BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The purpose of international travel is to become immersed in different languages and cultures, to expand horizons and discover commonalities. It also provides a way to discover new possibilities, from customs to cuisines.
“I tried a lot. Tofu ice cream? Wasabi ice cream? It was all new to me,” said Preston Prior, an Illinois Wesleyan University junior, who traveled to Tokyo this summer as part of the Technos Program. Sponsored by the Tanaka Ikueikai Educational Trust, the program encourages students from across the world to learn about Japanese culture and study at the Technos International College of Tokyo.
“I fell in love with Japan,” said Prior, whose grandfather was stationed in Japan after World War II, and grew up hearing stories about the country. “I also learned to be more accepting. We may do different things, but we are all human beings.”
Fellow junior Kari Irwin was also chosen for the program, which sends students who have never been to Japan to Tokyo and the surrounding area for two weeks. “The trip was the highlight of my existence – so far,” said the 20-year-old Irwin. “It taught me to look at my studies in a whole new way.”
The two students traveled with Nancy Sultan, Illinois Wesleyan professor of Greek and Roman Studies, and soaked up culture by visiting everything from ancient temples to modern malls and classrooms. “You can study a foreign language all you want in a textbook, but you are not going to understand the culture until you have lived the culture,” said Sultan.