Laotian Delegation Visits Japan, Interacts with TUFS Students

November 2, 2022

On Thursday, October 27, 2022, a group of 19 Laotian students studying Japanese visited TUFS as part of JENESYS 2022, an international exchange program promoted by the Japanese government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to further understanding between Japan and Laos. TUFS participants in the program included 16 students majoring in the Lao language, 4 Lao students, professors Reiko Suzuki and Yoko Kikuchi, and Lecturer Thammachak Bouasone.

At the opening ceremony, TUFS Vice President for Education Toru Aoyama gave a speech, followed by an introduction in Lao by TUFS students about student life at TUFS and Japanese culture. The students were then divided into groups for tandem learning (a form of learning in which students with different mother tongues pair up to learn each other’s language and culture) and a campus tour. Afterwards, there were performances of a Lao dance called “ba sa lop” and the Japanese song Sakura.

The participants enjoyed their first face-to-face exchange in Japanese and Laotian after a long hiatus.