My experience in Cambodia

B3 Sana YAMAMOTO

I studied in Cambodia from December 2023 to May 2024 as an exchange student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). My half-year experience there made me mature personally.

I used to be in my first year of university when I decided to study in Cambodia. At the time, I was satisfied with the environment at Utsunomiya University and had never thought about studying abroad during my university life. However, a senior student majoring in a doctoral course at Utsunomiya University taught me many things about Cambodia. My image of studying abroad was to learn a language spoken in a country or to learn something using a language spoken in a country. As I was interested in studying in a developing country, the opportunity to study in Cambodia using English was very attractive to me, so I took the plunge and decided to study there.

The people I interacted with were all kind and nice, and I came to love Cambodian people and Cambodia. In particular, my classmates at RUPP are now one of my dearest friends. It was impressive to feel that they were kind enough to celebrate their birthdays, including teachers. I also remember that, on the first day of class, I was impressed by their willingness to speak and communicate in English, even if their grammar needed to be corrected. From them, I learned the importance of understanding and communicating with each other.

Classes were conducted from 7:00 a.m. to noon, so I participated in online Utsunomiya University classes in the afternoons or often went to a cafe with my classmates for group work. At RUPP, I took Core English, Writing Skills, Literary Studies, and Global Studies classes. Global Studies was fascinating because I could use the knowledge I gained through the courses at Utsunomiya University. It was also an excellent opportunity to learn Cambodian observation of Japan. In those classes, many group activities gave me various opportunities to deepen my interaction with my classmates.

Furthermore, one interesting cultural thing I learned from my classmates is that they have "partner-ish friends" who follow them whenever and wherever they go, like buying a bottle of water or going to the restroom during class. I also heard that Cambodians, for instance, engage in group activities so much that they even accompany you to a hair salon. Their personality of caring for others and easygoing is my favorite point of theirs.

In my interest area, international law, I visited the Tuol Sleng Massacre Museum, where the Pol Pot regime tortured its citizens. Words cannot describe how shocking what I saw there was. The rooms and tools used to kill people were preserved well and very sensational. And I learned that people can be so cruel, and I felt the stupidity of human beings. Also, I had a chance to talk with a student who is studying law at Phnom Penh. He told me that, as a Cambodian, he believes that the Khmer Rouge committed genocide against Cambodian people, everyone living in Cambodia, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background. His words greatly impacted me, so I decided to write my thesis based on his ideas for him and the local people. I saw many documents related to ECCC (Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia) at the Library of The ECCC Resource Centre (បណ្ណាល័យនៃមជ្ឈមណ្ឌលធនធាន អ.វ.ត.ក.), which made me realize the depth of international law.

Throughout my life in Cambodia, I have become physically and mentally stronger. It was my first time going abroad and even boarding an airplane. I encountered many challenges, such as the extremely hot weather, slight differences in customs, and sometimes the loneliness of needing help to speak the local language. However, thanks to the support from people around me, I overcame those difficulties individually. Time flies so fast, but it seems like yesterday that I set foot in Cambodia. The time I spent in Cambodia was my life's most important, unforgettable, and best experience. I am also very grateful to Professor Fujii for taking time out of his busy schedule to provide me with online classes and advice on international law, especially the ECCC case. I would like to continue to be exposed to many more stimulating experiences and grow as a person.

My activities in a cappella club, U-MiC

B3 Haruka YOKOI

I am a member of U-MiC, which is a cappella club at Utsunomiya University, and I have kept several activities there. Today, I would like to introduce what I do.

In the beginning, I will tell you, "What a cappella is." A cappella is singing without any musical accompaniment. Unlike classical choral music, which requires a microphone, people in other roles, such as voice percussion, join the chorus. The a cappella group consists of five or six members. In addition to the main vocalist, who is responsible for the main melody, three to four group members participate in the chorus. A bass part and voice percussionist for the rhythm is also crucial to a cappella group with an ideal cappella. Not all groups have a bass part or voice percussion; the groups are made up according to the characteristics of the members and the mood of the music they want to perform.

Now, I would like to describe our annual schedule.

From March to April, to catch many members, we make a plan to greet new students. Our club welcomes students interested in music and a cappella and those with no musical experience, so now most of our members are experiencing a cappella for the first time. This year, I organized a welcome party for new students. We held special live concerts for new students; then six groups showed their performances. Aside from these concerts, we had activities like a picnic, a bowling tournament, and karaoke. Thanks to the efforts of the circle members, more than thirty students joined the membership.

After the season of welcoming new students, we prepare for two events at the university in the summer. The first one is the "Noryo Festival," held in June or July by Co-op Creative Staff, one of the clubs at Utsunomiya University. Four or five groups can participate in the events, so we choose the group that can participate by watching their pre-stage. This event is one of the chances to show what a cappella is and what we do in daily life outside.

Another one is "U-MiC Summer Live". This event, held in the second half of July, is the first opportunity for new members to show their practice results. They start a band after the welcome party and keep practicing for the summer live. This summer's live event is one of the biggest in U-MiC, so members enjoy singing, talking, and wearing unique clothes. At last year's event, a group sings "Natsumatsuri" by Whiteberry wearing Yukata.

In the second semester, the most significant event was the cultural festival of Utsunomiya University, in which audience members from other universities and strangers sang in front of the audience. Ex-members visit the festival every year and enjoy talking and listening to our performances. Only a few groups can get a chance to perform on a main stage, so many of them practice hard and try to improve either skill. Singing on the stage is very nervous, but the view from the stage is very spectacular and valuable.

The club members are so close regardless of age, so the live performance for the graduates is very touching. This live performance, held annually in March, showcases songs and, surprises and special performances for the graduates.

 In addition to these on-campus activities, many members participate in outside activities. The club with the most interaction is SEO, a cappella club at Hakuo University. We hold an annual exchange meeting where mixed bands are formed and presented. We also interact with TAP, a cappella club for working adults, and we can learn a lot from their experiences.

I have introduced activities related to live performances, but we also do activities besides a cappella, such as training camps and game tournaments. Moreover, their activities are not limited to within the club, but they are also very active, going out to eat with other club members and forming bands with alums. This is one of the things I am proud of about our club and why I want to continue. If you are interested in U-MiC, please come to our next event! Thank you for reading.

My Challenges and Progress in Ethiopia

B3 Tokiwa Takahashi

             From the 11th to the 15th of March 2024, the members of the Fujii Seminar stayed in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, as a field trip of the Fujii Seminar. We visited the African Union, European Union, United Nations, NATO, the Ambassador residence of the Misson of Japan to the African Union, AMANI AFRICA, The Institute for Peace and Security Studies, the Ethnological Museum, and the Red Terror Martyrs’ Memorial Museum. In this article, I would like to share my memories, such as what I felt and learned from this trip.

On the first day, we arrived in Ethiopia and went sightseeing in places such as ENTOTO Park and the Ethnological Museum. I felt more nervous than excited when I arrived in Ethiopia because this was my first trip to Africa. Seeing the city inside the taxi was refreshing and exciting, but the carsickness was a hurdle. We took many pictures, I especially like the photo taken at the photo spot “Ethiopia” attached. At the Ethnological Museum, the guide explained Ethiopian history and culture. It was a lovely time to look around nature and the museum.

             On the second day, we visited several international and regional organizations. It was challenging to come up with what I would like to ask people from such backgrounds. However, by researching their backgrounds and mandates, I enjoyed getting a better understanding of what the experts were talking about in conversation with us. In specific, I struggled to ask questions and to use appropriate vocabulary to get precise information that I would like to know from them. During the fieldwork in Ethiopia, I was frustrated because I felt that my English skills, especially speaking and listening, were lacking and I needed to get an enough information about the institutions before we visited. However, amidst that the instructions given to us by Professor Yamane who kindly joined our field trip and specializes in international relations at Hiroshima University, were very enlightening, and I taught students the principal fieldwork methods. I learned that we need to create a flow of topic when I ask questions to the person so that we can conduct an interview with a good manner. Thanks to his advice, we were able to prepare and ask questions more concretely. This experience of overcoming language barriers was a significant achievement for me, and it inspired me to continue improving my communication skills.  

             We went to the Red Terror Martyrs’ Memorial Museum on the final day. In the museum, not only the photographs and clothing of the victims at the time but also their real skeletons and replicas of torture were exhibited. In particular, real skeletons displayed in glass cases were unexpected. The display of real skeletons represented the brutality of the massacre. I felt that visiting the museum and seeing the display of real skeletons gave me a more serious impression of the massacre than just learning from the book. Also, it taught me again the importance of international law and peace-building processes. 

             In conclusion, I sincerely thank Professor Fujii for giving us this wonderful opportunity. This trip had many challenges, but I felt a sense of worth and achievement. This trip was a valuable opportunity to improve my ability to understand Africa. I would like to keep in mind the reflections, and insights I have gained from this experience for my studies in the future. The guidance and support of Professor Fujii were instrumental in making this trip a success, and I am truly grateful for his mentorship.