On December 4th, 2023, Japanese students in English classes and international students in Japanese classes gathered in the joint class at the Training Center for Foreign Languages and Diction.

The aim for the event was to meet and talk with native speakers and conduct practical activities. Each class has been preparing for the speech in their own classes.

In the joint class, the students were first divided into groups and introduced themselves, talking freely and getting to know each other. 

International students usually do not have the opportunity to get to know students of different majors on the same campus, so they asked a lot of questions. Since many of the participants were exchange students staying in Japan for only six months, they were happy to learn about recommended sightseeing spots and restaurants.

Many Japanese students who were interested in studying abroad also asked many questions about countries they plan to visit or had already been to.

Next, international students gave speech to introduce their home countries and cities in Japanese. They showed photos of their tourist spots and food specialties. They concluded the speech with saying “come to my country!” to the audience.

　After that, Japanese students made presentations on the theme of “Japanese New Year” in English.  

As it was just around the time of the New Year, they talked about Otoshidama- new year allowance, Osechi-traditional Japanese New year feast, and so on with tasting opportunity of black soybeans which is common to serve in Osechi. The international students were very interested in learning about Japanese customs and lifestyles.

At the end of the event, students exchanged contact information. We hope that further private gathering will happen.

Although they are usually busy with their own specialized studies, this was an opportunity to deepen their understanding of other countries and cultures. 

(Global Support Center)