AS 2025 winds down, it’s a good time to reflect on personal milestones.
My participation in a nine-day student conference in Japan last August was especially rewarding.
Travelling without my family for the first time and facing language barriers in a foreign country taught me resilience and adaptability, while interacting with international delegates expanded my world view and improved my social skills.
Since returning, I have become more outgoing and confident. I therefore highly recommend that students embrace opportunities that take them out of their comfort zones.
As a participant at the 26th Chuo International Education Forum and Global Festival in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, I stayed with a host family, experiencing authentic Japanese student life.
They had a goat as a pet and lived in a house made entirely of wood, surrounded by greenery, with a volcano in the background. Living so close to nature was a special experience for a city girl like me.
Every morning, I accompanied my host sibling to school, taking a car, then a train, and arriving on foot before changing into indoor shoes (uwabaki), reflecting the Japanese focus on cleanliness and respect.
At the forum, participants from 13 countries – all from sister schools of Morioka Chuo High School – showcased presentations on “Access to Education”, “Access to AI”, and “Access to a Healthy Environment”.
My Malaysian schoolmate and I collaborated with Thai and Japanese students to provide insights into our respective countries’ access to AI.
Fieldwork included a workshop on AI disaster prevention apps, where I learnt how AI can be trained and applied in real-world scenarios.
Cultural experiences were another highlight. We tried wanko soba, a specialty of Iwate Prefecture. Waitresses held trays full of bowls, each containing a mouthful of soba noodles. They stood beside us, refilled our bowls each time the noodles were finished, shouting “Hai don don!” or “Hai jan jan!” to urge us to eat more.
The challenge was to eat as many bowls of noodles as possible. I finished a total of 77 bowls, earning a wooden plaque.
I also participated in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Held in a tatami room, it offered a serene contrast. I wore a yukata (summer kimono) and learnt the proper tea rituals.
On the last day of the programme, I took part in the Global Festival, held to celebrate the diverse performances of participating countries. To share Malaysia’s culture, I performed a Malay dance and before bidding farewell, handed out nasi lemak button badges that I designed for all student delegates.
I am proud to have represented Malaysia and grateful for the chance to experience Japanese student life. I look forward to more educational and cultural experiences in the coming year.
Leticia, 15, a student in Selangor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.
For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
