Japan Global Initiative (JGI) Events

On Thursday, September 15, the Japan Global Initiative (JGI) exchange program held their end-of-term presentations at the JASWDC office. Six university students from Japan gave presentations with the theme of "Cross Cultural Communications: A Look into Japan's Unique Regions," with most students focusing on their home regions of Japan. With the event open to the public, many came to listen to students talk about the local food of Hiroshima, the abundance of snow in Akita, the appeal of Tochigi, and the many areas of Kanagawa prefecture. There were also presentations on the history of ukiyo-e and the progression of youth culture from the 80s until today.

The JGI students returned the next night, Friday, September 16, for a happy hour followed by a roundtable discussion with American university students and non-students alike. After an hour of getting to know each other, the large group broke off into three smaller groups with the aim of discussing different topics ranging from the upcoming U.S. presidential election to culture shock to volunteering. Each group, with a mix of Americans and Japanese from different backgrounds, shared their own opinions and had a fulfilling discussion that went beyond language and cultural barriers.