Japan Group Study

So, I’m finally writing my final blog post. This month has gone by in a flash and I’m truly missing Japan so much already. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first decided to take this program, but I am so glad I did. I was able to gain so much confidence in not only my Japanese, but in hesitation to try new things. I met so many people along the way and learned a lot about Japanese culture by living alongside Japanese students and seeing Japanese people in their everyday life. Although because this program was a lot of studying and classes, I didn’t explore as much as Tokyo as I would’ve liked to, I still experienced so much in this short period and met so many amazing people. It was only a month, but Japan had started to feel like another home for me. Even during my homestay, I felt part of the family because Japanese people know how to make you feel at home even when you’re so far away from it. Since my research topic was Japanese pop culture and I already had such ...

I can not believe that here we are at the end of the month already. I had no idea that this spring program was going to be this impactful on myself and also this fun. I am very happy that I was given the opportunity to have this experience. And to be able to experience with this wonderful group of students, teachers and new friends. I was able to learn a lot in and outside of the classroom. I am now able to better understand Japanese culture and daily society. Along with some of Japan's rich and interesting history. Importantly, to myself, I was able to improve my Japanese language skills. Especially my speaking and listening skills. After completing this program I feel way more comfortable when speaking Japanese. This is definitely because of the immersion aspect of this program. Having a Japanese roommate and conversation partner really helped my everyday conversation speech and let me communicate with all the residents in the I-house. When going out to restaurants or karaoke ...

Well here we are, the final blog post to end off the 2019 Japanese Spring Study Abroad Program. It has been a very fun and eventful trip this spring. I’m so honoured I got to experience the beautiful culture that was Japan, alongside many good friends, classmates, and wonderful teachers. I have learned a lot throughout this trip and have grown tremendously as a parson because of it. The experience of an entirely new culture was one that had to get some getting used to, but was definitely worth the wait for. Japan is a beautiful place filled with wonderful people, and I think that, that location and the people residing within it were able to teach me new ideas of adaptation, communication, improvisation, and of course reflection. This trip was one of the best experiences I have had in my youth. I learned a lot about Japanese customs, society, and even more about the language. Although I still have trouble speaking out in public to some Japanese people, I have seen my conv...