SMAS is impacting the world!
Hi everyone! I am Ayako Ueda, a former
student who returned to Japan three weeks ago, after studying at SMAS for two
years. It was very sad to leave this wonderful school, but I am happy now
because I have found strong connections between former SMAS students who live
in my county.
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| Ayako and Nami in Japan |
Teacher Vasyl introduced me to his
former student Nami, who studied at SMAS more than 20 years ago. She shared her
experiences of trying to find a way to use her English skills in Japan. She has
been helping me to find my future path by providing her rich resources, such as
information on volunteering opportunities, international friendship groups, and
career options. I think it is a great idea to build a SMAS network even outside
of the US because we can help each other by sharing our experiences.
Two days after meeting Nami, I had
a surprising encounter. I took an English cooking class in Tokyo, and I met another
SMAS student, Terue, who attended this school 15 years ago. We became friends immediately,
of course. She worked as a coordinator for student exchange programs until
recently, and when she noticed I was interested, she even gave me the contact
of her former office.
It is a small world, in a good
way. The experience at SMAS gives a life-time impact on many students. It opens
our heart to the world, and then we seek for our dreams to contribute to the
world in different places, even long after leaving the school.
Terue asked me, “Do you know the
phrase posted in Room 20?” I answered, “Of course! It’s my favorite. You never
know what you can do until you try!” She said, “That phrase have helped me a
lot. So I share it with my exchange students to encourage them when they leave
for their host countries.”
Yes, SMAS is making a huge impact on the world.
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