国際交流センター長紹介
国際交流センター長からのご挨拶
海外への渡航、その受入がほぼ全面的に中止されてから数年が経ち、立正大学から多くの学生を再びカナダやニュージーランド、韓国等、国外に送り出せる状況に戻ったことをセンター職員一同大変嬉しく思う日々です。受け入れる側としてベトナムやロシア、台湾の留学生も本学を選び、共に勉強・研究しているおかげで、ますます多様性に溢れたキャンパスになっています。キャンパスに限らず、外国からのインバウンド旅行客が劇的に増えている中、身近な国際交流に取り組んでいる学生が多いでしょう。
一方、国際的な不安が続く中、世界が密接に繋がっていることによって発生する問題に注目する傾向が未だに強いです。実際に遠くにいるものとして、わざわざそこまで行くべきかと疑問に思う気持ちは理解できます。しかし、やや決まり文句ではありますが、やはり国外に目を向けて互いのことを理解し、すり合わせることこそがこういう状況に必要です。
留学は実際に楽しいことばかりではありませんが、それでも得られることがあります。英語教師として勤めた漱石の英国留学が今も広く知られていますが、実は彼は行きたくて行ったわけではありません。当時の文部省に渡英を命じられた漱石は、どちらかというと行きたくないという気持ちだったらしいですが、拒否するのに妥当な理由が特になく、止むを得ず行ったそうです。滞在中は諸々の事情で苦労し、辛い期間でした。そんな漱石が滞在中にひたすら英文学を読むことを決心しても、読めた量の少なさでがっかりしたそうです。しかし、その苦労を経て個人の文学論に近付き、漱石が作り上げられた文学はその経験があってこそできたことです。
海外に行きたくなかった漱石でも、苦労したことから得られたことが多かったです。少しでも行きたい気持ち大事にして、ポジティブな気持ちを持って留学への大冒険に出ればどれほど変われるか、想像してみてほしいです。私自身も、留学経験があってこそここにいます。まさかニューヨークに生まれて育った私が、日本に来て立正大学の国際交流センター長になる日が来るとは思いもしませんでした。何が得られるかは、行ってみるまで誰にもわかりません。
ぜひ漱石に倣って、外国に出る機会を受け止めていただきたいです。一方、漱石に倣わず、留学中にしっかりと外に出てその土地の人に触れ、様々な経験を前向きに受け入れながら楽しんでいただきたいです。あの漱石でも、そうしていればもう少しよい経験ができたのではと想像します。そんな不安要素を減らすのが、我々国際交流センターの仕事でもあると思っております。留学の経験者として、そうして有意義な留学ができるようにサポートしていきます。未知の発見を得る勇気を出して、最初の第一歩を共に踏み出しましょう！
Several years have now passed since that dark period where international travel was largely halted, and it brings great joy to myself and the Center for International Exchange to see how many of our Rissho students are now studying abroad all over the world, from Canada to New Zealand and South Korea. Thanks to the many international students from such varied countries as Vietnam, Russia and Taiwan who continue to choose Rissho as their place to study in Japan, our campus is becoming more and more diverse. Outside of campus, there is no doubt that many students are also increasingly engaging in international exchange on a personal level with the dramatic increase of international visitors to Japan.
At the same time, with international turbulence ongoing, there can be a tendency to focus on the negative effects of being so interconnected. From far away, it can seem understandable that some might wonder why people should go abroad; but while it may be somewhat of a cliché to say it, this is indeed the time that we need to look outside of ourselves for mutual understanding and work together for the better good.
Studying abroad may not always be purely fun, but there are always things that you will gain from it. Many people know that Natsume Soseki, famous for his role in shaping modern Japanese literature, spent several years in England, but did you know that he didn’t actually want to go? Although selected by the Ministry of Education, Soseki had no interest in studying abroad—but, having no legitimate reasons to say no, he went anyway. For many different reasons he experienced many problems while abroad, and it was actually a very difficult time for him. Even Soseki was shocked at how little he was able to go through of the mountain of English literature books he had promised himself he would read. Yet, he was able to grapple with his own literary theories because he went through those difficulties; his works were a direct result of his own lived experiences.
Even though he didn’t want to go, Soseki gained much from his experiences and difficulties. Imagine how much you would be able to achieve if you nurture even the smallest interest in going abroad, and approach study abroad as a positive adventure. I myself am here because of my experience studying abroad. I never imagined that I, born and raised in New York, would one day become the Director for International Exchange at Rissho University. You will never know what you can achieve until you actually go.
I would encourage you all to be like Soseki and take the opportunity to go abroad when it comes to you. However, unlike Soseki, I hope that you go outside, talk with the locals, and take the experience with a positive stance. I imagine Soseki, too, would have had a better experience had he been able to do so. It is our job as the Center for International Exchange to alleviate your concerns; as someone who has studied abroad myself, I hope to support you all so that you can have a meaningful experience. Have the courage to take that first step together and discover something new about ourselves!