On the first day of July, the students once again arrived at the Global Lounge for the cross-cultural workshops led by Audrey Morrell. Audrey gave a brief introduction on gender and gender-related issues and how it relates to culture before having the class split up into groups to work on their final projects. The students spent the rest of the time brainstorming topics, ranging from beauty standards to gendered products for children. It was an exciting glimpse into how the final presentations would turn out!
After the end of the class for the day, the international students were thrilled to meet their Japanese host families—they would be joining them in their lives and their home for the night and the next day. The students had been looking forward to the homestay for weeks, and everyone quickly got to know each other. CIE staff member Mitsuhiro Kurakata gave an orientation to the host families, and then the students were off to enjoy an authentic Japanese experience!
