13日から23日までの約10日間Sing Out Asiaのcross-culture trainingに参加した。場所はタイ(Bangkok→Ayutthaya→Sukhotai→Rayong→Bangkok)。日本人、タイ人、マレーシア人の約20名が参加した。もちろん初参加であるが、一年半前にお世話になっていた東工大の平川先生からこのお話を頂いており参加を本当に心待ちしており、やっと今回願いが叶ったかたちだ。
現地に到着して2日目の夜に彼らと合流し3日目にこの旅のkey point であるクロスカルチャートレーニングを行った。その一日で様々なゲームをこなすことで異文化理解について深めていった。前々から気になっていたBaFa BaFaなど、とにかく密の濃い一日となった。もちろんゲームを楽しむことも大切であるが、ただ単に楽しむのではなく、何をそこで学んだかもとても重要である。 一番感じたことは、異なった文化的背景をもつ人々がお互いコミュニケーションをする際にobservationが非常に重要であること。つまり相手がどういうことを考えていて、何を伝えようとしているのかを知ることである。そしてもう一つ、コミュニケーションをする際に言語を用いなくても、body languages や facial expressionなど体全体を使うことによって意志疎通をある程度はかれることを初めて実感した。学校の授業で何度も異文化コミュニケーションスキルに関する文献を読んだり講義を受けたが、実際にシミュレーションしてみるのは初めてだったのでとても興味深かった。
I’m Siriphorn Phalasoon, teaching English to College of Integrated Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Chiangmai, Thailand. It was quite late when I came to know about this training camp. It was just 3 days before the trip start. I was still wondering whether I’ll be allowed to join while I was getting a leave sanction from my office. The process of getting the leave in the government office almost change my mind, as we all know about the system that common to everywhere else. The news about earthquake and Tsunami in Japan is also another worry. Fortunately, I’m off to Bangkok with smiley face.
One thing that I kept thinking was how I am going to mingle with those university students. I did try my best to adjust to them. Not to mention about only age gap but the culture differences among us as well. But once I see the places of visiting I have no doubt of joining this trip.
This 8 days and 7 nights trip seems to be so fast after looking at the plan and schedule. Each place for the whole trip was selected carefully for us to gain the most of it. Another thing worth mention is the accommodation. One of the best hotels we stayed in was in Sukhothai- Ananda Museum Gallery Hotel. I can really feel the sense of Sukhothai’s art and architecture.
I heard our guide, Zam keep apologizing for not having time to give explanation for each place properly. I’d rather thank him for not doing that. I personally believe that the beauty of art can not be simply describe by word but one has to experience it oneself. However, we still need some of the basic understanding of Thai history, which I am lack of.
Things went by very fast. It’s already 3 days after the trip. I’m lonely sitting at my desk trying to remember what I have experienced. Friendship was the strongest values exist among our Sing Out Asia group during the training. Whenever I look at the sheet distributed on the dining table on the last night it reminds of the good memories. “Sing Out Asia: You and me sharing the world”, this motto can really happen and it has already happened in the mind of everyone.
What I’d like to say about this trip is to thank everyone who was truly supporting me. Starting from my boss, my colleague and everyone at Sing Out Asia. I have opened up my mind. I have an opportunity to experience new culture and values. I have a chance to see many things that I never believe in; a value like friendship was initially too vague for me.
I hope that my participation too has one way or another contribute to the success of this trip. If I were to give a chance to suggest something for the future of Sing Out Asia, it is to includes more students from different nationalities.
Finally, I hope that I’ll be included in the next training trip of Sing Out Asia. Let’s keep this relationship going.
最後に、この旅を通じて色々な人に出会うことが出来、友達になることが出来て本当に良かったと思う。応募した段階では獨協からの応募が多く、行けるか不確定だったが行けることになり、決まったと思えばタイとカンボジアの国境で紛争があり、ツアー内容の変更。出発前には地震があり、飛行機もon timeで飛ばず、台北で飲茶。やっとタイに着いたと思えば、タイの気候がおかしくて乾季なのに雨は降るし寒い。折角の旅行だけど、テレビをつければ原発の問題が気になり、日本に帰れるのか心配になった。最後の最後で熱が出て、台北で血液検査をされるわで・・・すんなり何事もなく終わらなかっただけあって、一生忘れることはない旅行になった。とはいえ、楽しかったから全ていい思い出♪参加できて本当に良かった。もっと多くの人がSing Out Asiaを知ってくれたらいいなと思う。