Summer in Japan: Japan Then and Now : Reviews (Hiratsuka)

My favorite part of the program was exploring the various cities we visited. I really enjoyed looking at the architecture and infrastructure of the cities as it gave me further insight into Japanese culture. By the end of my trip I knew my way around several cities and the train system. I also enjoyed all of the historical sites we visited and seeing so much nature around everything.

My favorite part was spending the day with my host family. We visited different locations and learned the cultural importance of them.

My favorite part was meeting with the Kanagawa University students. It was so much fun to connect with them and to share our interests and what we love about our universities.

Visiting Lawrence's sister city of Hiratsuka, as well as viewing the peace museum in Hiroshima were very humbling experiences. Learning more about our relationship with Hiratsuka and Kanagawa University was fascinating, and I met several wonderful people.

I found the conversations we had with students learning English at Kanagawa University to be the most rewarding. I really loved getting to talk to them and compare our culture. After this experience we went out to lunch with some of the students and even met with them later on during the trip.

The most rewarding elements was how busy our schedule was. We had things to do and experience every day.

I found the homestay rewarding because I got to see what just living in a Japanese home was like.

I found the host family experience to be the most rewarding, because I got to stay with a wonderful family that taught me so much about Japan and Japanese culture. It gave me an improved perspective on the daily life of someone living in Japan.

The Japanese experience portrayed at Hiroshima's peace museum was very eye-opening and powerful. American education glosses over the aftermath of using atomic bombs at the end of World War 2, so learning about that is sure to give a new perspective towards the future for peace.

Learning a rudimentary amount of Japanese will encourage more interactions with people and will make navigating on your own much easier.

I learned that Japan is a very big place with so much to do, that there would never not be anything to not do. So I would definitely suggest researching prior for specifics if someone isn't sure about what exactly they want to do. Other than that, I'd also recommend finding a place other than your hotel to work, as in my case I often fell asleep.

I learned so much about Japanese culture, history, society, and the many values and norms (both spoken and unspoken) of Japanese people. If you're looking to become more immersed with the country as a whole, this program is for you.

It is important to keep an open mind as you go along. The days can be long and you may be tired, but there is so many beautiful things to see if you look around.

Be open to learning the language and talking in Japanese! There is no better way to learn Japanese than being in Japan.

You do not have to be fluent in the language to go to Japan although it is encouraged. You just have to learn a few fundamental words and phrases that are basic speech to be able to interact at most places.