Being an exchange student in Washington D.C. was my first exposure to the United States. What amazed me most was the contrast to compact Japanese housing I knew back home. Everything here is so big it opened my eyes. That´s what drew me to interior design. When it came time to select a college, I considered the challenge of studying in a foreign country. I was intrigued by the idea of being exposed to different cultures in a city that was entirely new to me. Harrington College of Design had everything I wanted.

I was nervous arriving in a big city where I knew no one, onto a non-traditional campus and program. But I was fortunate to find such a friendly atmosphere. Harrington students are known to be hard workers, but they all seemed to go out of their way to make me feel welcome and comfortable. This helped me transition to my new surroundings. I now play rugby and soccer on teams around town and think I´ll join the green design group on campus.

Classes are small at Harrington, which allows us the personal attention that makes an education great. Professors are current interior designers, so what they have to teach is real and their passion is alive. Bill Moran has been one of my favorite teachers. He appreciates each student´s creativity, inspiring us to develop our own unique style.

I enjoy Chicago because of how big it is and how much there is to do. I spend my free time camping, watching movies, walking around the city and going to the beach. One of my favorite things about living here is checking out all the great shops — especially the ones along Damen and Division.

After graduation, I´d like to move to Boston to pursue residential interior design. I love the traditional feel of Boston´s architecture, and it´s close to New York but not as expensive. I´ve improved my English, grown more self-sufficient and have learned about many cultures since living in the States. I´ve even learned more about Japan, as people here sometimes know even more than I do about my own country.

But then again, someone asked me if we eat our McDonald´s with chopsticks!

Komei Nakamura