A spring “mini pizza” party was held to welcome new first-year students and to promote the use of the Itami campus English Lounge. In all, approximately 45 students took part in the event, where American exchange students from Chemeketa Community College helped make and cook mini pizzas on hotplate grills.

This event offered the opportunity for many first-year learners to venture into the English lounge for the first time and become better acquainted with their American counterparts. Moreover, participants from other countries such as China, Taiwan, and the Philippines could be heard conversing in English with their Japanese friends. Some students enjoyed the language exchange, others enjoyed the atmosphere, and even more just got in line as many times as they could until the pizza ran out!

In all, the occasion was a success as students connected through conversation, playing balloon volleyball, and creating deeper ties through food. “I finally got to meet an older student whom I wanted to meet for a long time “ said exchange student Matthew Canfield. “Sometimes an age barrier that is usually felt between Japanese students can be kind of lowered if they speak in English with someone from another country. I could tell that he could be at ease with me” . With such camaraderie, the overall result was a happy event full of new faces and a fresh sense of belonging to the Itami campus community.

The event was sponsored by the Otemae University International Exchange Center.