Yutaka Asai did courses in Modern languages and History in 1978, as an academic mobility student
Photo: Mariana Haupenthal
After 40 years, Liberal Arts major Yutaka Asai returned to PUCRS, in May, to visit the institution that opened its doors for him, during an academic mobility program in 1978. Asai, a native of Japan, was a major at the Department of Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian Studies at Sophia University, in Tokyo (Japan), and came to Brazil to study Portuguese in the Letters program and some other courses in History, both of which at the School of Humanities.
During his tour around campus, Asai went to the Science and Technology Park of PUCRS (Tecnopuc), to the Ir. José Otão Main Library and to the Science and Technology Museum. He was taken by surprised when he saw how much the university has grown. “I’m very happy to see the constant evolution of PUCRS”, said he, in fluent Portuguese. He was in awe of the opportunities for brining companies, students and research together at Tecnopuc.
Japanese-Brazilian Connection
Asai told us that during his academic mobility program he had the chance to meet people from different cultures. He lived with an Italian-German-Brazilian family and made friends with whom he is still in contact up until today, such as former School of Medicine professor, Dr Yukio Moriguchi.
The former student returned to Tokyo in the beginning of 1979 to finish his degree, but came to Brazil again in the early 1990s, as he spent three years in the city of Campo Bom. Asai worked in the shoe industry as a mediator between the Brazilian industry and the Japanese market. “Surely, my academic experience at PUCRS was helpful for me to improve my professional career”, says he.
Good memories
Despite living for so many years away from Brazil, Asai told us he always knew what was going on in the country. Although the country is going through a very difficult economic and political moment, he will not hesitate to say: “I’m still a fan of Brazil”. He is also a fan of some typical things of Rio Grande do Sul, such as the churrasco, breakfast, fruits and Grêmio, his favorite soccer team, which he is proud to follow from the other side of the planet. “My stay at PUCRS was very special. I can’t forget the affection of professors and classmates in the classroom”, says he.
