No Border Rules ensure that no one feels left out
Konoka
School of Political Science and Economics (SPSE)
I can’t deny that the initial reason I applied for ICC’s No Border Camp was its cost-effectiveness: 20,000 yen for two days of skiing/snowboarding, transportation, accommodation, and food.
However, the camp turned out to be much more than just an affordable ski trip. As suggested by its name, the camp followed the “No Border Rules”. We were not allowed to ask or share our name, nationality, school, grade, or age. At first, I was unsure how to engage in conversation without revealing our backgrounds, but I soon found myself freely talking with my peers and realized just how much “borders” can constrain conversations in real life. Because we couldn’t mention our backgrounds, no one felt excluded from discussions. It also forced us to find common ground beyond nationality or age. Without these rules, I think our initial conversations with our roommates would have quickly divided into familiar groups, with questions like, “Did you take this class?”
Photo by Author
In addition to the No Border Rules, I thought the event’s activities were well organized. From peer introductions—where we introduced our bus buddy on the first night after dinner—to an activity where we wrote three keywords about ourselves and then walked around the room, every activity ensured that we could have fun, engaging conversations without awkward silences.
Of course, beyond the social activities, I also really enjoyed skiing in the mountains of Sugadaira Kogen. With the help of the instructors, I went from not knowing how to put on skis to skiing down the slopes at a decent speed. I appreciated how we were divided by skill level and accompanied by an instructor on the slopes, ensuring that everyone felt comfortable. We also had some free time to ski or snowboard after our lessons too, which we took full advantage of.
Photo by Author
Photo by Author
To conclude, ICC’s No Border Camp was not only a fun skiing experience but also an amazing opportunity to meet new people and talk with people you might not usually have the chance to connect with. For anyone looking for a lively, fun, and social three-day trip during spring break, I would definitely recommend this event!
Photo by ICC
