Finding our space: Students share

Finding our space

Students share thoughts and experience

By Ayame Bevan, Iou-shiuan Angela Chou, Miia Mäkinen and Seoyeon Yoon

Posh, wealthy, and privileged; these stereotypes hardly represent the true nature of the student population studying in international schools. Three current international students – Ayame, Miia and Seoyeon – took the stage at the Alliance for International Education Japan chapter’s inaugural meeting in November 2020 to share their thoughts and experiences on what it means to belong and to be connected to an international school environment. Their thoughts are summarised here.

Student A

When people think of a person from Finland and Korea, you would expect the person to look like a mix of both countries. However, in my case, my physical appearance largely resembles the Finnish side of the family, which means I have light-coloured eyes, ashen skin, and medium brown hair. I never had a problem with people not initially recognizing me as Korean when they met me for the first time. However, I had classmates telling me that I was ‘too white’ to be considered Asian, based on physical appearance and the things I say. When I was told that, I felt I was not biracial because I did not look ‘Asian enough’. There was an instance where I once said I liked Starbucks, the coffee shop, which is a normal thing to like, but I was then told it was stereotypical of me to appreciate that because I was ‘that white’.

These situations affected me for a long time, but nowadays such comments do not impact me. My parents placed me in international schools because they wanted to give me a chance to grow up in an environment where other students from similar international backgrounds surrounded me. Now, I feel the actual benefits of being in an international school. I feel accepted for who I am, and I no longer feel like I need to prove to others where I come from.

Student B

Being biracial living in Japan, I was fortunate enough to be placed in an international school. Surrounded by many nationalities from a young age, I naturally learned to value others based on their actions and not their backgrounds. Due to Japan’s lack of cultural diversity, having foreign physical features always attracted attention, causing me to feel different. However, through interactions with others, I realized that they were simply curious, not critical. The primary way I learned to adjust was to be comfortable with myself. International education was crucial for making me feel accepted. Our image of ourselves, especially at a young age, is primarily related to how others perceive us. Surrounded by various nationalities, I never felt rejected due to my cultural background or suppressed by cultural norms in school. Although at first we navigated through our differences consciously, soon it became an unconscious act. One example of this is ‘Japlish’, mixing Japanese and English during a conversation, as most speak multiple languages in my school.

In my experience, international schools are academically progressive, and this was vital to me. Being taught to study towards my passions and not simply to seek the ‘outstanding’ was liberating. Moreover, treating failure as a stepping stone to success allowed me to break away from the fears and expectations that were holding me back. My current international school is not only an academic environment; it is a place where students find acceptance and are encouraged to break free of traditional mindsets to become open-minded, positive forces in the world today.

Student C

From a young age, I was able to come across different cultures by living in other countries. Spending three years of my childhood in the USA, I had to overcome linguistic issues. There I studied in a public school, and on the weekends I went to a Korean language school. After the US I moved to Korea and then to Japan, all within seven years. Such changes were compounded by the challenge of adjusting from a Korean public school to an international school in Japan. All three countries were culturally very different, which posed new challenges to me each time I moved. But I learned how to adapt to new systems quickly and how to help people in new environments because I could relate to their struggles.

The biggest lesson was being able to understand and think from different perspectives. Having experienced American, Korean and international education I can say all are vastly different. Personally, the international system suits me better, considering my personality and values. From my experience, I feel that the Korean education system is more focused on improving the students

The biggest lesson was being able to understand and think from different perspectives.

academically. In contrast, the international education system puts a strong emphasis on developing the mindset of the students. Being in an international school helped me become more culturally competent as I met and worked with people from different countries and cultures. Additionally, it supported me in developing the skills and mindsets to work with new things or differences. It also gave me freedom and time to work on self-development such as arts, sports, and services. Lastly, I became more aware of the global issues and local matters and was involved in different cultures and communities. I feel very fortunate and thankful to my parents, who gave me the opportunities to learn multiple languages and cultures and to grow into the person I am right now.

Conclusion

International schools are homes to students from different backgrounds. The endless opportunities offered exclusively in world-class education naturally build a space for individuals to experience and grow from academic and personal learning. The thoughts and experiences of Miia, Ayame, and Seoyeon are just some of many international students’ stories. For these students, education that reinforces intercultural competency and acceptance will make ways for life-long personal growth. ◆

The authors of this article are all students or alumni of Seisen International School, Tokyo. ✉ jhatch@seisen.com