#jenesys2.0

Three students and one lecturer from Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia were given the chance to participate in JENESYS 2015 program, Business Economy 4th Batch. They are Edricko Janitra Nathalim (Psychology 2011), Dea Peni Larasati (Developmental Economics 2012), Steffanus Pranoto Hallis (Biotechnology 2012), and Hoshael Waluyo Erlan (Student Affairs Special Staff, Faculty of Psychology). The program, which was held from 8-15 March 2016, is a student exchange program from Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) that promotes mutual trust and understanding between Asian, Oceanian, North American, Latin American, Europe, and Carribean countries and Japan.

For seven days, eighteen students from seven universities involved in the Business Economy batch with the assistance from Japan International Corporation Center (JICE) are given the chance to participate in a number of activities in Tokyo and Matsuyama.

As they arrive in Tokyo, they were introduced to general Japanese history and culture by attending a keynote lecture from Strategic International Management Associates (SIMA)'s Executive Managing Director, Mr. Hideo Kimura. The next day, the participants visited Tokyo Stock Exchange. They were given the chance to learn about the mechanism of Japan's capital and stock market. Later that day, they flew to Matsuyama City, Ehime Perfecture, Shikoku Island.

In Ehime, the participants visited Ehime Perfectural Office. The representatives from the office conducted an introductory lecture about the perfecture, its economical and tourism attractions, and the partnership between Ehime and Indonesia. The next destination was Ehime University, where the participants got the chance to participate in campus tour. At the end of the day, they also got the chance to interact and to conduct a discussion with the Japanese and Indonesian students there.

After all activities in the university ended, the participants met their host parents. For two days and two nights, they got the chance to participate in homestay, in which the participants are able to experience what is it like to live in a Japanese household and family. They were given the chance to first-hand experience Japanese daily life, having real contact to Japanese culture and society.

Nearing the end of the program, all participants had to attend in a workshop session. They were asked to compile their experiences and gained knowledges and to pour it all into an action plan. By the time they arrived back in Jakarta, the JENESYS organizing committee wished that each participant organizes a concrete set of actions to share their experiences and knowledges from the program.

Therefore, on 18 April 2015 in Multimedia Room, JENESYS participants from Atma Jaya organized a sharing class. For around 60 minutes, interested Atma Jaya students were given the knowledges about what is JENESYS. The JENESYS participants also shared each of their experiences, gained insights and knowledges, and how to apply for the program.

We sincerely hope that when the time comes, there will be more students that are interested to participate in the next JENESYS program.

We woke up under thick fluffy layers of futon that early chilly morning. It was around 10 degrees outside, colder than the coldest temperature Baguio has ever had this year—and we were told the number was still going down.