On 21 – 28 May 2024, Mr. Ken Morita and Mr. Teerapat Sukanan, third-year students in the Economics Programme, the School of Management, participated in the OCA Summer Programme in Japan. During the programme, the two MFU students exchanged ideas and shared perspectives along with ten students from the Faculty of Economics of Chulalongkorn University and 15 students from various universities in Japan.
Participants visited the MRA Foundation office, the Railway Museum, and Chuo University. They explored the facilities of Chuo University, including library, classrooms, and student clubs such as the horse riding club. Moreover, there was a lecture from Chuo University economics students about Japanese fireworks, covering history and culture, differences of fireworks, and economic effect of the fireworks industry. Then, participants were divided into group discussions to exchange opinions on these topics. In addition to the academic aspect, there were various activities allowing participants to share and experiences both Japanese and Thai cultures. This was a great opportunity for them to act as a center of exchange between Japan and Thailand.
The OCA (Off-Campus Activities) is a division of MRA (Moral Re-Armament) Foundation which has developed exchange programmes between universities in Thailand and Japan. It aims to broaden the horizons of young people in Thailand and Japan, and continue to develop programmes that can contribute to society. Mae Fah Luang University and MRA Foundation have arranged several cultural activities together and signed the Memorandum of Agreement in 2022.
The participating students shared their thoughts as follows:
1. Mr. Ken Morita
As a Mae Fah Luang University student, I have had many opportunities to participate in various projects and programs. It was about exchanging with students from other institutions, but I never accepted it because I thought it was a waste of time, money, and convenience. But this time, I have decided to join the OCA 2024 project by exchanging in Japan for one week. That completely changed my thoughts on various projects or exchange programs. I met many great new friends, friends with whom we are still in touch today, even though the exchange program ended long ago. Gain new experiences that if you just kept yourself in the room or just in the university, you would never have had these good experiences. Finally, I want to tell everyone about the various experiences that we will have. However, they may seem difficult when we are going through them, but over time, they will always become stories and good memories. Thank you.
2. Mr. Teerapat Sukanan
Participating in the OCA Summer Camp 2024 project was the first time I went abroad and got to see the culture of Japanese people through various activities provided by the OCA. I was living neatly and in an orderly way. I noticed that clubs in Japanese universities are very serious. Travelling in Japan is easily accessible. I enjoy making Japanese friends. To spend time together, such as sitting and talking with two or three people cooking together. On your first night at camp, have fun around the campfire and play sports together. What I like about this project is rafting. It's both fun and tiring. But it feels good to be involved with this project. It's perfect.
