国際文化コース

【Department of Humanities, Intercultural Relations Course】International Exchange Event with High School Students from Colorado, USA

On June 1, 2026, the Intercultural Relations Course welcomed 32 high school students from Colorado, USA, for a special international exchange event.

　

　

Fifteen first- and second-year students from the International Culture Course participated in the event and helped organize and facilitate the activities.

The program began with self-introductions and icebreaker activities. Participants created name tags featuring their names in English, hiragana, katakana, and kanji, providing a fun way to learn about Japanese writing systems and get to know one another.
Students then exchanged examples of Japanese and American youth slang, discussing expressions commonly used by young people in each country and exploring cultural similarities and differences through language.

In the second half of the program, our students gave a brief introduction to Taisho University and led a mini campus tour. The visitors explored Sazaedo and the university library while learning about the university’s founding philosophy and the role of Buddhism in Japanese culture. At the library, they were particularly interested in the collection of Japanese manga translated into English. Throughout the tour, the visiting students actively asked questions about university life and student experiences in Japan.

　

Student Reflections
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“I had a wonderful time! The experience motivated me to study English even more. I would love to participate again.”
“Learning about cultural differences and successfully communicating my ideas in English was a rewarding experience. Thank you very much.”
“I felt frustrated when I couldn’t express everything I wanted to say in English, but the experience inspired me to improve my speaking skills.”
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Although the exchange lasted only an hour and a half, students enthusiastically communicated in English and enjoyed interacting with one another. By the end of the program, many participants were taking photos together and exchanging farewells, clearly wishing they had more time to spend together.

　

This international exchange program provided a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their intercultural understanding while experiencing both the rewards and challenges of communicating in English.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the visiting students, their teachers, and everyone who helped make this event possible.