I have worked at Asia SEED for 2 months and have been happy and felt refreshing in dealing with the work that aims at; 1) higher education support, 2) regional development and entrepreneurship education support, and 3) research studies and recommendations.

As a freshman at the office, I have been involved in various projects. As a part of the job related to higher education support, I have been doing some coordination jobs for foreign students. In general, it is known that there are difficulties for them in their everyday lives however there were so many new findings after I started working with these foreign students. Sometimes, I feel resentment for the Japanese society that is closed to the foreigners and on the other hand, I feel like giving applause to the foreign students who are coping well with this closed society.

The other day, I helped with one foreign student who started his new life in the countryside. I was impressed with the guy who set up the gas for the student. He came to the apartment to explain how to use the gas and the way he did was very polite and he had a perfect smile. He was explaining in Japanese so that not everything was understood yet his attitude made the student smile. This is something that goes beyond the language barrier. I showed my gratitude to him then he replied, "This is a sort of international exchange, isn't it?" I can not forget his cheerful smile and I am sure it is the same to this nervous student who came all the way to chilly Japan from the tropical hometown of his country.