TOMO HARADA Embracing the possibilities of life
His fascination with history and geography and his unquenchable curiosity about other people, unravelling the mysteries of culture and society, has driven him from a young age and propelled him out into the world. “In New Zealand I learned a lot about polar explorers and decided, in my own way, I wanted to be like the great explorers who were at the frontier of knowledge. I always want to discover more and that’s the motivation that keeps me going,” says Tomo. In New Zealand in June for a short holiday before beginning his new job and PhD at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Oslo, Norway, Tomo took time to see how College and Christchurch has fared in recent years. He enjoyed catching up with former teachers, as well as talking to geography students about opportunities after College, and to the boarding community about life as an international student and boarder back in the noughties (he lived in Jacobs House from 2003–2007). Distance and time has made Tomo appreciate the benefits of a College education. between, Old Boy Tomohiro Harada (13120) has called a lot of places home. FromTokyo to Christchurch to St Andrews in Scotland, to Germany to Moscow to Oslo and elsewhere in
“As the years pass, I realise I was so lucky to be here and yet I took so much for granted. From a global perspective, [in New Zealand] we live in a country that has very high achievement in education, and we’re empowered to be successful on the world stage. College gave me so many opportunities, I wish I had done more when I had the chance.” Tomo says his main motivation for studying in New Zealand was lifestyle and for a long time he just cruised along, until he went on a “life changing” school trip to Vietnam. “I became fascinated with history and geography. I came to appreciate different perspectives and, from that point on, took control of my learning. I began to focus on what I loved, and took every opportunity to learn more and expand my horizons.”
After finishing College, Tomo took time out, worked in Japan, travelled in Europe and contemplated his future. He eventually decided to do a MA(Hons) in International Relations at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. “It was a true interdisciplinary degree, drawing on history,
Tomo talking with international student Shun Miyake
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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