JAL Scholarship Scholar’s Message from overseas

　Siti Salwa Ali, Jieun Shin
　Seung Yoon Lee, Auzan Abirama Soedarmo
　Ying Jie Zhao, Siao-Han Chen

Scholar’s Message from overseas (2008)

Excerpts taken from essays written by the scholars

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.”(Indonesia)

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. (China)

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. (Korea)

For me, the greatest lessons I learned were not official. My greatest lessons were gained from those thirty-five other scholars. From them, I have learned the true value of finding new friends in unexpected places, and that I have so much more to learn about this life and the world we live on. And if only for those lessons alone, I am forever grateful to the JAL Foundation for allowing me this opportunity, and to my new friends for opening my eyes. ( Australia)

The experience of the 2007 JAL Scholarship Programme is absolutely amazing. It has given me an opportunity to experience Japan and to know Japanese people and their culture. Furthermore, under the theme “Challenges for the future”, I’ve been exposed to topics on challenges faced by humankind such as global warming, cultural conflicts, emergence of diseases, war, natural resources depletion, poverty, world population growth and so on. It was fun, exciting and great learning experience overall. (Malaysia)

I am very interested in environmental issues concerning global warming, and I was enthusiastic about the way we had lecturers speak about this problem from different professional aspects. Although I am not an expert environmentalist, these people from different backgrounds inspired me to contribute to promoting environmental awareness in my own unique way. It also strengthened my belief in how we can all make a difference by “thinking globally, acting locally”. (Taiwan)

JAL Scholarship Program is such a unique program that it’s not merely the theory or lectures that we discuss but the real experience and show cases that we can see and learn from. Each of the candidates from different countries took part in the program is unique. They are all smart, energetic and have an ambitious to make this world a better world to live in. JAL Foundation’s staffs are very friendly and helpful which make me feel welcomed immediately. I feel myself more “quality” after returning from the program. ( Vietnam)