Port of Call LAST UPDATE May 14, 2007
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April 10, 2007 Venice, Italy - A Walking Tour in Venice with Italian University Students
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Participants on a tour of Ca Focesca University
On April 10 Peace Boat called into the floating city of Venice, Italy, famed for its tumultuous history, mouthwatering cuisine and the impressive St Mark’s Square. Ca Focesca University Asian Language Department invited Peace Boat, for the first time, to their campus for cross-cultural interaction to forge new friendships and lead to a greater understanding and respect of each others' cultures. There was much anticipation from Peace Boat participants. What are Italian students like? What are the aspirations and interests of Italian young people? How well do they speak Japanese?
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Ca Focesca University students give a presentation on the Italian education system
Upon arriving at Ca Focesca University, 12 Japanese language students were there to greet participants and lead them on a tour of the campus. All the students are undertaking a Masters degree in Japanese, and many have been to Japan. A 51 year old Peace Boat participant commented, “I think their Japanese is better than mine!” as the students gave a presentation on the education system and language study trends in Italy.
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Participants speaking about Peace Boat’s activities
Next, all 25 Peace Boat participants, aged 19 to 78 years, changed into national costumes acquired at various ports and made a presentation using photographs to convey what they have been experiencing during the voyage until Italy. The students of Ca Focesca University were in awe of Peace Boat’s programmes both on and off the ship. They had dozens of questions like, “Where will you go next? What types of people are onboard? Can we come onboard?”
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Conversations over pizza
After visiting another Ca Focesca University campus nearby, participants and students went to a pizzeria along the banks of the Canal Grande for lunch. Over pizzas, everyone candidly talked about everything ranging from the best restaurants in Venice to the challenges of studying a foreign language.
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Participants and students enjoying a Japanese dance together
The rest of the afternoon was spent in small groups wandering around Venice, visiting major attractions and exploring the town’s back streets. It was a chance for everyone to get to know one another further, and for participants it was a way to see Venice with ‘local guides’ turned friends.
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Wandering around Venice together
The following day, the roles were reversed and Peace Boat invited the university students and their teacher, Laura Moretti onboard to see firsthand what Peace Boat is all about. In addition to a tour of the ship, they were given an opportunity to ask questions and learn about onboard activities. They heard how on any regular day at sea, Peace Boat is full of a variety of events, with numerous lectures, workshops and opportunities for people of all ages to mix together to learn from and teach each other in a community of exchange.