I had a really nice time working with and learning from the local people.

In May 2024, twelve students and one faculty member from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs visited Kanazawa University. Before their visit to Shiramine, Associate Professor Aida Mammadova conducted a pre-training session, providing an overview of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, including “The Mount Hakusan Biosphere Reserve” and “Hakusan Tedorigawa Geopark.” Following that, they moved to Shiramine for a two-day field training program titled “Hakusan Okusanjin Experience Program: People Living in Deep Mountains.” Participants attended lectures from local residents, learned about Hakusan with Kanazawa University students, and engaged in cultural exchange.
After the students returned to the U.S., they participated in an online post-training session to share their experiences from their time in Shiramine and compare them with biosphere reserves in the United States, presenting their findings and engaging in discussions about the differences.

地元の人との交流について印象に残ったことは？
How was your experience interacting with local people? 

・　I had a really nice time working with and learning from the local people. The presentations and information were great, and they were very kind and welcoming.

・　I enjoyed interacting with the local guides and the students from Kanazawa University who joined our trip. Everyone was welcoming and enthusiastically shared knowledge about their town, customs, and Mount Hakusan.

プログラム期間中の活動で特に印象に残ったこと
Please write about what left a strong impression on you during the program period. 

The thing that left the strongest impression on me during the program was how passionate everyone was about the preservation of the mountain and the history of the town.

プログラム中の経験で将来のキャリアのために役立つと思うこと
What was a useful experience for your future career among your experiences during the program?

・　I appreciated the detailed explanations of how the preservation efforts of the mountain are coordinated. It showed a lot of innovation to different problems, as well as offered a way to compare what my country is doing to address similar issues.
・　Interacting with people from other cultures gave me insight into how thoughts are shaped by our surroundings and beliefs. Within the program, we learned about the differences between American and Japanese national parks and heritage sites. This gave me insight into how both cultures view natural spaces and my own biases regarding nature and preservation.

・　As an individual going into psychology, it was extremely informative to be able to have a broader view of how people work in different societies. It helps me understand the scope of ways that I can help individuals and the different methods that might help overseas. 

次年度以降、同じプログラムに参加する学生に伝えたいこと
Comments for students who will participate in the same program next year.