Japanese students complete mobility program
Date Posted: March 18, 2019 at 03:45 PM
Sixteen students from the Nagoya University for Foreign Studies (NUFS) in Japan graduated from a three-week Mobility Program in Adamson in colorful ceremonies held at the Miraculous Medal Garden last March 1, 2019. The program included a short course in English, immersion in offices and communities, participation in university activities, and tours of historical sites.
University President Fr. Marcelo V. Manimtim, CM delivered a short message. “I hope you had a good time at Adamson,” he said as he extended his congratulations for finishing the course. “I hope you bring back pleasant memories to Japan.”
Mr. Akihiro Hirayama, a lecturer at NUFS who accompanied the students gave a response, saying, “Those days of learning and activities in Adamson were very excellent ones for all of us. We will keep the memories for a long period of time. Thanks to Fr. Manimtim, Fr. Bayal, Sr. Maruja, the teachers at the Center for Language Learning and staff.
Mr. Toshihiro Ueda, who served as coordinator of the program, said in perfect Pilipino that “he wanted to show the culture of the Philippines while learning English. Last year, we brought a group of students to a school in Quezon City and in Manila. Now we saw that Adamson has the best program. Everything is good and I want that this be repeated next year. We want to go to Adamson every year and thank you very much.”
The students were each given a chance to speak. Although struggling with their English, they said that they had improved and will continue to improve in their English speaking skills. What they felt deeply the most was the experiences and beautiful memories that they had gathered during their stay.
Two Adamson students, Pamela Deontoy and Joaquine Carlo V. Valdez, currently on vacation from their studies at Teikyo University, were also present. Greeting the students in Japanese, Deontoy expressed her hope to be able to visit them in Nagoya someday.
The ceremony was capped by the performance of native Filipino dances by the Japanese students. Mentored by the folk dance group and donning costumes borrowed from the group, they danced the Kalinga pot dance, La Jota, Singkil and Tinikling.
