Denise stands near a Japanese-style building during her trip to Japan.
After several years of limited travel, eight University of Waterloo students were able to participate in the Kakehashi Project, a week-long exchange program through Japan’s Friendship Ties Programs, overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The students spent their Reading week, February 17-25, 2024 in Japan, exploring the cities of Tokyo and Aichi. Their trip was followed by a special exchange day at Waterloo when Renison hosted six Japanese students in early March. The project is designed to build mutual understanding and friendship between Canadian and Japanese students with engaging, and often transformative, intercultural experiences.
Among these students was Denise (pictured above), a Renison Social Development Studies (SDS) student who first learned of the opportunity from a listing in the SDS newsletter. She had previously participated in the Conversation Partner Program and had been paired with a Japanese student. “She always said that I should visit,” says Denise. “This was a great way for me to visit her home country.” Shortly after being accepted, Denise messaged her friend right away and planned to connect overseas during the exchange.
Over nine days, the exchange students experienced cutting-edge technologies at the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, Panasonic Center Tokyo, and teamLAB★, and learned about history, tradition, arts, and architecture while exploring the University of Tokyo Museum, Azabudai Hills, Harajuku, Asakusa (an older district of Tokyo), and visiting Nagoya Castle. During the visit to Chukyo University, the students were also invited to a traditional tea ceremony at a nearby temple.
“It was the best trip of my life,” gushed Denise. “I haven’t travelled a lot but meeting with new people and seeing how they interact with each other and with visitors was really interesting.” Another highlight for Denise was spending time with her host family, which included their 16 year old daughter and her friend. “We just had one big sleepover, and then in the morning we went to an arcade and took photos,” describes Denise. “We just had fun together.”
It's the human connections that resonated most with Denise during her travels. “We’re all the same, yet we’re different,” she says with a smile. Learning about a new culture has given her a new perspective, which she knows can be applied in so many ways. She’s also having fun sharing her experience with others. “I live rurally,” she explains. “A lot of folks in the community haven’t had the opportunity to travel or have many intercultural experiences, so I get to give them a bit of an introduction.”
When asked what she would say to someone who is considering going on a similar exchange, Denise encourages them to go ahead and apply, even if they’re a bit unsure. “Just see what happens,” she says. “This is a great opportunity, there is more to gain than to lose!”
Renison extends sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan (MOFA) for this exchange opportunity, as well as the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC) and the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) for meticulous program delivery. Program implementation at Waterloo was conducted by Waterloo International, the Renison International Office, and the Culture and Language Studies department.
This is part of the 2024 Renison Reports publication. Return to the Renison Reports page for other articles.