[International Exchange] Participants in the South Korean training program return home

Sixteen students who participated in the summer training program at Sangmyung University in South Korea have safely returned home after completing the program from September 2nd to 15th.

During the pre-departure orientation, we received explanations on intercultural understanding, what to bring, and crisis management, ensuring we were fully prepared for our trip. While there, we not only received daily Korean language lessons, but also participated in cultural experiences, visits to tourist attractions, student exchanges, and company visits. The enriching program provided invaluable insights into Korea and significantly increased my motivation for learning foreign languages.

Here are some comments from training participants.

Third-year student Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies
Through this training program, I realized that while I previously thought language skills were the most important factor for living abroad and interacting with locals, now that the two-week program is over, the most important thing is not perfect language skills, but rather the proactive attitude of taking initiative and trying to understand others. I hope to use these experiences to my advantage in my future university life and job hunting, and to become a person who can think about things with a broader perspective.

Third-year student Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies
I've heard that the quickest way to improve a foreign language is to go to the country where it's spoken and interact with the locals, and I truly felt that this was the case. I received a lot of support in Korean from the other students participating in the training, and by the latter half of the training, I was able to pay for things on my own and communicate a little with my Korean language teacher. It was simple Korean, but it was a very refreshing experience to converse in a foreign language other than Japanese. I'm still at a beginner level, but I plan to continue studying Korean with the goal of obtaining TOPIK Level 2 in the future.

Second-year student, Faculty of Architecture & Arts
During the training program, I was able to experience various aspects of Korean culture. I had the opportunity to wear a hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and tour Gyeongbokgung Palace with Korean students, learn about Korean makeup, and practice K-pop dance—experiences that I wouldn't normally have in my regular university life. In particular, spending time with students from Sangmyung University was one of the most memorable parts of the program.

(Source: Global Center)