Field Study of
Economics Department
経済学科のフィールドスタディ

Report from Student 4,Hawaii, 2024

Irreplaceable memories

This field study trip to Hawaii was my first time abroad. I was anxious about living abroad for two weeks for the first time, but I couldn’t stop being excited to finally go to Hawaii, which I was supposed to go on a school excursion in high school. I am so glad I was able to participate in this program because I thought I would be able to go to a university and learn about local culture, environmental issues, and other things that I would not have been able to experience on a trip, which was one of the reasons I chose Meigaku.

On the first day of school, I was greeted cheerfully by a teacher from the University of Hawaii, which made me feel very at ease. At the same time, I was surprised at the sight of dogs in the classroom and the many treats prepared for us, which I don’t see in Japan. I was nervous at first because I did not expect to be able to get to know so many students from other universities, but I was able to talk to many different students because of the random seating arrangement by day, and in the end, I think I was able to get to know them quite well.
In the classes, I was able to learn a wide range of topics such as English for the presentation on the last day, Hawaii’s history, environmental issues, and renewable energy. Since I was not confident in my English skills, I was worried that I would not be able to understand the content, but I was able to understand the content thanks to the interpretation provided in some of the classes. I thought I would not be able to do it because points are awarded for each comment made during the course, but many children from other universities were actively speaking up and asking questions, and I was stimulated by their willingness to do their best. Not only the students but also the professors actively participated in the classes, so I was able to take the classes with a sense of motivation in the air that we were all learning together.
My most memorable activity was a visit to Hanauma Bay. It is designated as a nature reserve, and we learned that thorough measures are taken to protect the environment, such as requiring visitors to watch a video upon entry. We also attended a lecture and learned more about the site, and learned that it has been cleaned up over a long period of time, that the clarity of the water increased when people stopped coming and going due to the Corona Disaster, and that the coral reefs are as hard as rocks, much more information than we had previously learned. After the lecture, we tried snorkeling for the first time. There was no lecture at all, and it was difficult to get the hang of it, but once I got used to it, I enjoyed swimming for a long time. When I went to the coral reefs, I was very impressed by the many beautiful fish swimming there.

After spending two weeks in Hawaii, I was sometimes bewildered by the differences from Japan, but I am very glad that I was able to finish the trip without any major incidents. I was able to act in a way that allowed me to spend more quality time within the limited time I had, and I feel that I improved my problem-solving skills by being able to communicate more proactively than before and by immediately looking up and asking questions about things I didn’t understand. I had a very meaningful two weeks, and I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. Omura for leading the trip, the four members who participated with me, and everyone involved, including the professors from the University of Hawaii and students and teachers from other universities. Thank you very much.