[International Exchange] An Exciting Virtual Exchange with Samuel Merritt University
On Tuesday, March 10, Seirei Christopher University held a virtual exchange session with its partner institution, Samuel Merritt University (SMU) from California, USA. The event brought together 7 nursing students and 8 faculty members from our university, along with 5 students and 7 faculty members from SMU, fostering a warm and engaging online connection.
The program featured several interactive sessions to facilitate active communication:
• Self-Introductions ("Our Stories") and "Two Truths and a Lie": Participants had a great time getting to know each other, sharing their interests in nursing and discussing must-visit spots in both Hamamatsu and San Francisco. These icebreakers helped create a friendly and collaborative atmosphere from the start.
• "Let’s do a quiz!" (Japanese Culture and Hamamatsu Tips): In anticipation of the SMU group's visit this June, our students shared practical facts about Japanese culture and Hamamatsu. The participants showed enthusiastic interest in topics such as train etiquette, the absence of a tipping culture, and local specialties like Unagi-pie and Hamamatsu Gyoza.
To wrap up the event, the group enjoyed a relaxing video of the Kawazu-zakura (early-blooming cherry blossoms) currently in full bloom in Hamamatsu, sharing a moment of appreciation for the Japanese spring.
This exchange provided a valuable opportunity for our students to express their ideas in English and connect with future healthcare colleagues across the ocean. The session ended with a promise to reunite in person in June.
Moving forward, students in the International Healthcare & Welfare Program will take the lead in preparing for the SMU students' upcoming visit to our campus. We look forward to welcoming them!
The program featured several interactive sessions to facilitate active communication:
• Self-Introductions ("Our Stories") and "Two Truths and a Lie": Participants had a great time getting to know each other, sharing their interests in nursing and discussing must-visit spots in both Hamamatsu and San Francisco. These icebreakers helped create a friendly and collaborative atmosphere from the start.
• "Let’s do a quiz!" (Japanese Culture and Hamamatsu Tips): In anticipation of the SMU group's visit this June, our students shared practical facts about Japanese culture and Hamamatsu. The participants showed enthusiastic interest in topics such as train etiquette, the absence of a tipping culture, and local specialties like Unagi-pie and Hamamatsu Gyoza.
To wrap up the event, the group enjoyed a relaxing video of the Kawazu-zakura (early-blooming cherry blossoms) currently in full bloom in Hamamatsu, sharing a moment of appreciation for the Japanese spring.
This exchange provided a valuable opportunity for our students to express their ideas in English and connect with future healthcare colleagues across the ocean. The session ended with a promise to reunite in person in June.
Moving forward, students in the International Healthcare & Welfare Program will take the lead in preparing for the SMU students' upcoming visit to our campus. We look forward to welcoming them!
