早稲田日本語教育実践研究 第5号／2017／199―260 became a passion. Upon feeling that self-study is no longer enough, I decided to take up Japanese Studies in De La Salle University to formalize my Nihongo education, and this is when I met Hieida-sensei. Why am I talking about this, if you ask? Just like me, majority of the students taking up Japanese Studies in De La Salle started just like I did. And it is a dream for every Japanese Major to go to Japan one day, whether just to travel or to study. In my case, I was given the opportunity to study in Sophia University for one year. It was then that I realized, although the lessons in university gave me good background about Japan, there is a better teacher out there, and that is experience. However, such experience like studying abroad is not available for every student who wishes to go. There are a few factors that hinder such opportunities like expensive living expenses, or delay in graduation. This is where the SEND Program comes in. As I have introduced earlier, I had the honor of welcoming the Pioneer batch of SEND Students to De La Salle University. I was assigned as a Buddy Leader of the De La Salle University side to support the SEND students in preparing for their presentations and events. 3.1. Fatal Encounter with Students from Waseda University During the first batch, I remember helping them out to prepare for their event, a Japanese Festival, or what is called a Matsuri here in Japan. The Filipino students were very pleased, as the Matsuri they once only saw in animes and dramas unfolded in front of them, allowing them to experience it with their own skin. Students from Waseda University sat in as well in the Nihongo classes, allowing the students to apply what they learned from Hieida-sensei. The atmosphere of the class at that time was different compared to the usual classes: the students were not confined in textbook expressions, and conversations in Nihongo felt like a catch ball session, allowing them to talk freely and naturally. The experience was genuine and natural. As I have mentioned earlier, almost all Japanese Major students dream of going to Japan to experience the culture first hand, however not everyone gets the access or opportunity. Many students want to be better in speaking Nihongo, but the challenge lies in the limit of practice that they can have. However, the SEND program has closed the distance between my home country and Japan, giving the students a chance to experience the country they love within the comforts of their own university. It also provides both parties a sense of better understanding of both cultures that promotes diversity and respect for other cultures. 3. SEND Experience in the Philippines 244
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