I have nothing but praise towards the Japan Foundation Kansai program and gratitude for my opportunity to be a part of the six-week study trip.
Upon arriving, I was immediately impressed by the program’s organisation and the personal attention we received. By the first day our teachers had already memorised, and were addressing all thirty of us by, our names; a relatively small gesture, but one which is representative of the care we felt from our teachers. It was a privilege to be taken under the wing of the professional, generous, highly engaging and supportive teachers who work at the Kansai Centre.
My six weeks at the Kansai Centre provided an ideal and all-embracing encounter with Japan – it was the perfect experience of Japan in every way. From visiting traditional temples and castles, to browsing museums; from spending a day at a local primary school, to experiencing life in a Japanese household, to discussing in-depth the cultural mores of Japanese society, the trip was structured so as to give us maximal exposure to Japanese culture, and to prompt us to develop an informed image of the country, its people and its customs. In the classroom, we benefited from a well-refined and goal-oriented learning program. With no designated study of grammar or kanji, our classes allowed us to engage in free and dynamic discussion-style learning, all the while absorbing a constant stream of sophisticated Japanese. We naturally took on new vocabulary and kanji.
Under the one roof at the Kansai Kokusai Centre was a remarkable intersection of countries, and this added another dimension to the Japanese experience. Interestingly, while based in Japan and embracing its language and culture, I felt as if the whole world was opened up to me. The mix of nationalities fostered a particularly unique learning environment. While probing into the customs of the country we were in, we had nine other cultures to contrast them with, the result being a fascinating exchange of ideas and values. Furthermore, Japanese as the only language common to all of us, we worked hard to create lively breakfast, lunch and dinner conversation in our second language - a fantastic way to progress and also a true bonding experience. Our teachers encouraged our group from the beginning to become an ‘大きな家族’, and the tears which flowed at the end of the trip were evidence of just how close we had become. The program brought together a great, diverse collection of people and they are friends I will cherish forever.
My six weeks at the Kansai Centre nurtured in me a love of Japan and equipped me with a valuable network of Japanese friends and contacts. I can now visualise a future for myself in Japan, whether through study or work, and, thanks to the centre, I am familiar with the best steps to take to make this happen. (We were given a useful introduction to the possible avenues of study and exchange in Japan and had the opportunity to pick the brains of two current (and very fluent) Masters’ students in Osaka). Back home, I’ve hit the ground running in the new Semester of university, equipped with a whole new range of study techniques. More importantly, I have a new sense of motivation to master the Japanese language with a view to make my way back to Japan as soon as possible! |