On February 12, 2014, the 3rd Joint Fieldwork Report Meeting was held at the Oshikawa Memorial Hall. Students from the 1st to 3rd years participated, deepening their learning from their fieldwork. This time, we will introduce some of the impressions from the 2nd-year students (※Fieldwork is a 3rd-year course).

Fieldwork A
(Visits and practical training at welfare facilities)

Fieldwork B
(Volunteering at hospitals and children's facilities)

Fieldwork C
(Study tour in Asia)

Fieldwork D
(Interaction with and support for foreigners residing in Japan)

Impressions from second-year students

• At the joint reporting session held this time, I was able to listen to the experiences of seniors who had taken the Fieldwork course. The reports on the diverse activities of the fieldwork were different from the volunteer work and seminars I have participated in so far, and were a great source of inspiration for me. In addition, the reports on the fieldwork I plan to take next year were interesting and helpful in terms of vision for the activity and background knowledge.
• The reason I decided to participate in this joint fieldwork report meeting is that fieldwork is a unique subject in Department of Co-existing Society Studies, and I was very interested in it, so I felt it would be a waste not to participate. What I felt at the report meeting was that all of the groups, A, B, C, and D, are contributing to society. I also saw that they were facing contemporary social issues, and it was a very valuable experience for them. It was very helpful for my future studies.
• Normally, we learn various things through lectures at university, but I realized that actually experiencing things like this fieldwork is also important. Through fieldwork, I think we can feel various forms of "coexistence" by interacting with people from different backgrounds, such as foreigners or young children.
• I was able to hear about the difficulties, experiences, and lessons learned during their internships, which helped me to form a clear vision of what I should do when I go to an internship site. It also boosted my motivation for fieldwork, and I'm determined to work even harder.
• I felt that every single thing our seniors thought, did, and experienced has become a great asset. The fact that we can learn things that we wouldn't be able to think about or learn just by sitting at a desk and attending lectures is a major attraction, and I feel both joy and a sense of responsibility at the prospect of experiencing this next year. I believe that every fieldwork activity has a clearly stated purpose and objective, and that the meaning of the activity has been carefully considered, so I would like to clarify my basic knowledge and awareness of the activity before starting to learn.
• Participating in the joint fieldwork information session reinforced my understanding that you can only truly learn through hands-on experience. I learned about the specific inconveniences faced by the elderly, the considerations made to create comfortable spaces for children, and the realities of countries plagued by poverty—all things that can only be learned and felt through actual experience and by listening to the stories of local people. Hearing the presentations by senior students increased my sense of anticipation for the fieldwork. Will I be able to summarize things as well as they did? Will I cause trouble at the fieldwork site? I have many anxieties, but I want to learn as much as I can and have a meaningful experience. As the professor said in his comments, it is our mission to convey what we have learned here, so I want to approach this with a strong sense of responsibility. I want to actively work towards making the most of what I have learned in my future.