SAF Japan held an Alumni event in Tokyo on Saturday, June 15, 2024. The party was a chance for SAF Alumni to gather with others who shared many of their experiences studying abroad. As they reflected on their study-abroad adventures, members also took the time to discuss the future, along with what kinds of global careers they hope to achieve.
The 54 SAF Alumni members who attended the event consisted of working adults, graduate students, and current undergraduates, as well as two American students who are currently studying abroad at the IES Abroad Tokyo Center.
This was the first event held in about four years, since the COVID-19 pandemic, but it went smoothly thanks to the cooperation of participants and all others involved.
The event kicked off with opening remarks from SAF Japan Director Brett Rumminger and Assistant Director/Program Advisor Wakako Wenger.
When the two of them expressed their continued gratitude to the participants and led a toast, the number of smiling faces among the initially nervous Alumni members began to increase, and soon everyone could be heard sharing self-introductions and lively conversations.
This party was held with the cooperation of Jinnan Cafe in Shibuya -the pintxo-style dishes they provided were just what everyone needed to encourage interaction.
A roundtable discussion began, consisting of the graduate students and working adults.
Based on SAF’s motto, “ Change Your Life, Change the World!,” the discussion proceeded in an interview style. Each of them spoke about how studying abroad had influenced their lives, as well as how they plan to interact with the world in the future.
The four Alumni speakers who kindly agreed to take center stage were:
- Ayane Abe (participant in University of California, Berkeley Summer Academic Program in 2022),
- Kazuki Ikeuchi (participant in the Université Catholique de l’Ouest French Lanuage Standalone Program in 2023),
- Shu Nishimura (participant in the University of Victoria Summer English Language Standalone Program in 2023),
- Airi Hasuo (participant in the University of California, Los Angeles Summer Academic Program in 2022)
Each participant began with a brief introduction of their resume and followed with an extensive discussion about their experiences studying abroad and their career paths.
“The experience of living in an environment where English was the only way to communicate gave me a lot of confidence.” - Ayane Abe
“I’m no longer afraid of failing. Learning a language abroad is a repeated process of trial & error as you talk in front of native speakers. Making mistakes became a normal thing and I’m no longer afraid of them. After returning to Japan, I feel that I have become more proactive, and I can grasp things much faster in my research field." - Kazuki Ikeuchi
“By stepping out of my comfort zone, seeking out various opportunities on my own, and interacting with a variety of people in an uncharted setting while studying abroad, I became immune to the fear of taking on new challenges.” - Shu Nishimura
“The attitude I acquired through studying abroad is ‘to proactively take the initiative.’ Although I am naturally an outgoing person, it was honestly challenging for me to proactively speak up in English, which is not my native language, in an unfamiliar environment while studying abroad. Unlike Japan, however, active participation in class is highly valued in the US, so I made up my mind to speak up at least once as I attended each class. The culture where I currently work is one where ‘the qualification to participate in a meeting is to speak,’ so I feel that my experience of studying abroad was useful.” - Airi Hasuo
During the Q&A session after the roundtable discussion, many undergraduates asked about the job market and its relation to study abroad. Questions included, “how will studying abroad affect my job prospects?” and “what made you want to work overseas?”
After the roundtable discussion, a game of BINGO using country names began. This was something that four of our student staff members had planned before the event took place, and it turned into an exciting recreational activity. Participants competed for five carefully selected prizes that the winners were happy to receive.
Finally, Rumminger gave closing remarks, expressing his deep gratitude to all the participants, emphasizing that each and every one of them had helped make the event a success.
He also spoke about the importance of staying connected and shared his pride in being part of the SAF community. While reaffirming the value of the study abroad experience and the importance of having an international perspective, Rumminger stated that he looked forward to seeing all of the students achieve future success. The event then came to a successful close amidst warm applause.
As mentioned in the roundtable discussion, most Alumni felt that stepping out of their comfort zone and being exposed to different cultures and values had ultimately given them a deeper understanding of themselves, along with the power to carve out their own future.
Through “post-study abroad” events such as Alumni parties and study abroad job-search seminars, SAF helps Alumni meet new friends who share the common experience of studying abroad. In doing so, SAF aims to support them in discovering new potential and a path for the future.
Looking ahead, SAF Japan intends to hold such events not only in Tokyo but also in the Kansai region. They are also considering regular interactive events with current IES Abroad international students, all of which is a goal to help nurture the precious common bonds formed through studying abroad.
