Douglas students begin Japanese-Canadian Association
By Mercedes Deutscher, News Editor
October 27 marked the inaugural meeting of Douglas’ Japanese-Canadian Association in room 1220.
The association was started by Ben Gallagher and Kana Kiyono, as an effort to better connect domestic and international students—particularly those who have an active interest in Japanese culture.
“I started this club because I wanted to foster a relationship between Japanese international students and Canadian students. A lot of my Japanese friends here at Douglas wanted to meet more Canadian students, so I thought ‘why not start a club?’ I’ve also taken every Japanese course here at Douglas as well, so it’s a good experience for Japanese learners to interact with native speakers,” said Gallagher.
The association’s first meeting was a casual affair, where domestic and international students introduced each other, played games, and shared experiences. It was a very inclusive environment, where all students were friendly and eager to participate.
It also provided students an opportunity to practice linguistics outside of class, with students speaking in English, Japanese, and some Korean.
“The goals are pretty simple—have domestic students who are interested in Japanese interact with native Japanese speakers, as well as Japanese international students interact with native English speakers!”
With the success of the first meeting, the association is already planning more of them. The association went on its first outing on November 1, with many more planned for the future. Outings could include activities such as bowling or laser tag, grabbing dinner, or going to the pub for some drinks.
Students interested in practicing language, or simply making new friends, are encouraged to join the Douglas Japanese-Canadian Association Facebook group to find out when future meetings and outings will be.
