Kathmandu : Nepalese youths adopt several measures to go to Japan in search of the attractive facilities. Not only this, just in order to go to Japan, Nepalese youths spend millions of rupees every year. After all, what does Japan offer that is so attractive to the youths?
Japan’s economic growth and material advantages, libations, and its attraction do not appear to have any impact on its youths. 17-year-old Japanese student studying in a public school, Sijuku Yamamoto says, “Money is not everything alone. Nepalese are richer than us in their culture and tradition. Nepal’s greatest assets are its values and culture. ‘
Sijuku, who is in Nepal under the scholarship provided by the Ministry of Education, Government of Japan, came to Kathmandu on March 7 to study for a month and has already visited earthquake affected Kavre and Sindhupalchowk as well as many school in the capital city too. Amazed by the courage and enthusiasm of the students in those schools, Sijuku says, “Even though there is a lack of resources, Nepalese students have great enthusiasm and zeal to learn.”
Comparing the Japanese school system and Nepalese school system, Sijuku found many differences and said, “In Japan, students do not carry books. Homework also is not brought at home; it is done in the school itself. In Japan, the teachers teach the students in an unknown well. But in Nepal, the students have to learn themselves”. Sharing her experiences, Sijuku also says, “In Japan, we take technical and practical education together, starting at an early age. In Nepal, such knowledge is not given.”
Seeing the happy children staying in small huts and tents, Sujuki felt a kind of happiness and realized that money only cannot buy everything. She says, “Japan has the money, but not family happiness like in Nepal. Even a small hut has given happiness in Nepal. In Japan, we have lots of money, but still it has not been able to spread such happiness”. As all the culture in Japan is taught by the school teachers, everyone has learned the same kind of culture, she said.
Sijuku has now understood that in Nepal even though there is a lack of physical facilities, it is rich in culture as well as nature. She showed dissatisfaction in the fact that Nepal is counted among the poorer countries in South Asia. She was not prepared to accept this fact about Nepal.
During the observation and visits of the quake-affected districts, Sijuku has already received a Nepali name. Her Nepali name is “Laxmi Lama” which is given to her by social worker Ganesh Man Lama. Mr Lama is supporting Sijuku during her trip to Nepal.
Sijuku is here for the study and research of the Nepalese society. Sijuku is supported in Nepal by IGC Foundation. In order to support the schools and students in Nepal, Sijuku raised money by standing in the streets of Japan and says she is still willing to help the students in the quake-affected area as well as the orphan students in any way she can.
Under her country’s educational program, Sijuku is here to learn about Nepali customs, development, social issues and has is already in love with the extraordinary culture of Nepal. She is a student of Kobe Ryukoku High School in Kobe Japan
Sijuku is here under the Japan Public-Private Student Learning Partnership program as Young Ambassador. Each year, the Government of Japan sends about 303 students to most of the countries in the world to get the information about development as well as culture of that country. Sijuku is in Nepal as per the same program. All the knowledge that she learns in Nepal, she will be sharing with others in her country after she returns back.
– Bimal Yogi
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