Featured Alumni
'I'm Even More Open-Minded Now,'
Augustana Alumna Reflects on Time in Japan
When Kayla Bickett,’05, boarded a plane bound for Japan, she was your typical tourist – excited to see historic architecture, eager to learn about a different culture and curious to meet new people. She didn’t expect the trip to change her life. But, it did.
Bickett spent four weeks in Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture this Spring as part of the Rotary Group Study Exchange Program, an initiative designed to help young professionals learn about different cultures, observe unique vocational practices, exchange ideas and develop personal and professional relationships.
Bickett, district director for Junior Achievement of South Dakota, said the experience gave her new perspective – both in her personal life and as a professional. “I learned something from everyone I met. Even though we were of different cultures, we still had things in common,” Bickett said. “I think I was open-minded before I went. I can say for certain that I’m even more open-minded now. I learned that ‘my way’ isn’t necessarily always the right way. We can learn from other cultures how to make the best decisions, to create the best outcomes.”
Bickett’s Exchange Team included four other non-Rotary team members and one Rotary team leader. The team’s transportation was paid for by Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation while Japanese host families provided housing and meals. Bickett, who holds bachelor’s degrees in sociology and business administration, said living with a Japanese family was also a learning experience. “The sense of family there is phenomenal. They really value a strong family unit made up of many generations – children, parents and grandparents,” Bickett said.
The chance to see Japanese business professionals from various industries was also valuable, Bickett said. “We were so fortunate – we essentially had backstage tours of businesses that typically aren’t ‘all access,’” she said. “We went to a fish market in Tokyo, ancient shrines and temples, factories, health care facilities and schools. Each visit gave us a great sense of what the community was all about and how the people there made it work.” Bickett said the trip also gave her a chance to share information about the United States, and even South Dakota. “It was a two-way street – we learned from them; and I think they learned from us. It was so valuable to talk with our host families and the business people we met about South Dakota to help them understand where we come from. Everyone we met was really interested to know more about what life is like here.”
If she had the chance, would Bickett travel abroad again? “Absolutely,” she says.
Rotary District 5610 is currently accepting applications for its next Group Study Exchange Program to Uttar Pradesh, India, scheduled for January 4 through February 3, 2011. Candidates must be professionals between 25 and 40 years old and must have worked for their current employer for at least two years. For more information, contact
Kate Campbell, 605.274.4396. Applications are due by Wednesday, Aug. 18.
Read more about Bickett and her
team’s experiences in Japan.
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