For many students the only exposure they have to Japanese culture is sushi and anime, but this summer rising College junior Aya Nakanishi is immersing herself deep into that nation's customs.
Nakanishi, along with rising College senior Gurpreet Kalra, is about to embark on a month-long journey to Japan to participate in the 59th Japan-America Student Conference.
JASC is a non-profit educational and cultural exchange program for university students in the United States and Japan that runs from July 22 to Aug. 20. The program is held every summer and has the distinction of being the oldest student-run exchange between the two countries.
Alumni participants of JASC include former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Prime Minister of Japan Kiichi Miyazawa
Nakanishi said she first became interested in JASC because of her own background as a Japanese-American.
"I have sort of an ambiguous identity," she said. "As a second generation Japanese person born in Indiana, I often get to hear both sides. Sometimes, I hear what my American peers have to say about Japanese culture, and I also hear how my parents perceive American culture."
During the month-long program, 30 American delegates and 30 Japanese counterparts will travel around to different sites in Japan to interact with local culture, learn about the economy of the country and participate in round table discussions.
"The round tables are forums where students discuss particular topics to promote cultural understanding, rather than stereotyping. For example, one round table topic is 'Eastern and Western popular culture,' where students discuss how Japan and the U.S. have influenced each other in the media," Nakanishi said.
Students will spend time in Tokyo to study government and business, Akita and Kyoto to study culture and Hiroshima to study the effects of war. They will also have the opportunity to stay at the homes of local families to immerse themselves in Japanese culture.
The conference concludes with students presenting a final research project on how to promote peace and intercultural relations.
This is an opportunity of a lifetime for many students, but getting there is half the battle.
The application process includes writing several essays concerning the applicants' past experiences on cultural understanding, an autobiography, recommendations and a 10-page paper on a round-table topic, which if selected, will be posted online for other delegates to read.
However, knowledge of Japanese isn't necessary. Each American delegate is paired up with a Japanese delegate who will aid in translation.
As for Nakanishi, she's just excited for the opportunity to become more in touch with her roots.
"I have been [to Japan] a couple of times because my grandparents live there, and I would always meet older people because of that," she said. "But JASC gives me the opportunity to make friends my own age and exchange ideas with them."
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