24 undergraduate first-grade students took part in the 12th START Program * for a period of two weeks from August 31 to September 15, 2013. Led by Associate Professor Ayami Nakaya (International Center) and 2 other faculty members, the students were dispatched to University of Brawijaya in Malang, East Java, Indonesia.



At the University of Brawijaya, in the morning, the students had Indonesian language lessons and lectures in English on Indonesian history, economy, politics, traditional arts, environmental issues and relations with Japan. First, they felt uncomfortable listening to lectures in unfamiliar English and reluctant to speak up in class, but every evening they did preparation and review and tried hard to understand the contents of the lessons. When they had questions during the lessons or when they wanted to know something about daily life in Indonesia, each of them didn’t hesitate to ask. The students practiced their Indonesian in town or at their accommodation and were happy to be understood and realized the importance of language ability.



In the afternoon, the HU students introduced Japanese culture to students of the University of Brawijaya or experienced traditional food, dancing or art and also enjoyed Indonesian nature and history on an excursion to Singosari Temple. The visit to an orphanage and a farm showed different aspects of society, something not taught at university. First, the students stayed at a hotel on the campus, but after one week, they had a homestay of three days and two nights. Some of the host families couldn’t speak Japanese or English, some lived in a stately mansion with butler and others had no hot water or were Muslims or Catholics. The students could make a variety of experiences and could see the real life of the Indonesians, something you can’t do staying only at a hotel.



On the last day, everybody held a presentation in English about a topic of his/her choice which he/she investigated and reflected (for example: studying Japanese language in Indonesia, poverty problem, the essence of convenience, patriotism in Indonesia, food culture etc.). At the farewell party, the host teachers, local students and host families came together, swore eternal friendship and felt sad about saying goodbye.



It was a hard schedule without much rest, but all of the participants challenged all kind of issues they could experience only on the spot. After the program, they said: “Meeting various people was very stimulating for me, and I could become clear about my goals.” Or: “There are things I haven’t thought about in my daily life in Japan. I learned to see them from a different viewpoint.” Or: “I felt that I should know better my own culture and society”. The students reflected what they have learned at this program and repeatedly expressed their determination and motivation towards going to study abroad again or towards specialized studies.



* The START Program provides first year students who have little overseas experience the opportunity to attend lectures and see everyday-life at a foreign partner university in order to raise interest in international/cross-cultural activities and studying abroad. It was established in 2010 and by the end of academic year 2012, it has already been held ten times. In the first half of the academic year 2013, the program was held for three times dispatching students to Taiwan, Indonesia and Australia. The Hiroshima University Fund financially supports part of the research expenses to lessen students’ economic burden and to give a broader population of students the opportunity to study abroad. The participants went to study abroad following a two-month training period before departure. Back in Japan, they had a follow-up session.

Presentation and discussion at a lesson of the Department of Japanese Studies	Making origami with the students of the University of Brawijaya
The students experienced the layout of traditional festive food	The students practiced traditional mask dance

【Inquiries】

International Exchange Group,

Education and International Office,

Hiroshima University

TEL：082-424-4346

E-mail：kokusai-ryugaku(AT)office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp

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