Four Days of Learning and Networking at the 333 YCE Summer Camp

2025.9.15

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We were thrilled to join the 333 YCE Summer Camp! This year’s camp brought together students from Brazil, Hungary, Slovenia, France, Switzerland, Poland, Denmark, and India. From Gunma’s Lions Club 333D District, two Japanese students volunteered as interpreters, joined by two students from Ukraine.

The camp lasted only four days, but it was an incredibly fulfilling and meaningful time. Many participants said, “I wish we had more time…” — a sign of how valuable the experience was. Because the schedule was short, we truly cherished every single moment. I believe this was one of the greatest charms of the program. If these students continue international exchange in the future — and even take part as supporters — it would be wonderful✨

Day 1: Welcome Ceremony & Party

The first day featured the welcome ceremony, welcome party, and Lions-Student social gathering. At the social gathering, students enjoyed karaoke while Lions members enjoyed drinks 🍷Despite the different activities, everyone actively interacted.

The photo shown was taken during a break at the welcome ceremony. All the students had already opened up and were enthusiastically engaging with one another 😊 Conversations about self-introductions, their home countries, and life in Japan never stopped.When karaoke began, everyone had a blast!

Did you know karaoke originated in Japan, and the word “karaoke” is now recognized worldwide? It was amazing to see this Japanese cultural export become a bridge for international friendship.

Day 2: Disneyland Adventure

Day two took us to Tokyo Disneyland, one of the most highly requested spots every year!

The photo was taken right after entering the park—you can see the excitement on everyone’s faces✨ It was an extremely hot day, and some students were not used to the heat, but thankfully, no one felt unwell. Everyone fully enjoyed the attractions, food, and shopping in their own way.

Day 3: Asakusa & Akihabara, and Farewell Party

On the third day, we explored Asakusa and Akihabara, followed by the farewell party in the evening. There were some unavoidable schedule changes, but students still enjoyed authentic Japanese experiences 😊

In Asakusa, we had the rare opportunity to ride rickshaws, a truly special cultural experience. Some even visited Don Quijote for shopping 😋 Riding through the historic streets of Asakusa on a rickshaw was both exciting and memorable. In Akihabara, they explored Japanese subculture and enjoyed shopping.

Day 4: Farewell & Looking Ahead

On the final day, everyone went their separate ways. Some students returned to their home countries, while others traveled to Kyoto or Osaka for more sightseeing. Later, we heard that some met up again in Kyoto—a testament to the strong connections made during the camp.

The photo below shows us with students who came to see us off along with members of the Lions Club 333D District.
Europe isn’t exactly a place you can just hop over to from Japan, but we sincerely hope to meet again someday — and when we do, we’ll all have grown even more 😊

Reflections from Student Interpreters

M’s Reflection

“I am so grateful for this incredible opportunity. I have always been deeply interested in foreign languages and cultures, and dreamed of studying abroad and interacting with people from different countries.

When the camp began, I was so nervous and excited that I couldn’t think straight, and I struggled to translate from Japanese to English smoothly. Even during conversations with the YCE students, there were times when I knew what I wanted to say but couldn’t find the right words in English.

Still, thanks to translation apps and the kindness of the students, I was able to communicate and build unforgettable memories—playing games in their rooms at night, taking pictures together, and more. Riding a rickshaw was also an experience I’ll never forget!One student even told me, ‘Come visit my home country—I’ll give you a warm welcome!’ That made me determined to visit and reconnect in the future.

Through this camp, I realized how much I need to improve my English, and I am now more motivated than ever to study harder. I will keep in touch with the friends I made and hope to meet them again someday. If there’s another chance like this, I will definitely join—and hopefully, next time as a study abroad student! Thank you so much to the Lions Club and all the YCE students!”

H’s Reflection

“This camp gave me so many new encounters and was an incredible experience. It was my first time interpreting, and I discovered a new side of myself, which made me feel like I had grown a lot. Student interpreters may not be perfect, but especially for students from rural areas, experiences like this can boost motivation to learn English and think globally.

Although this wasn’t my first time with international exchange, interacting deeply with people from countries I had never been involved with before was refreshing and inspiring. The short duration actually made the time feel richer. The connections I made—with Lions Club members and students my age—will be a great asset for my life and career.

This camp made me reflect deeply on the value of international exchange. Talking to other students taught me things I never knew about their countries. For example, an Uzbek student I met by chance at Disneyland told me how impressed he was by Japanese culture and hospitality, and how much he was enjoying life in Japan. That made me so happy, and I also wanted to learn more about his culture.

Even though online communication makes global interaction easier, real-life experiences like this are truly priceless. Opportunities like this are limited, but I hope more people can experience them. Personally, I’ve had many international exchange opportunities thanks to the support of others, and I now strongly want to give back by supporting programs like this. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!”

Taran Amina

“I participated in a four-day interpreting event. Interpreting was challenging, but I had a great time working hard together with everyone. During in the event, I was able to visit Disney and Asakusa, and I made so many wonderful memories. I’m really happy that I got to experience so many things. Thank you so much!If there’s another event, I’d definitely love to join again!“

Taran Milana

“In this event, I participated as an interpreter. On-site, I focused on facilitating smooth communication between English and Japanese, ensuring that all participants felt comfortable and could interact with ease. One positive aspect was that the specialized terms and phrases I had prepared in advance proved useful, allowing me to act as an effective bridge for conversations.On the other hand, when faced with unexpected questions or sudden shifts in topic, I realized that I need to develop greater flexibility in my expressions.
Through this experience, I reaffirmed the importance of improving my ability to respond quickly and broaden the range of my expressions. Moving forward, I plan to practice with a variety of scenarios to deliver even higher-quality interpretation. Thank you very much for this opportunity—I would love to participate again if there’s another chance!”

We had an incredibly fulfilling four days✨ In an age where we can easily connect with the world through the internet, real-life experiences still hold something special. We realized how much deeper relationships can be and how unforgettable the memories become when experienced in person—things you simply can’t get online. We’re deeply grateful to the members of the Lions Club 333D District for creating this opportunity, and to everyone who helped make this an amazing experience!

The YCE program of Lions Clubs International District 333-D successfully concluded this event thanks to the leadership of Lions Kokubo, Obinata, and Yamada. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved.

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