Visiting college students at a foreign university can be so exciting. Even though we’re all undergraduates from different countries, SJMC Japan students were looking forward to meeting students at Doshisha Women’s College in Kyoto.
After getting off of the subway, SJMC Japan students noticed how beautiful the campus was. Because Japan is covered in forest, it was expected that there would be plenty of nature on campus.
First, students took a walk through some of the older parts of the campus. They then walked through an exhibit showcasing how the school was founded and the founders Joseph Hardy Nessima and his wife Yae. With the guidance of Dr. Mahboubeh Rakhshandehroo, SJMC Japan was able to navigate the school grounds.While some of Dr. Maha’s students were talking to us about the college, SJMC Japan learned that the Doshisha Women’s College is part of Doshisha University, a private Christian school.
Once SJMC Japan students joined with Doshisha Women’s College students in the classroom, we took a few minutes to settle down before the activity started. Students were separated into groups. Afterward, Maha explained the activity. Doshisha students were going to ask Texas State students a series of questions, and Texas State students would do the same afterwards. When both sides finished with questions, each group would make a poster explaining the similarities and differences they found interesting.
During the exchange, many students figured out that there wasn’t as big of a difference between Doshisha students and the SJMC Japan class. Many drink matcha and coffee before and/or after class.
One of the biggest contrasts is sports. In the United States, football is the more dominant sport; however, in Japan, baseball is more popular.
Many students shared the same interests in music, after school hobbies and other pop culture references. Most like going shopping with friends in free time during the day and hanging out late nights on the weekend.
SJMC Japan students spent time telling the Doshisha Women’s College students about traditions and common activities at Texas State. Some include jumping into the river for graduation, going to Whataburger, watching football games and visting Buc-ee’s, a popular convenience store and gas station in Texas.
Doshisa students told SJMC Japan students about their aspirations after graduation like working for a bank or for operations at Uniqlo. SJMC Japan students also explained what they plan on pursuing post graduation like getting internships.
A difference that was mentioned wass walking on different sides of the sidewalk and eating on the go. In the United States, people typically walk on the right side compared to Japan where the opposite is done (unless signs indicate otherwise in some places and regions). Students talked about sitting and eating versus walking and eating to the next destination.
SJMC Japan students surprised the Doshisha students by bringing some of their favorite snacks from the United States. Advertising sophomore Valeria Cercer-Vargas brought a bag of assorted candies like Twix and Snickers. Others brought Hot Cheetos and Beaver Nuggets from Buc-ee’s. By the end of the stay, the bag of Beaver Nuggets was being passed around by all the students. Seeing everyone enjoy American snacks brought a smile to the class of SJMC Japan.
At the end of the trip, SJMC Japan students had the opportunity to talk with the other Doshisha students that weren’t in their groups. Many exchanged contact information and hope to keep in contact with each other.
Having the time to talk with students from another country gives another perspective into life abroad. It’s not much different from ours in the U.S. For example, everyone enjoys hanging out with friends and indulging in their favorite activities. Through conversations, we understood different cultures and traditions but saw that we had similar actions and thoughts.
We realized that we’re not that different from each other.
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