This paper reflects on my experience presenting the Czech Republic at the Cross-Generational International Workshop during the spring semester. The workshop brought together university students and students from the Otemon Gakuin Junior and Senior High School to learn about different cultures through interactive presentations and activities. As a Czech student studying in Japan, I was excited to introduce my home country while also creating an enjoyable learning experience for the audience.

When preparing my presentation, I wanted to avoid simply listing facts about the Czech Republic. Instead, I thought about what would surprise or interest Japanese participants and help them remember my country. I included topics such as the Czech language, education system, famous sightseeing spots, Christmas traditions, traditional food, and folklore. I also added comparisons between Czech and Japanese culture whenever possible because I felt it would make the content much easier to understand.

One of the most important parts of my preparation was designing an interactive workshop activity. Rather than ending with only a presentation, I tried to create a group activity where participants combined Czech and Japanese folklore to design their own original creature. I hoped this would encourage creativity and conversation while showing that cultures can share similarities even when they come from different parts of the world.

During the workshop, I introduced many aspects of Czech culture in an easy and engaging way. For example, I challenged participants to pronounce a famous Czech tongue twister containing the difficult letter "ř," introduced the Czech origin of the word "robot," and explained unique traditions such as Baby Jesus bringing Christmas presents instead of Santa Claus. I was happy to see that many participants reacted with surprise and curiosity, especially when learning about Czech Christmas customs and folklore!

The workshop activity was one of the most enjoyable parts of the session. Participants actively discussed their ideas and created imaginative creatures by combining Japanese yōkai with Czech and Slavic legends. Seeing everyone work together and enjoy learning about another culture made me feel that the workshop successfully achieved its purpose.

Through this experience, I learned that introducing culture is not only about sharing information but also about creating opportunities for people to participate and ask questions. Careful preparation, clear explanations, and interactive activities all contributed to making the presentation more enjoyable.

The workshop also helped me improve my presentation and communication skills. Speaking in front of an audience in English while explaining my own culture gave me more confidence. It reminded me that cultural exchange is a two-way process: while I introduced Czech traditions, I also learned how Japanese participants viewed them and discovered new connections between our cultures.

Overall, participating in the Cross-Generational International Workshop was a valuable experience. I hope to continue taking part in similar events in the future and to keep sharing Czech culture with people from different backgrounds.