Japanese trip enlightens Monmouth College travelers 

By: Kyle Christensen
Features Editor

$2,280 might sound like a lot of money for a person to spend in only one week, but more than 20 Monmouth College students were willing to lay down all of that yen to travel during spring break as part of a school-sponsored trip to Japan.

The trip, though hosted by the business department as part of a prerequisite for completing the BUSI 291: International Business Practicum course, welcomed all interested students from many different majors and educational backgrounds to take part in the overseas journey, which made stops in popular tourist areas such as Kyoto, Hiroshima and Tokyo, as well as other small towns in between. Serving as faculty advisors were Don Capener, associate professor of political economy and commerce and Pei-chen Chung, visiting lecturer in the department of modern foreign languages, as well Thomas Sienkewicz, Capron professor of Classics, who joined as part of a funding grant provided by the Japan Study Program.

“Personally, I enjoy traveling and learning about new cultures,” stated Capener. “I speak Japanese and I am impressed with the breadth and depth of their economy.”

Though much of the trip served as an educational tool to help build awareness of the differing world economic systems between this new land and their home nation (with visits to business corporations such as Toyota/Lexus, Mitsubishi and the “Kyoto Shimbun,” Kyoto’s largest newspaper), the chance to explore the foreign territory and become immersed in its heritage was a big draw for many of its participants. Two days of free time, along with many afternoons and all evenings, were allotted to the students, upon which many took full advantage of enjoying famous historical sites (most notably the Hiroshima Peace Park, the imperial palace home of the emperor in Tokyo and temples and shrines throughout Kyoto) and meeting some well-renowned faces (such as reputable business executive Mitch Kumeda, father of Monmouth College student Kaho Kumeda).

While in Japan, the travelers found residency in two three-to-four star hotels, located in Kyoto and Tokyo, and one night in the original Olympic Village from the 1964 Tokyo Olympiad, all of which allowed them the opportunity to view customary norms as they varied from place-to-place, including the varying usage of language and everyday proper conduct and etiquette.

Regardless of the high cost, plus expenses, and lengthy travel (consisting of 10-15 hours of trekking back and forth between continents), many students returned feeling satisfied with their outing, believing they had gained greatly from the experience and had accumulated memories of their Japanese adventure which would last a lifetime, with one student even informing Capener that it, “…was one of the greatest highlights of my life.” Similar feedback from others included positive remarks such as, “interesting, fun, unforgettable…” and “extremely beneficial,” with one anonymous individual even asserting, “After this, I am not afraid to go abroad. I would go again!”