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Fifteen students from Nanzan University visited the University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) from Feb. 28-March 10 as the completion of a multi-month collaboration that began with online Zoom calls.

This marked the first two-week visit by Nanzan students to Â鶹ÊÓƵ since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic had limited the ability for larger groups from the university in Nagoya, Japan, to come to Â鶹ÊÓƵ.

Dr. Tomoe Nishio, a Â鶹ÊÓƵ associate professor of Japanese, organized the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) interaction between students in each country before the visit and facilitated the activities once Nanzan students arrived.

"Meeting in person gave the students a more tangible experience. It will make the learning last. It gave them a greater motivation to use their target language," Nishio said. "The visit also made our students more interested in going abroad to study at Nanzan."

The students from each university were able to practice their target language in the Zoom calls ahead of the visit and in person for two weeks. Some of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Japanese students also participated in a Japanese Speech Contest at Kennesaw State University thanks to their language practice.

Honoka Adachi, a sophomore pursuing a degree in English from Nanzan, appreciated the kindness of her Â鶹ÊÓƵ counterparts. Thanks to the experience, she wants to become a language buddy for foreign students who visit Nanzan. The time at Â鶹ÊÓƵ also provided pivotal learning for her career goals.

Meeting in person gave the students a more tangible experience. It will make the learning last. It gave them a greater motivation to use their target language. The visit also made our students more interested in going abroad to study at Nanzan."

Dr. Tomoe Nishio

Â鶹ÊÓƵ associate professor of Japanese

Edward Pearson, a Â鶹ÊÓƵ senior from Dawsonville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in international affairs with a minor in Japanese, said it was almost a surreal feeling seeing his Nanzan partners step off the bus at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. The growth that followed was beneficial for everyone.

"I enjoyed seeing both the Â鶹ÊÓƵ students and the Nanzan students get better at their target language," Pearson said. "The best part of this project is being able to speak with native speakers in real time. You have to be able to get out of your comfort zone to improve."

Chie Fujikake, a COIL lecturer at Nanzan who brought her students to Â鶹ÊÓƵ, said the connections between students from each university were some of the most meaningful parts of the visit.

"My students enjoyed practicing their target language and learning each other's culture. They were able to learn about each other as individuals," Fujikake said. "They feel more connected to this Â鶹ÊÓƵ community because they're now here. The Â鶹ÊÓƵ students really welcome our students. It builds a sense of friendship and community."