August 8, 2001
Cultural exchange
Japanese students study American business, lifestyle
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
In town for just three weeks, 18 Japanese college students are getting a fast-paced introduction to American business practices and the American way of life.
Participating in the Japanese/American Business and Cultural Studies seminar, these business management students from Otemon Gakuin in Osaka, Japan, have been taking business classes at Northwestern Michigan College.
The focus of their trip was in-depth visits to three area businesses - the Stained Glass Cabinet Company, Horizon Books and the Grand Traverse Resort. From this, the students can compare and contrast the workings of these businesses with businesses at home. They will give presentation about their findings during the final days of classroom time this week.
With just three days left before heading home, the business experience gained has proven invaluable.
"I learned hospitality is very different from Japan, here face-to-face is most important, the service," said Hiroko Yamashita of Osaka, who studied the Grand Traverse Resort and one day hopes to open her own resort. "In Japan service is speedy."
Yoko Makino of Osaka discovered a different lesson from her visit to the Stained Glass Cabinet Company.
"I learned about friendship," Makino said, remarking about the close friendships that have formed among owners and employees there.
The experience of living and studying in the United States has also left an indelible impression on some students. Staying with 11 area host families, the students immerse themselves in a different culture and language for the duration of their stay.
While they spent most of their school days in classroom, program coordinator Marilyn Jaquish, an instructor in Business and Communications an NMC also made sure the students had plenty of time to explore. Jaquish, who hosts students herself every year, said sushi making gatherings and a demonstration of American sports were just part of the cross-cultural exchange.
In addition, the students threw a Japanese culture presentation a week ago Sunday to thank their host families for their hospitality. The Oleson Center was transformed for an afternoon by a traditional tea ceremony, Japanese flower arranging, calligraphy and a demonstration of Judo.
After four years of coordinating the seminar, Jaquish said the non-classroom time is as valuable to students as the hours in the classroom. Both are crucial to the students' success in the program.
"Business and culture are so intertwined, as is the case in the United States," she said. "We have such a forthright, eager, entrepreneurial approach. It is quite different in Japan, where there's many times a ceremonial way of doing things that you should know to business successfully there."
Besides their separate adventures with their host families, students gathered Monday for a group outing to the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, dinner at the Park Place and later a visit to Improv-A-Go-Go for a taste of Traverse City nightlife.
Jaquish has guided the program for the past four years. This year, she modified the format from short visits to a number of companies to in-depth visits to just three. Each student chose one company for their presentation and subsequent paper for their college back home.
"They get an interesting perspective, particularly from a resort area," Jaquish said. "One student asked what happens to profits in the winter. I told them some places close all winter and others make a lot of their money in winter. They thought everything shut down in winter and everybody stayed inside, but I told them no."
Being a host family has countless benefits, Jaquish noted, including great food, company and a chance to really learn about another culture.
Tom Auch, who welcomed three boys into his home for the seminar's duration, couldn't agree more. A first-year host, Auch has always been interested in Oriental culture. He was very eager to have a first-hand peak at the language, lifestyle, eating patterns and culture of Japan.
After two weeks with his 'kids,' Auch has enjoyed some wonderful Japanese food and interesting company. In turn, he has taken them on a whirlwind tour of culture, northern Michigan style: cherry picking, watching cherry tree shaking, swimming in Bar Lake and tubing behind a motorboat. He also took them to a church, which the students found a fascinating contrast to their Buddhist upbringing.
One major standout of the weeks spent with his three students is their desire to contribute.
"They really have a lot of poise and they are very helpful," Auch said. "When I go shopping with them, they insist on pushing the cart or if I go to pick up a bag they almost push me out of the way to do it."