The International Center Newsletter

TAKING OFF

Vol. 18 Winter & Spring, 2013

Linnaeus University Emi Mizukawa(4th year, Foreign Language Major)

HEmi (left) with a friend from Poland

ello from Karmar, Sweden! I havebeen studying at Linnaeus University since last September. I wasinterested in the Swedish welfare system
and wished to study at a place where there
weren't so many Japanese students, so I
chose this university. It has already been
six months (as of March) since I came
here, so I would like to look back on my lifeup to now.
Right after the semester started at Linnaeus University, I was in the classroom
with local Swedish students. There wasonly one Japanese student on campus
besides me. It was hard enough to just get
used to living here in the first couple ofmonths, but in addition to that, I had tostudy with Swedish students who werefluent in English and who could express
themselves quite well. All classes were ofcourse instructed in English. In the beginning, I did not understand what my teachers were saying, what I needed to do, andeven what my assignments were. Not onlyclasses, but also daily life itself was challenging. I was not fluent in English enoughto mingle easily with other students anddid not have good skills to continue conversations. It was exciting to meet newpeople, but at the same time, I sometimes
felt depressed to face the reality that I
could not be who I wanted to be in termsof language ability and interpersonal skills.
But I never gave up and I continued trying
to cope with the challenges. Because ofthis, I started to feel comfortable living andstudying here by the end of the first semester.
I am the only Japanese student on campus this semester. I truly believe this is thebest environment to acquire a language,
but I sometimes feel lonely. I tend to spend

Emi (left) with friends living in the sameapartment building

more time with my friends. When they ask
me to go out for Fuka (Swedish tea time!),dinner, and to parties, I am so happy andexcited. Each of these events is importantfor me now.
Here is what I have learned through mystudy abroad experience. When you live
and study overseas, you experience things
you never expect to happen in Japan.
Feelings and thoughts you rarely had before fill up your mind. However, you havea lot of time to reflect upon your feelings
and to learn about yourself. When you facea difficult and hard situation, you may not
be able to think of anything else because
you tend to focus only on what is happening in front of you. But I learned it is important that you never give up and I believe
what you do now will lead you to a whole
new world. When you move a step forward, you can always find something new.
You may wonder whether you should try
something new or not. You may also wonder whether you can grow up and be successful in the future. I would say you arethe only one who can find the answer tothat. But, I also know that nothing happens unless you move forward, unless you
move on!

Vol. 18

Page 2

OGU’s Service Learning Class

S

tudents working in pairs are anatural component of the language classroom. However, thestudents enrolled in Osaka Gakuin
University’s Service Learning classtake that pair work to another, greaterlevel.
Osaka Gakuin started offering theService Learning Class in 2012. The
class is taught by Stephen Dalton, andfocuses on global issues while helping
students improve their confidence inEnglish and serving the community inthe bargain.
The class uniquely pairs each foreign exchange student in the coursewith a Japanese OGU student. Whilelearning about global challenges, eachpair forms a service learning team andworks together to help meet thosechallenges through problem solving
and volunteering. This past year, thestudents assisted community groups
such as a Fukushima evacuee NPOand local elderly care facilities.
“Here at OGU, we teachers are always thinking about how to create
meaningful exchanges between ourforeign exchange and Japanese students. In the Service Learning course,
Japanese and foreign students teacheach other their language and culture
as they work together to serve a community need,” Dalton said.
During the semester course, students learn in detail about global issues through lectures and guest
speakers. Discussions and working tofind solutions to some of the global andlocal challenges are important parts ofthe course. Students cap it off by writ-Helping the Christmas party for Fukushima evacuee children

ing in a reflection journal every week.
One guest speaker this year was
Yuko Nishiyama, a Fukushima motherand activist who talked about her personal experiences and the challenges
that evacuees face after leaving Fukushima to live in Kyoto following theMarch 2011 earthquake, tsunami andresulting nuclear disaster.
Students in the class were moved by
Nishiyama’s stories about the evacuees who decided to leave Fukushima
for the safety of their children and families. Nishiyama’s Minna no Te project
reaches out to hundreds of evacuees
now living in Kyoto. Working with
Minna no Te, students visited the temporary housing and created interactive
events to support the evacuee children
spiritually and educationally.
In one event in December, students
in the class including one JapaneseSanta and Canadian Mrs. Claus joined
a community Christmas event andhanded out presents to the delight ofthe children.
“Every time after the volunteer work,
we really feel happy,’’ said Di Zhang, a
student from China. “We learned towork together. ”
Another recent project involved collecting used books for a program thatturns those books into much neededclassroom textbooks for students in theTohoku disaster hit area. Led by Kent
Nakamura, one of the students in theclass, the project clearly shows theimpact the course is having on both theJapanese and foreign students.
Nakamura volunteered to lead thebook drive. He made posters in both
English and Japanese, got approval
from the university administration, andwent around campus with some of hisclassmates to promote the project andget people to donate their unwantedbooks.
He “stepped up to the plate“ as aleader for this project,” Dalton said. “Ittook some perseverance and politicalskills to get everyone on board.”
Nakamura collected more than 3

Students collected books to help theFukushima area

boxes of used Japanese and English
books which were then shipped to thesponsoring book store in Tokyo. Proceeds from selling those books will be
used to purchase new textbooks forschools in the Fukushima area.
Nakamura said he felt strongly about
taking on this cause after a guest
speaker in the Service Learning classtalked about the project.
“I wanted to try this program because this is going to help students still
living in Fukushima,” he said. “I feel it’svery good. Not everyone can leave thearea and we can’t forget those who arestill there.”
Dalton is already looking ahead tothe next semester.
“Creating this course has been a realteam effort of everyone in the Kokusai
Center, but the effort has been morethan worth it. We look forward to adding new components like feeding thehomeless this coming Fall,” Daltonsaid.

Vol. 18Page 3“Living English” at the I-Chat Lounge

I-Chat’s “Living English” is back by
popular demand! “Living English” isa feature of I-Chat where students
can experience a natural conversational setting to further develop theirEnglish communication skills. This “athome” feeling is unique to I-Chat andhelps students to feel that they truly are
in an international environment righthere on the OGU campus. Comfortablechairs are placed in a circle, in a relaxed living room style arrangement,
which is often found in many places
throughout the world, to help individuals connect in various social settings.
The idea of “Living English” fosters
an immersion community of learners inwhich everyone feels at ease communicating with one another in English. Asa result, the emphasis is placed on thepatterns of language and not simply

the rules and the form of speaking.
Students know, once they enter thedoorway into I-Chat, they are in a “safezone” where they can feel “at home”
and without fear of making mistakes.
Learning English becomes fun!
The topics of conversation at “LivingEnglish” vary, yet often you will findstudents comparing their travel experiences, asking questions, listening andbroadening their knowledge of othercultures and their worldview. Discussing current world events, expressing
opinions and listening to others are justa few of the English skills being practiced each day.
I-Chat’s native English speakers
encourage all OGU students to try thisprocess. From beginners to advancedspeakers, “Living English” facilitateseasier communication for all. From job

interviews to traveling abroad, Students can develop the English necessary to successfully meet new challenges in their future.
One of I-Chat’s goals is to equip students with the tools necessary to become better communicators in everyday real-life situations in English. At IChat, we are confident that “LivingEnglish” is a one-of-a-kind tool that willallow students to do just that. Won’t
you give it a try? Everyone is welcome!
Please come visit “Living English” at IChat today!

I-Chat’s Drink BarCome and visit the all-new International “Drink Bar!” at I-Chat.
You can see drinks from allaround the world while you make newfriends and level up your English!

I-Chat offers a unique experience for
OGU students to meet teachers, students and visitors from all over theworld and learn about their different
cultures. Several I-Chat students havestudied abroad and experienced newdrinks, new foods and made newfriends. The newly restyled “Drink Bar”
is a chance for all students to showcase a drink they enjoyed in anothercountry or to bring one from their homecountry for other students to enjoy.
As always at I-Chat, our focus is forstudents to make new connections toothers, to the native English-speaking
staff, and to other cultures that might
be unfamiliar to them. The “Drink Bar”
is another feature of I-Chat that can
jump- start conversations and foster
connections between people of theworld.
Drop into I-Chat today to check out
the new “Drink Bar,” level up your English and make some new friends! Hopeto see you soon!

International Center
Osaka Gakuin University/Osaka Gakuin Junior College
2-36-1 Kishibe-Minami, Suita City, Osaka 654-8511, Japan
Tel: 81-6-6381-8434 Fax: 81-6-6381-8499
Email: inoffice@ogu.ac.jp