How do we plant the seeds for the future of the Canada-Japan relationship? Through exchanges that bring young Canadians to Japan and take Japanese young people to Canada. For some participants it may be just a fun trip that is quickly forgotten, but in other young minds the experience may fire the imagination and lead them on paths that last a lifetime. For example, Canada’s current ambassador, Ian McKay, whose path to his current post began at age 16 through a sister city exchange program between Penticton B.C. and Ikeda in Hokkaido. Will their visit to Japan this fall be a life-changing experience for six young Nova Scotian university students? Time will tell. But their professor and guide,  Conor Vibert, told their story to The Canadian.

Sister schools

Acadia University is a small liberal arts school in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, on the Bay of Fundy. For several years, Acadia has had a relationship with Kurume University in Fukuoka Prefecture. But until recently it only went one way, with Kurume students going to Wolfville to study English.

In late October though, a group of six undergraduate business students and two professors traveled from Nova Scotia to Kyushu where they spent nine days at Acadia’s sister school.

“Every day was a highlight during our stay,” said Prof. Vibert. To say we were made to feel welcome is an understatement. As soon as we stepped on campus, we were spontaneously followed by a group of students eagerly and loudly engaging in conversation with our group. I will remember that welcome for a long time; I took it as a good omen after our long flight.”

From there, the Acadia students spent the next nine days engaged in classroom activities, business and cultural field trips and interaction with the Kurume students.

“We explored Kumamoto Castle, learned about traditional
paper-making, visited Ukiha Inari Shrine, Vibert said, “and we did a walking tour of Fukuoka City. When we visited Kurume Commercial High School it was truly a moment of culture shock to see the respect that Japanese students offer their teachers.”

Back on campus, the Nova Scotians had a few Japanese language and calligraphy classes, and a lecture on Japanese business practices. Since the Wolfville area is famed for its apples, another field trip took the group to visit local orchards and a tea plantation. On the industrial side, they visited the facilities of Kurume’s most famous company, Bridgestone, the tire maker.

Positive interactions

As the formal program ended in late afternoon on most days, the students were free to explore the town, guided by new-found Japanese friends. “I never thought I would connect so well with such lovely people from across the world,” said Ashley Paulick, one of the Acadians.

“The trip allowed me to grow and connect with something larger than myself”

At the end of their stay in Kurume, the group got to experience their first ride on the Shinkansen, all the way to Shin-Osaka. After dropping bags at the hotel, half the group opted for a day at the Universal Studios theme park while the other half chose Kyoto. Next day, they all went to Arashiyama for a visit to its monkey park and famed bamboo village.

Last stop on the trip was Tokyo, where the group visited the usual places and had a chance to witness the full force of that signature Tokyo experience: rush hour at Shinagawa Station. “That was a true learning experience for the students and my colleague, Professor Shelley Price,” Vibert said. “It dawned on me that the students had finally been influenced by a sense of order in Japanese society. They learned to stand in line when waiting to board trains and to stay on one side when travelling up and down escalators.”

So what did the Acadia students think?

Feedback from the students was uniformly positive. Among their comments Vibert said many of the youngsters called “the trip of a lifetime” and “life changing.” Caylen Dorrington, a third-year student from Greenwood, Nova Scotia said the trip, “allowed me to grow and connect with something larger than myself.”

Connor Clark of Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia said the selection and taste of Japanese food was among his best memories of the trip. Adam Barney, a fourth-year student from Ottawa concurred, saying, “My highlight was visiting all the different restaurants. Japan has some excellent and unique cuisine.”

Michael O’Leary of Canning, Nova Scotia, commented that the highlight of the trip for him was going to karaoke with the Kurume students. For Zach Allbright, a third-year student from Freeport, Long Island, Nova Scotia, it was “meeting so many generous Japanese students and spending time with them outside of classes.”

Another feature that that was overwhelmingly well received were the chances to experience facets of traditional Japanese culture: paper-making and calligraphy among them.

What were some features of Japan that stood out?

“During our travels the students often commented about seeing evidence of safety being ingrained in the culture,” Vibert said. But there were true moments of irony. “The smallest of work sites seemed to have security personnel employed to redirect traffic whether the need was continuous or once an hour. When we arrived early for a visit to Fukuoka Start Up Center we were captivated watching an evacuation drill at a hotel next door. Captivated, too, were members of a local TV station, the fire department, the building management and participating employees.”

“Unlike in Canada, we learned that police drive with emergency lights on as a means of crime prevention rather than as a response to crime. During our numerous train rides we were often reminded to report anything suspicious to the train crew.  At our host university, a training course was needed before students were able to obtain a pass to use the gym.

“Conversely, it was truly eye-opening to walk back to the residence after sundown and behold helmet-less bike riders coming from all directions, with no lights, on busy and narrow residential roads. This seeming contradiction to the credo of public safety is a part of daily life.

“At the end of our trip, while waiting to board the flight home, a common refrain among the students was a desire to visit Japan again very soon.”

And who knows? Before too long we may be welcoming one of these kids as a new member of the CCCJ.