| Having left Japan with fond memories and practical know-how, many former
training course participants remain connected to Japan in some way. Alumni
associations made up of former JICA participants have been established
in many of JICA's partner countries.
In cooperation with JICA, the Malaysian alumni association conducted
a six-day trip to Japan for three alumni and eight children of alumni members.
The main purpose of the trip was to offer the children an opportunity to
spend a weekend at the homes of Japanese host families.
The idea came out about two years ago at one of the meetings, sayas
Mohamed Razif bin Kamarudin, president of the alumni association in Malaysia.
Some of the members wondered why their families, particularly their children,
hadn't become involved in the association's activities to learn about Japan
and the Japanese people. Such involvement could only strenghten the ties
that already existed between the two countries.
Since the trip was part of the association's activities, all expenses
were shared by the members. JICA made arrangement for the Japanese host
families.
The president said that they wanted the children to see how disciplined
the Japanese are, and how they maintain a rigid work ethic, regardless
of the individual job. The children however, were a bit more "comprehensive"
in their expectations.
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Fourteen-year-old Azhabazri bin Azimbazri, the son of the
vice president of the alumni association, said he was excited to see
Tokyo and hoped to buy a cap of a Japanese baseball team. Aimi Ruzanna
bt Mohd Johari, a 14-year-old girl, said she was simply looking forward
to having a good time and making new friends in a different country. Ahmad
Iqbal Hakim bin Suhaimi, a former JICA participant and university professor.
He was excited about the possibility of sharing some of his father's experiences.
Mohamed Firdhaus bin Hisamudin said he really loved Japan and he would
come back agaain soon.
The homestay program also allowed Japanese teenagers in the host families
to take care of guest from a foreign country and experience intercultural
communication. Ruriko Yokosawa, a high school student, took he Malaysian
guest to her high school to observe Japanese classes. She had already received
permission from her school. Her mother is a former JOCV who lived in Malaysia
for two years. Ruriko hoped that she could share something with her mother
through the experience. Kumiko Sekiguchi, a high school student from another
host family, also took a Malaysian guest to her high svhool. The president
of the alumni association wondered whether or not JICA employees would
send their own children to Malaysia for a similar, reciprocal homestay
program.
"This way, we can better understand our differences and similarities
at a more basic level", he says. "And that's good for Asia."
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