Japanese Studies Alumni Gathering 12th March 2005

Laughter brings happiness and fortune

Japanese Proverb

Laughter certainly reverberated across the hallways of the Japanese Studies Department recently. On 12th March (Saturday), the Japanese Studies Alumni held a gathering for graduates of the department, with participants from the latest 2004 batch and dating back to our 1984 batch of graduates. The current Head of Department, A/P Thang Leng Leng, who is also an alumni member, started off the gathering with a short address. Despite the diversity of fields and backgrounds our alumni members are from, we share a common trait; i.e. an enduring interest in Japan, be it culture, society, language. Most of the alumni members present are putting their language prowess to good use, with a large percentage currently employed in Japanese corporations. Some alumni members also managed to spend a couple of years working or furthering their studies in Japan.

Alumni members were reminiscing the ‘good old days’ while exploring the refurbished department and some were ecstatic upon locating their theses and those of their friends on the shelves of the meeting room. Over some amusing games and a sumptuous spread, our alumni went from strangers to friends, and friends drew on the opportunity to reconnect years after their graduation. Besides food and entertainment, our Sado Club was on hand to provide a demonstration of the ancient Japanese art of tea ceremony and members took delight in participating in this ritual right within the department’s own tatami room reserved for cultural activities.

Members each received a goodie bag, courtesy of Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) and Dean’s Office, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It was truly an unforgettable experience and the rekindling of ties will lead us on to more future encounters. For those who were there, thank you for your participation! And for those who missed this event, we invite you to join us on our next meeting!