It was by a university professor who introduced the Fulbright Program to Ms. Kojima Mugiho. “I have been researching on Japanese conversation with focus on laughter since 2018. I wanted to extend my research to see how laughter is affected by different language, culture, and society. Therefore, I wanted to study in the U.S. to compare the difference. Fulbright Program is a well-known scholarship and I applied because I thought it would be good for my career. It will also help me get connected with other researchers.”

The research environment of the University of California, Santa Barbara, was very well-established and many of the professors there are prominent figures in the field. Authors that she referenced before, when she started her research in communication, were there and it was such a great opportunity to learn directly from them.

The first half of her study abroad experience was primarily attending classes online with just a few opportunities for students to meet each other due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sociolinguistics and communication studies major, she focused on an ongoing longitudinal study of social and cultural norms of the conversation among women in their twenties. Although it was at first hard to gather data, she managed to gather them through the connections of both shared house roommates and the students whom she met on campus.

For the second half of her time in the U.S., Ms. Kojima was able to interact with professors and students more frequently and actively since classes and lunch meetings were held in person. Furthermore, she participated student-sponsored workshops to practice presentations for data sessions and academic conferences. There were also times to talk with Japanese language learners as well. At the Enrichment Seminar, she listened to Fulbrighters from various countries presenting about their research. “[At the Enrichment Seminar,] I enjoyed communicating with people who are researching on environmental issues, feminism, and art such as dance and theater. It was interesting to learn about these topics in each country.”

Ms. Kojima originally wanted to be a researcher in Japan. However, this study abroad experience and being exposed to the U.S. research environment strengthened her desire to work in the U.S. “People were interested in my research and that encouraged me to have a broader view on my work. I have re-realized that working on Japanese conversations is my strength as someone who understands its culture and has lived in the country. I would like to contribute to communication studies internationally.” Her experience in America gave her confidence.

“Studying abroad was an opportunity for me to reassess my research since it broaden my perspective. Give it a try, if you are thinking about it.”