OC student shares culture internationally
秀色视频 Media Release
It was Dawna Hearl鈥檚 first time out of B.C. and only the second time she had flown on an airplane when she landed in Okayama, Japan this summer.
Hearl, an Associate of Arts student from 秀色视频鈥檚 Salmon Arm campus spent two weeks in Japan as part of the summer intensive program offered through the College鈥檚 mobility grant.
During these two exciting and challenging weeks, Hearl attended courses, explored the city, discovered local culture and established networks with people from around the world.
鈥淕oing to Japan has been a lifelong dream of mine,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淚t was such an incredible experience. I learned a lot about the Japanese culture and even a bit of their language. What made it so special to me though, was being able to share my culture with them as well.鈥
Hearl, a Malahat First Nation from the Cowichan Valley, wanted to take a piece of her culture with her to Japan to share with the new people she was about to meet. Adrian Lewis, one of the cultural interpreters at the Quaaout Lodge where she works, made her two handmade hand drums to take with her.
鈥淗and drums are sacred across all Nations and represent the heartbeat of Mother Earth,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淭hey are considered to still contain the spirit of the animal and the wood they are made out of and represent the center of everything.鈥
Hearl gave out the hand drums as gifts to her teachers in Japan on Indigenous Day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so special to me because they can continue to share my culture with others, even after I鈥檝e left,鈥 adds Hearl.
Three other OC students joined Hearl at Kibi International University, a private university located in the city of Takahashi. Rich in history and tradition, Takahashi is nestled on a sheltered hillside overlooking the Takahashi River and the Bicchu Matsuyama castle.
"Everything was so pretty,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淲e were so busy fitting everything we could into the two weeks that we were there. They took us to art museums and we got to dress up in kimonos. We were so spoiled - there was always so much food.鈥
鈥淚t brings tears to my eyes speaking about it, and about Dawna and how much this trip changed her,鈥 says Caroline Chartier, Indigenous Planner at the Salmon Arm campus.
鈥淪he has so much depth to her, so much respect to her culture and wanting to continue to share it with people. Her personality is much larger than it was, she was very quiet when she first came here. She鈥檚 such a good student, one of the best, and has worked so hard to come out of her shell. This trip really added to that.鈥
OC students can enrich their education with numerous study abroad opportunities at one of the College鈥檚 23 partner institutions in 16 countries around the world.
鈥淚t really was a trip of a lifetime,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful to OC for the opportunity to do this.鈥
Hearl is one of more than 1,800 Indigenous students who attend 秀色视频.
It was Dawna Hearl鈥檚 first time out of B.C. and only the second time she had flown on an airplane when she landed in Okayama, Japan this summer.
Hearl, an Associate of Arts student from 秀色视频鈥檚 Salmon Arm campus spent two weeks in Japan as part of the summer intensive program offered through the College鈥檚 mobility grant.
During these two exciting and challenging weeks, Hearl attended courses, explored the city, discovered local culture and established networks with people from around the world.
鈥淕oing to Japan has been a lifelong dream of mine,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淚t was such an incredible experience. I learned a lot about the Japanese culture and even a bit of their language. What made it so special to me though, was being able to share my culture with them as well.鈥
Hearl, a Malahat First Nation from the Cowichan Valley, wanted to take a piece of her culture with her to Japan to share with the new people she was about to meet. Adrian Lewis, one of the cultural interpreters at the Quaaout Lodge where she works, made her two handmade hand drums to take with her.
鈥淗and drums are sacred across all Nations and represent the heartbeat of Mother Earth,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淭hey are considered to still contain the spirit of the animal and the wood they are made out of and represent the center of everything.鈥
Hearl gave out the hand drums as gifts to her teachers in Japan on Indigenous Day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so special to me because they can continue to share my culture with others, even after I鈥檝e left,鈥 adds Hearl.
Three other OC students joined Hearl at Kibi International University, a private university located in the city of Takahashi. Rich in history and tradition, Takahashi is nestled on a sheltered hillside overlooking the Takahashi River and the Bicchu Matsuyama castle.
"Everything was so pretty,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淲e were so busy fitting everything we could into the two weeks that we were there. They took us to art museums and we got to dress up in kimonos. We were so spoiled - there was always so much food.鈥
鈥淚t brings tears to my eyes speaking about it, and about Dawna and how much this trip changed her,鈥 says Caroline Chartier, Indigenous Planner at the Salmon Arm campus.
鈥淪he has so much depth to her, so much respect to her culture and wanting to continue to share it with people. Her personality is much larger than it was, she was very quiet when she first came here. She鈥檚 such a good student, one of the best, and has worked so hard to come out of her shell. This trip really added to that.鈥
OC students can enrich their education with numerous study abroad opportunities at one of the College鈥檚 23 partner institutions in 16 countries around the world.
鈥淚t really was a trip of a lifetime,鈥 says Hearl. 鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful to OC for the opportunity to do this.鈥
Hearl is one of more than 1,800 Indigenous students who attend 秀色视频.
