E.L.
Waseda Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies
Photo by ICC
I have attended the ICC Welcome Café for the past couple semesters, and it has consistently been one of
the most helpful spaces for meeting people and engaging in intercultural exchange at Waseda University.
When I first arrived in Japan during the fall semester, I found it difficult to connect with others. Because
the academic year begins in spring, many students had already formed friendships, and it was not easy to
find opportunities for casual conversation, especially across language and cultural differences. The
Welcome Café offered an environment where those interactions felt natural and expected, which made it
much easier to start talking with others.
The relaxed format of the event encouraged participants to move freely between conversations and speak
with a variety of people. This structure helped me step outside my comfort zone and interact with students
I would not normally meet in classes. I was able to talk with both Japanese and international students
from different faculties and academic years, which made the experience feel open and inclusive. The
shared purpose of cultural and language exchange also made conversations flow more easily, since
everyone attended with the intention of communicating across differences.
One of the most valuable aspects of the Welcome Café for me has been the opportunity to build
confidence in speaking Japanese. At first, I often hesitated to start conversations in Japanese because I
was worried about making mistakes. However, the atmosphere at the Welcome Café made it clear that
communication was more important than accuracy. Through repeated participation, I became more
comfortable initiating conversations, asking questions, and expressing my thoughts. This gradual
improvement carried over into my daily life at Waseda and made it easier to interact with classmates and
participate in other activities.
The Welcome Café also makes it easy to form friendships regardless of age or faculty. Because
participants are encouraged to speak with multiple people, it creates opportunities for connections that
might not otherwise happen. Some of the people I met at the event became friends I continued to see on
campus, which helped make my overall experience at Waseda more comfortable. For students who arrive
at different times of the year, including the fall semester, this kind of open and welcoming space is
particularly helpful when looking to meet others.
Overall, the ICC Welcome Café has played an important role in my experience at Waseda University. It
provides a casual but supportive environment for cultural and language exchange, helps build confidence
in speaking Japanese, and makes it easier to connect with people across different backgrounds. By
attending over multiple semesters, I have been able to see how consistently the event creates opportunities
for meaningful interaction and helps students feel more connected to campus life.
