By Glaiza Salanio

During the month of June, the Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) students participated in the ASHS Global Experience (GXP) program held in Japan and Australia, which aimed to expose students to other cultures, deepen their love for their country, share Filipino culture through meaningful interaction, develop life skills, and share and apply the fruits of the program to their academic and personal lives.

Japan GXP 2024

From June 3 to June 14, the GXP in Japan became an avenue for the students to participate in a wellness program and experience spiritual development in a multicultural setting.

The program included cultural tours, class integration, pilgrimages, university visits, and opportunities to engage with locals.

“The Japan Global Exploration Tour proved to be a valuable learning experience.  It exceeded the limitations of traditional classroom ways by offering first-hand exposure to Japanese culture. This immersion fostered a deeper appreciation for their traditions and customs,” DJ Cruz, a recent graduate from the ASHS, said.

“We got to connect with people from a completely different background, which broadened my view of the world in a different way. Also, who knows, maybe these friendships will last a lifetime, giving me a chance to learn even more about Japanese culture and life from a friend’s perspective,” he concluded.

Australia GXP 2024

On the other hand, the Australia GXP 2024, spearheaded by the Academy of Entrepreneurs, happened from June 16 to June 24 in Sydney, Australia.

The program was about entrepreneurship, social impact businesses, lifestyle skills, and networking.

Some of the talks during the program were about Ikigai, a Japanese concept about our purpose in life, types of business models and revenue models, business model pitching, and turning the 17 SDG goals into business opportunities.

“As a HUMSS student, I never had an affinity for business, however, this experience has piqued my interest whilst providing me with knowledge on types of business models, how to write business reports, etcetera. It has taught me that businesses can be a haven for social service and sustainable development,” Bianca Macalalag, one of the participants, shared.

“For me, learning about something that I always deemed ‘inapplicable,’ to my future career path has definitely opened my eyes. Knowledge concerning the logistics of business or the importance of giving back to the community has helped me become more creative and detail oriented in how I approach the topics I study in the HUMSS strand. Not only this, but collaboration is integral in societal development, so it is necessary to combine knowledge from varying disciplines from multiple fields like business, literature, social sciences, etcetera,” she added.