Expressing Myself Without Pretense

Growing up with many relationships

My father is a pastor and was transferred several times, so I moved with him throughout my childhood. I was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, but we moved to Kagoshima Prefecture when I was four years old, and then to Fukuoka Prefecture when I entered high school. Through these repeated moves from elementary school through high school, I met more and more people in new places and spent time interacting with many individuals. I believe such experiences are the root of my chatty personality and ability to interact with anyone without discrimination.

Family time

Both my father and mother greatly valued family time. Even when my father was busy with work, he would often play catch with me when I came home from school, and I loved the time when we all gathered around to eat the meals my mother prepared. During such family time, my parents often straight up told me, “You are important to us, Kiwa.” I still vividly remember those words, and I am deeply grateful to my parents for creating such a warm and secure environment. Naturally, I began to think that I, too, wanted to create an environment where people around me could feel secure, and since high school, this thought led me to dream of becoming a schoolteacher.

The Yokohama Campus was love at first sight

When first considering what university to attend, I had another university in mind as my first choice because of its good image. However, as I researched the details of that university’s curriculum and what I could learn there, I began to feel it was a bit different from what I wanted to study in college. I wanted to deeply study interdisciplinary themes such as peace studies and multicultural coexistence, as well as various social issues, and when I consulted with my brother, he introduced me to the Department of International Studies at Meiji Gakuin. He was a student in Meiji Gakuin’s Faculty of Sociology & Social Work at the time, and he enthusiastically told me about student life and the campus atmosphere. As I researched the Department of International Studies, I learned about the flexibility of the curriculum and the interdisciplinary learning approach, which made me feel that it is a place where I could realize what I want to study. The deciding factor was visiting the Yokohama Campus during an open campus event. It was love at first sight with the green, open campus. My hometown was also rich in nature, so despite visiting for the first time, I felt a strange sense of comfort. I strongly thought, “I want to spend my four years of university life here at the Yokohama Campus,” and decided to pursue the Department of International Studies without hesitation.

The Totsuka Festival, with the support of many

Entering university, I knew I wanted to join some kind of club, but I had a hard time deciding which one. At that time, a friend invited me to join the Totsuka Festival Preparation Committee. Although I started this activity somewhat by chance, thanks to kind upperclassmen and fun peers, I quickly felt comfortable. I was even given the opportunity to serve as representative to the Totsuka Festival Preparation Committee. The Totsuka Festival is a university festival built on the three pillars of “welfare, international perspectives, and environment” with a theme of “connections with the local community.” Rather than being a glamorous university festival like the Shirokane Festival, it has the charm of a homemade feel in a warm atmosphere. To make this festival successful with a limited budget, many people needed to take action, using their wisdom and acting on their own initiative. We received support from many people, including members of the Totsuka Festival Preparation Committee, faculty and staff, community members, and even government officials. In my position as representative, I rarely handled specific tasks, and after considering what I could do, I concluded that I should listen to the many stakeholders and communicate sincerely so they would be satisfied. This may seem easy, but in reality, there were many challenges that were difficult to implement and many opinions that were hard to hear. It was a very valuable experience to worry over how to resolve issues between myself and others, cooperate with my teammates, and respond without giving up until the end.

What I want to convey through Christian activities

Since I had been going to church from a young age, even after entering university, I have regularly attended services (Chapel Hour) during my lunch breaks. Chapel Hour includes Bible readings, hymns, prayers, and encouragement messages. It’s a time to face oneself and calm one's heart, but here, too, I had wonderful encounters. As I attended Chapel Hour, I naturally had more opportunities to talk with the Christian Activities Office staff, and through this connection, I began hosting Chapel Hour once every two weeks. So from my second year, I also experienced speaking from the pulpit, and even after becoming busy with Totsuka Festival Preparation Committee activities, I was still able to have the opportunity to give a message once per semester. Messages are generally based on faith and teachings from the Bible, but I must admit I lack sufficient study of the Bible and related disciplines. Nevertheless, what I feel is important for me now is to help Meiji Gakuin students feel closer to Christian activities as a university student of my generation. Therefore, in my messages, I try to honestly convey what I felt was “good” from my real experiences, daily episodes, hobbies, and family events, and talk about how these are interpreted in the Bible. I would be happy if people could feel “there are students like this too” through me, and I speak with the hope that if there are students who are struggling alone with relationships or environmental changes, my words might make them feel a little lighter. I myself have met and been supported by many people at Meiji Gakuin. I am grateful for these encounters, and although I still have a lot to learn, I strongly wish to become a person who can be close to others and gently affirm them.

Materials created by seminar students.

Aiming to become a Bible studies teacher

My future goal is to return to Fukuoka and become a Bible studies teacher at the high school I went to. I want to be a teacher who can nurture students’ hearts to cherish themselves and others while conveying to high school students the love, hope, and rich philosophy that Christianity teaches. To achieve this, I am currently working to obtain a social studies teaching license at Meiji Gakuin, and after graduation, I aim to transfer to another university to obtain a Bible studies teaching license.

My message to prospective students

When deciding where to go to university, I hope you will not make your decision based solely on image, name, or rankings, but rather research and consider thoroughly until you are satisfied you’ll be able to study what you truly want to learn, and that you will spend your student life in a way that is true to yourself. This is because you will spend an important time in your life at university, and the path you choose can greatly change your subsequent options and possibilities. Of course, your research may lead you to some school other than Meiji Gakuin University, and I think the path you choose for yourself will surely be the right answer. Nevertheless, I still want to say this to all prospective students: “There are people waiting for you here at Meiji Gakuin.”