Exchange Student Program The Soka University is presently engaged in academic exchange agreement
with 96 universities in the world. In the Philippines, U.P . had entered
into this agreement with the Soka University in 1988, and De La Sale in
1996. Every year, two exchange students from each university are dispatched.
Aside from that, because this is the only English speaking country in
Asia, many Soka University students came here to study at their own expense.
Furthermore, short term language training program is launched in Kalayan
College where Dr. Abueva, a friend of President Ikeda, serves as principal.
File 030: February 2009
Yasuhiko Fukushima (Ateneo de Manila University)
Hello! My name is Yasuhiko Fukushima and I'm called 'Negi' by my friends.
I'm a senior majoring in Law at Soka University in Japan.
10 months have already passed since I came to the Philippines last April
2008. I enrolled at Ateneo de Manila University as a special student in
the 1st semester back then. After that, I enrolled at the language schools
- c21 and Edhen Miles, respectively.
The Reason I came to the Philippines
Honestly speaking, before coming over here, I had a negative impression
on the Philippines mainly because of the various stereotypes running around
about how this country is really dangerous and that Filipinos think about
foreigners as "walking money" among other things. But my image
was soon changed when I met a student who came from the University of the
Philippines to study at Soka University as an exchange student last year.
(Afterwards, he became an SGI member.) He was funny and really good at
cracking jokes. We performed a dance of Okinawa at a summer festival together.
After that, I became curious and wanted to know the truth about the Philippines.
And through my Filipino friend, I somehow came to see them with my own
eyes without any stereotypes. Then I eventually decided to come here. Now,
I definitely can say how wonderful a country the Philippines is.
Moreover, I found out later that my coming here in the Philippines was
not by chance at all – although I was thinking that it was totally my own
decision all along. This is because, just the other day, I got an e-mail
from my mother informing me that we had received a postcard of the Grand
Culture Center in Tagaytay from Ikeda Sensei 10 years ago when I tried
to enroll at Soka Junior high school. I couldn't help but feel that there
is indeed nothing wasted in the realm of Buddhism.
My Life in the Philippines
with my classmate and teachers
in language school (Edhen Miles)
with my friends wearing costume
of traditional dances of Okinawa
with my classmates and teachers
in language school (Edhen Miles)
The students I met here were very diligent in their studies and they have
great skills at making presentations. Besides, they are very much familiar
and at ease with their professors. When I once walked with my friend in
campus, we happen to run into our professor by chance. Then, they started
discussing some topics, which they seemed to enjoy. This scenario somehow
reminded me of Ikeda Sensei when he once shared his thoughts on how he
would like to talk and walk with the students in the campus that he had
founded as if he was their own teacher. I was looking at them as if it
was a dream-come-true of my founder and at the same time, was feeling rather
regretful that I cannot join their lively argument because of my still
poor English skill. Although I couldn't realize this at that time, I made
a resolve deep inside me that I am going to make it in the future.
In order for me to develop my English, I have taken class with English
tutors at my boarding house. Fortunately, I could meet many good tutors
who had the pride of true teachers. In one of our tutoring sessions, we
talked about our own religions and when I explained how great Ikeda-Sensei
is as my mentor and about how energetic and attractive our movement is
for world peace, they absolutely shared my opinion even though they are
Christians. On the contrary, I was also able to find out Christianity's
good points in the process. Indeed, it was a great opportunity for me to
learn because I have never known anyone with a different set of religion
as it was for me to widen my perspective on things. Based on this precious
experience, I will be able to struggle for Kosen-rufu with no hesitation
from now on.
I belong to a club in Soka University which performs traditional dances
of Okinawa which is a prefecture located in the southernmost part of Japan.
Okinawa incidentally, is also the place where President Ikeda began to
write his novel, "The Human Revolution". Our club aims to express
the spirit to pursue a peaceful world through dances. Since I came here,
my friends and I started teaching our dance to some students of the University
of the Philippines. We even had a chance to perform our dance in the annual
event, which celebrated the anniversary of an organization in the University
of the Philippines. The dance we performed is known as the "dance
for happiness" together with the audience. They seemed to be very
pleased with our performance and it was really successful. We also got
the opportunity to perform as representatives of Japanese students in front
of over 300 people in an event, which was held to celebrate the centennial
anniversary of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.
There were foreign students from other Asian countries and we introduced
our home countries to one another through our performances in the said
event. Although we didn't have plenty of time to talk with one another
we praised one another's performance instead with applause. That sight
reminded me of President Ikeda's words, "Cultural exchange is an essential
thing to bind people together." Moreover, as the emcee in our performance
I was able to introduce to the audience these words of President Ikeda:
"The one who has suffered the most has the right to be happy the most."
Actually, it was the first time for me to live far from my parents for
such a long time. That's why I could not realize how important my parents
are to me before I came here. And although I was such an ungrateful person,
they kept on encouraging me and have even gone out of their way in sending
Seikyo newspaper from Japan. I didn't realize that I couldn't have lived
without my parents. Now, I am able to appreciate them from the bottom of
my heart and I realized that Ikeda Sensei had been trying to teach me to
cultivate a heart that appreciates my parents through his teaching. I definitely
can say that my feelings and my ideas were shaped by his many guidance
and encouragements. And I could keenly feel and acknowledge these things
thanks to my life in the Philippines.
My Determination
with my Korean friend
Spending time in this country reminded me of my pride as Japanese too. I have gotten many opportunities to explain about Japanese things. Then I realized along the way that I didn't know certain things about even my own home country. Besides that, there are still many other things I have to study and know about. And although I have considered them as very huge and daunting a task for me at the beginning, I was able to change my outlook eventually and have come to the point that I even enjoy things as I make my new discoveries and learning.
As a Portuguese proverb aptly says, "The most difficult thing is to
make the first step", I will keep stepping forward to realize my dream.
In retrospect, I wouldn't have been able to realize these things if I hadn't
come here. As such, I will never forget the many things I experienced here
and I'm going to apply them as I carry out my own mission throughout my
life.
In conclusion, I would like to express my profound gratitude to Ikeda Sensei, Ms. Kaneko Ikeda, my parents and all the people I've met in the Philippines.
Maraming maraming salamat po (Thank you very much)!!
