It's been very rewarding!
Which events or activities did you find the most satisfying and why?
My favorite activity was the trip to Kamakura and Enoshima. It was very beautiful and informative, and staying at the traditional Japanese inn was a wonderful experience. My only regret is that, to keep up with my studies, I had to bow out of the other activities. I understand that the workload is intensive for the purpose of covering as much material as possible in a short time, so I feel that it was worth it.
Which co-curriculum classes did you find most satisfying?
I very much enjoyed the lectures by Yagino-san and Saitou-Sensei. I also thought that the Akihabara tour that Tanaka-San led was informative and entertaining.
What were your goals in attending the KCP program?
I hoped to get some grasp of the Japanese language, as well as some insight into the culture and mindset of Japan. It's been very rewarding, and I feel that I am much closer to this goal!
Why did you select this program?
KCP seemed like a good mix of learning and doing. I'm very happy with the way things are going. I've gone from level absolute zero to being able to hold a basic (though formal) conversation, and while Kanji seemed like an impossible wall to surmount, I can now recognize 150-something kanji and reasonably scribble out almost as many!
What were the most productive and interesting aspects of the program for you? The least interesting and productive?
I thought that the Google Classroom aspect was helpful and innovative. I'm also very grateful for the work of Takahashi-sensei, Komine-sensei, and Kato-sensei. They really made the lessons come alive, and Kato-sensei's English support classes were absolutely invaluable. I also want to express my appreciation for the administration. Ryuhei-san, Okabe-san, and Tanaka-san are rock stars. I can't begin to imagine how they manage to juggle so many different aspects of the administration with such aplomb. I'm especially appreciative of Tanaka-san taking us to a clinic and helping with communication and forms.
What activities or materials did you find most helpful (e.g., pair work, drill practice, tests, small group sessions, textbooks, games)?
The frequent quizzes and steady stream of homework were a great opportunity to build off of what I had just learned. I didn't especially care for the Kaiwa test at the end of the term.
What did you find most valuable in the Culture Course?
The emphasis on Japanese History and the manner in which its people's mindsets changed due to foreign influence was captivating.
