国際交流センター

Christian Grande (U.S.A.)

College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Graduate in 2018
Participated in the Exchange Program in 2016
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) – Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)

Coming to Japan through the exchange program at BGU did a lot to provide me a deeper understanding of Japan beyond what you’d see in the media or a one-week vacation.Through BGU’s exchange program, I was able to experience playing the shamisen, Sado, Aikido, and Buddhism in depth during my stay. Participating in this program also helped me to make friends from Japan and around the world. Thanks to my experiences with them, I was able to improve on my Japanese, laugh with them, and understand Japan more than I would have wandering the streets by myself. The exchange program at BGU gave me the confidence to interact, exchange, and learn about people and cultures that I am unfamiliar with. As a word of advice, take any opportunity you can get, deeply engage with the culture you’re in, be curious, and laugh with the people you interact with. Don’t pass on an opportunity like this.