By Connecting, Both Youth and Adults Can Broaden Their Horizons! [Pair Activity Experience Series]

This time, we interviewed the C-chan & Y-san pair, who have been matched for about a year, about their experience in the mentor program!

C-chan: Currently 17 years old and just graduated from Latino Academy. She came to Japan with her parents when she was 12, became interested after a program introduction at Latino Academy, and joined the mentor program. Her hobbies are volleyball and watching movies.
Y-san: Lives in Shiga Prefecture. When she became interested in the Brazilian community, she became a mentor through an introduction from someone who was already active in the program. Her hobbies are traveling and reading, though she says both have become part of her work due to her profession.

Now, please enjoy the main story!

What kind of topics do you usually talk about?

C-chan: We talk about all sorts of things, really. There aren't any set topics.
Y-san: That's right. We talk about daily life, culture, her future, and many other things. English is the main language, but we often try to speak in each other's native languages as well. C-chan speaks Japanese, and I speak Portuguese. C-chan teaches me Portuguese, including the background of the language, and thanks to her, even though I can't speak it at all, I feel like I'm gradually learning it, and it's fun! (C-chan also nods, saying "Yeah, yeah.")
At first, we talked a lot about language, but now we talk about other things too, like what she did at school and her future plans.

Were you nervous at first? How did you become able to talk like you do now?

C-chan: I was very nervous. I wasn't confident in my English. But I tried my best. I've gotten quite used to it, but I still get a little nervous now. Haha.
Y-san: Actually, I wasn't nervous at all. But I knew C-chan was shy and probably nervous, so I wanted her to feel relaxed.
One day, I invited my acquaintance (a student), P-san, to our meeting, and that helped bridge the distance between C-chan and me, and it became a trigger for C-chan to relax and talk about various things. P-san is an Indonesian who attended a Japanese university; she is very outgoing, bright, and funny. When I told her I was talking to C-chan in the mentor program, she said, "I'm close in age, and I'm good at listening to young people, so leave it to me!"
So we met online as a group of three, and that broke the tension. I think she was the perfect icebreaker.

Do you talk about the mentor program to your family and acquaintances? What kind of reactions do they have?

C-chan: My parents really like it. They are grateful to immi lab and are happy that I am researching and preparing for my future. My friends are kids from Latino Academy, and many of them are participating in the mentor program as well.
Y-san: I talk to everyone around me about it, so they know. Sometimes my colleagues share resources for teaching Japanese! My family even says they want to invite C-chan over to our house.

Have you felt cultural differences or shared them through the mentor program? Any interesting discoveries?

C-chan: Brazilian and Japanese cultures are completely different! Communication style is one of the big differences, and Y-san has taught me a lot about the Japanese way of communicating.
Y-san: For me, I was surprised and found it interesting that Latino Academy is actually an international school with people from various countries, not just those with Brazilian roots. Language is the same. It's fun to learn about Portuguese. The origin of C-chan's name was also very interesting.I want to know more about the Brazilian community and I would like to visit it in person someday.

What is the biggest cultural difference? What was hard when you came to Japan six years ago?

C-chan: In Brazil, emotional expression is big, whereas in Japan, people don't show it much. So,I'm a little afraid that I might be bothering people around me because I express my emotions too much.
And living in Japan as an immigrant, every day is fresh and full of learning. It is definitely hard not knowing the language. Also, I don't like being looked at strangely when I'm walking down the street.

I heard you were interested in learning Japanese. Was there a trigger for that?

C-chan:The biggest reason is that I have to survive. As long as I live in Japan, I feel that Japanese is necessary. Of course, learning Japanese is fun! Because it's difficult and interesting. Also, my parents don't understand Japanese, so I think if I learn it, I can help them.
Y-san: C-chan's motivation to learn Japanese shows in every aspect, and I understand it well. I'm not a professional, but we do simulation practice together online. Like interactions at a store register.

Have there been any changes in yourself or those around you since participating in the mentor program?

C-chan: The biggest change is my view on Japanese universities. Before participating in the mentor program, I thought you had to be a native speaker to enter a Japanese university. But I learned that there are options to study in English at universities, and that even if you aren't a native speaker, you canchallenge yourself to take university entrance exams in Japan.
Y-san: As for my personal change, I've started thinking about C-chan every day.I feel closer to the Brazilian community and Brazil. If I hear something about Brazil, C-chan comes to mind. If I learn about food, I wonder, "Is this something C-chan eats regularly?" 😃
Also, mentoring is an activity that broadens your horizons. I usually work as a university professor, and university classes have set themes and goals, in a format where the teacher teaches and the students learn. I thought the mentor program is very different in that it is flexible and we learn from each other. It's more flexible, and I feel thathow to be considerate of the other person is the essence of it. I might not be a good mentor yet, but I am learning every day!

What would you like to do together in the future?

C-chan: I want to meet Y-san in person! Actually, I was planning to meet Y-san this August and bring my friend along. I wanted to introduce my friend too. But it suddenly became impossible. So I want to meet Y-san.
Y-san: Me too. I want to meet C-chan and her friends, and I think it would be nice to visit the area where C-chan lives ^^

I think C-chan has graduated from school, but do you have any future plans? What kind of things do you want to talk about with Y-san?

C-chan: Yes, I want to go to Australia. I plan to visit local universities there. I am also thinking about universities in Japan, so I want to talk to Y-san about university advancement. Also, I would like to talk about the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

A final message!

Y-san: I think C-chan is a very smart girl. But she lacks confidence. C-chan, have confidence! If there is anything I can do for you, I would be happy to do it.
C-chan: I want to be able to have more confidence. I can't speak English or Japanese well, but since I have opportunities to talk with people around me, I hope to first get used to talking a lot with the people around me. I think that if I can't talk to the people around me with confidence, I naturally won't be able to talk to people I'm meeting for the first time.

---

Interview Postscript

What left the biggest impression on me was that the mentor, Y-san, just seemed to be having a lot of fun.
I was made to realize the great influence that individual-to-individual connections have, as Y-san has come to feel closer to the Brazilian community and culture, and C-chan has begun to have the courage to take a step forward outside of the community she knows well while learning about cultural differences.
I believe that people broaden their horizons through encounters with others and the dialogues that are built up over time.
As management, we have repeatedly put into words the value of Project Ponte. And for the 2025 fiscal year, Project Ponte has redefined itself as a place to "connect + broaden horizons + take on challenges" and has begun its activities. While receiving energy from accompanying the challenges of young people, we as management will also continue to take on various challenges so that we can increase the number of allies for young people with immigrant roots ❤️‍🔥

[Would you like to request a lecture from immi lab?]
To help more people understand the current situation of young people with immigrant roots, we give lectures at universities and companies. info@immilab.org Please contact us at.
Examples of past lectures:
・Introduction to issues and activities
・Career guidance for young people with immigrant roots
・Human rights training, workshops
・Representative lectures, etc.

[Would you like to support our activities with a donation?]
immi lab's activities are supported by your donations. Please click here to consider it.

[Follow our updates]
・Announcements and activity reports, etc.：facebook
・Latest information from the field: Instagram
・Monthly newsletter

#MentorProgram #ImmigrantRoots #Volunteer #Dialogue #Connection