Your four years at Nanzan are the beginning of an exciting journey of discovering the world. My goal is to help you develop the tools that will make your journey more interesting and fulfilling, and to help you find the keys to further journeys in the future.

Learning a language is more than simply learning grammar and vocabulary. It is learning how to effectively communicate your ideas. The process of communication is also a process of discovering who you are. By discussing a range of topics with a wide variety of other students, you are developing the ability to make sense both of your own world, and also of others'. Particularly in the rapidly changing wired world of cyber space, this ability to connect with yourself and with others is crucial. Language is a tool for constructing both meaning and identity. It is a key for understanding yourself.

Language is also an essential tool for accessing ideas and information. English is the most commonly used language on the internet and in print. Students interested in policy studies need to be able to obtain the most up-to-date information from all over the world, and this requires English. English is your key to keeping informed.

Moreover, English has become the main means for peoples from different cultures to interact. If you travel to Spain, or Thailand, or China, or Australia, you will probably communicate more in English than the native language, particularly with other travelers. English is your passport for communicating with the world.

We are never sure where our future journeys will take us, but as John F. Kennedy said,
"Some people see problems, and ask why. I dream dreams, and ask why not."
In your four years at Nanzan, pack your 'life suitcase' with the most important keys that you will need for your own exciting future voyages - the ability to understand and communicate in English.