By: Mitchell Leong
Are you looking for an opportunity to study abroad in Japan? Look no further! This spring, the Asian Studies Program is offering a semester abroad program in Japan. During Spring of 2015 I studied abroad at International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan as part of the CC program. This is a little taste of my experience!
The first block of the spring semester – Studying Asia – consisted of travel throughout Japan with visits to many historical sites such as Fujiyoshida, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Busan & Seoul in South Korea. What made this block special was our opportunity to visit and discuss each historical monument from our assigned readings. The most impactful visits came from places such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and the House of Sharing for the Comfort Women in South Korea. The exposure and real life interactions with different cultures and societies definitely enhanced our learning experience as we studied abroad.
Afterwards, we studied at International Christian University. Here, we were placed in Japanese language and culture classes and were also given the opportunity to enroll in a course at ICU. This was all done through a regular semester system. During this time, we also had the opportunity to join ICU’s clubs and organizations. I joined the tennis and archery club. In doing so, I was able to interact with the Japanese students and improve my Japanese quickly. During our time at ICU we also visited other parts of Japan like Hokkaido and Sendai. Overall, CC’s Study Abroad in Japan opens up a plethora of opportunities for anyone wanting to improve their Japanese and explore Japan.
