Participants’ Comments

• Scholar’s (Indonesia)

  If I can summarize what I have learnt from all of those various activities with single sentence, I would like to express my conclusion with this simple sentence, “Let us do something for this world, start from now!” Do something for the earth that we lived on, to do for other people, who living with us right now and to do for our next generation. If someone asks me, why we have to do something for this world? I will answer them “look at what world has been doing for you.”

• Scholar’s (Korea)

  My scope of interest in Asia was limited to Japan when I first applied for this program. While I was chatting and taking lectures together with the scholars from other Asian countries, I realized there exists unforeseen attractiveness in other cultures as well to which I had been negligent in heeding. Also, I learned how to express and share my views with others while respecting others’ through the preparation and presentation of our group discussion.

• Scholar’s (China)

  It has been one month since we back home from Japan, in which we, 36 JAL scholars from 11 countries and regions spent wonderful 21 days together. Time has passed but what we experienced and practiced still remains a vivid memory in my mind. I dare to say I will definitely benefit from this fantastic trip in the lifelong time, not only due to what I have learned, but also the durable friendship established beyond ages and nationalities.

• Japanese Students

  JALスカラー、バディー、スタッフの方々と、ともに時間を過ごしてディスカッションをし、多くを語り合い、そして親交を深めることができたのは大変貴重な経験になったと感じています。このスカラシッププログラムに参加するまで、アジア・オセアニア地域の学生と今回ほど密に関わりあったことはなかったので、今回の機会を得ることができ大変うれしく思いました。さまざまな価値観・バックグラウンドを持つ人たちとの出会いは、私にとって非常に刺激を与えてくれる出来事であり、自分の成長を促してくれるものになったように思います。親しくなった友人たちとは今後も相互に連絡を取り合い、いつかまた再び会える日を楽しみに、この出会いが作ってくれた絆を大切にしていきたいと思います。

• Host families (Tokyo)

  We visited places including the National Museum. The scholar also came with me to cheer at my children's basketball game. We had lunch at a rotating sushi store and had shabu-shabu and tako-yaki for dinner at home. We had some wonderful conversations whilst looking at photos using the computer. On the last day we visited a shopping center. The scholar was very cheerful and positive, and was very kind to the children. My children found it very difficult to part with her. She was very studious and actively tried to communicate with the children by writing and drawing. It was very inspirational for us to see the scholar learn Japanese words whilst with us. I was touched by the way in which she was always happy and amiable.

• Host families (Ishikawa)

  This year was the first time we participated in the host family program. We spent our time by having a home party with other local host families, and visited the Kenroku-en garden in the heat of summer. And before we know it, the three days were over. We enjoyed the international exchange festival and were inspired by the smiling energetic faces of the students.