Resident Assistants (RA) provide day-to-day support to students living in AP House. Training sessions for 64 RAs were held between Tuesday, September 1st and Tuesday, September 8th in preparation for the next batch of incoming freshmen.
APU welcomes students from 87 countries and regions around the world, and AP House is APU's international education dormitory for freshmen. It was established so that students who come to Japan for the first time can adjust to life smoothly.
RAs work with the university to provide day-to-day support in AP House and encourage exchange among dormitory residents with a wide array of events. For residents, the RAs are a reassuring presence.

RAs undergo a wide variety of training including disaster drills, how to respond to emergencies, how to provide emotional care so residents may enjoy a comfortable dorm life and learning about the events hosted by AP House.

During the September 8th session, Beppu Chief of Police HIRAO Kazumi gave a lecture entitled "Ways to Protect Yourself from Crime" in order to heighten the students' awareness of security. In his talk he touched on incidents that have occurred in Beppu and traffic etiquette. From 1985 Chief HIRAO spent 3 years as a clerk at the Japanese Embassy in Denmark, so he conducted his entire lecture in English.

Chief HIRAO covered actual incidents and accidents that occurred in Beppu, and advised students to (1) study Japanese, (2) avoid skimpy dress, (3) lock doors and bicycles, (4) know where police boxes are located, (5) remember to dial 110 in police emergency, and (6) get to know your neighbors, as ways to ensure safe and enjoyable student life.

Reflecting on the training session, RA Leader ITO Christopher G. (APS3, Canada) remarked, "With one full week of training, we were able develop good rapport as a team. The new students will begin arriving on the 13th and I want to make sure that all 64 RAs give them a warm welcome."

With the entrance ceremony on Friday, September 18th, the new freshmen will begin their lives as APU students. Japanese students and international students with different cultural backgrounds live side-by-side in AP House where they can develop intercultural communications skills and language proficiency while undergoing the experiences required for succeeding on the global stage.

Please click here for a past article on the AP House.
*LLC Program: https://www.apu.ac.jp/home/news/article/?storyid=1258
*Field Trip: https://www.apu.ac.jp/home/news/article/?storyid=1188