroom and kitchen spaces.

My roommates are both from Japan and are very polite, patient and understanding. Living with a large family back home, it has been a refreshing experience to have this new independence.

Variety of foods

There’s always a variety of different foods to choose from: the cafeteria (with scheduled meals), the coffee shop/college cafe (with hot or cold drinks and specialty dishes for different days), the AIU school shop (with fresh onigiri, bagels, and sometimes subway sandwiches!), the occasional food truck appearance (with variations of what kinds of trucks and foods they serve), cooking for yourself in your housing, and, of course, all the many many vending machines around campus!

Personally, my favorite treats are the little cookies with chocolates on them from the AIU shop and the hot bottled royal milk tea! I just can’t get enough of them!

Embracing nature

Some of the Mountains of Akita as seen from a vantage point

If you are someone like me who enjoys living in the moment, embracing nature, and breathtakingly gorgeous scenery, then you will love Akita.

I have always loved areas with lots of trees and “fresh air”, but one look at the mountains all around and you will forget everything else you even came here for!

Apart from Akita as a whole, AIU has a wide variety of flora, complete with an extra large collection of Japan’s famous Sakura/Cherry Blossom Trees!

If you are considering coming to AIU for a semester (like me), or if you want to fully commit to something new and exciting and transfer here, I have every reason to believe that if you are adaptable and remain open-minded about your experiences, that you will find yourself loving your time here, just like me!