International opportunity
Solova’s always had an affinity for languages, likes problem-solving, and has done some travelling. She knew she wanted to contribute something to the world with her life. So when she applied to Concordia as a mature student, she felt the International Business program at John Molson School of Business would be a good fit.
Solova made the Dean’s List in her first year, and ended her second with a four-month exchange this summer at Keio University in Tokyo, which is the oldest private institution of higher learning in Japan and, she says, and has a reputation as one of the best.
“People always get a job when they finish there,” she says. “Business and political leaders send their children there. And the professors are amazing.” Keio’s founder, Yukichi Fukuzawa, can be seen on the 10 000-yen note.
In addition to Japanese language classes, Solova chose four courses, some with intriguing titles: Besides “Management in Japan,” she took “Culture and the Unconscious,” “Discovering Culture Through Observation,” and “Japan in the Foreign Imagination.”
“I like the psychology of things,” Solova explains. “In business, there’s lots of psychology. I wanted the Japanese view, not just because it was Japanese, but because it’s so different from our own.”
Solova believes strongly that “if you’re going to study international business, it should be a requirement to do an exchange.”
“Go with an open mind,” she says. “You’ll encounter a lot of difficulties, but that’s what makes it worthwhile. If it’s not a struggle, you’re not learning.”
Solova discovered that Japanese culture can deepen your understanding of both respect and self discovery.
“When two cultures collide within you,” she says, “with different values as well, it makes you realize who you are as a person: What part is society, and what part is you. You discover the things you are willing to give up, the things that are not part of your core. I let go of a lot of things, but could not let go of others.”
“I have a new understanding of myself. I came back a changed person,” she says, and then rephrases: “It’s not just a change. I grew.”
She also made a best friend for life on the exchange: Clara, a student from Spain. The bond they formed in Japan is unbreakable, she says, “because you go through something so challenging, so difficult, so different, and you help each other through.”
Solova says “distinguishing culture from personality” is a skill that will serve her well in her career, especially when doing business in Japan.
Solova’s been selected for a sixmonth internship in Japan’s auto industry related to international business. It’s a great learning opportunity for her, and so she’ll return to Japan this month and intends to be back here for the Winter term to make sure she graduates by 2011.
To learn about international exchange program, please visit Concordia International.