In April, we were thrilled to welcome many fresh faces from across the globe to our campus! The first welcome party of the year was held at the Manly cafeteria on the Ohashi campus of Kyushu University. A total of seventy-six students attended, including 40 international students and 36 Japanese students (including 16 Geiko supporters). The event was highly successful, boasting a larger turnout compared to the previous one.

We kicked off the party with an introductory game. Participants were randomly assigned two seat numbers at the reception, allowing them to meet new people. Additionally, each participant received a self-introduction sheet to help them come up with ideas when they wanted to ask questions or talk about themselves. After changing groups once more, we had a quiz. Most questions were about Geiko, such as how many international students are currently studying here or when it was established, but there were also surprise questions such as: “How many hearts does an octopus have?” (definitely more than 1). The game brought joy and laughter, helping to build friendships. After the fun icebreakers, the cafeteria served tasty food, including halal and vegan options for some students. Everyone chatted and enjoyed their meal together.

We attempted to converse in English, despite the varied official languages of each country, and succeeded in having meaningful discussions about language and culture. This event provided international students, especially those new to Japan, with an opportunity to forge new friendships. We hope that international students will cherish new friendships and enjoy their life in Japan. For Japanese students, the event was a valuable chance to better understand international students. In our daily lives, we may lack confidence to interact with other students due to language barriers. However, at this party, we were able to communicate in a relaxed and casual atmosphere.

This welcome party was our first event of the semester. As Geiko supporters, we are planning to hold other events throughout the year, so please don’t hesitate to join our future events.

About the writer
Mina Shamohammadi
I am a master’s first-year international student in the Design futures Course at the Graduate School of Design. Last year, during my research student period, I enjoyed joining different events here at Geiko and it inspired me to join Geiko supporters so I could help organize more events.

About the translator
Kotaro Murayama
I am a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Environmental Design Course of the School of Design, Kyushu University. I am interested in communicating with foreign students and communicating in English, and I am working as a Geiko supporter. Currently, I am involved in planning and organizing events by Geiko Supporters and enjoy interacting with many people.