We started our day with a brief introduction to Waseda University and the GLFP program. We learned about the opportunity for a one-year exchange with Waseda through the GLFP program and a bit about the daily life of Waseda students.
We followed this introduction with a walking tour of the campus, where our tour guides showed us the libraries, classroom buildings, and other interesting spaces where Waseda students can spend time. This extensive walking tour culminated in a lunch in the Waseda University cafeteria, where we noted the difference in taste/price of food between here and our Local Point.
After our vast amount of free time following lunch, we toured the Haruki Murakami library. We learned about Murakami's donations and endeavors to research and translate literature, as well as a bit about his writing process and personal life.
After some more free time, we were able to listen to a guest lecture by Prof. Susanne Klien of Hokkaido University. She informed us of the increasing crisis of kodokushi, or "lonely death", wherein a person dies and their body is not discovered for a long period of time. This unfortunate phenomenon has resulted in a new "Loneliness Minister" being appointed in Japan to help deal with the high levels of depression caused by loneliness felt across Japan. She also told us of the new rise in the number of Japanese people moving from crowded cities to rural areas to pursue a quieter, alternative lifestyle, and the differences in social life/expectations between the city and rural areas. It was interesting to think about how much of a cultural change it would be to relocate like this, even without leaving the country.
We were also able to meet some of the Waseda students who will be studying abroad at the University of Washington next year, and are so excited to see them again in the fall!
No comments:
Post a Comment