MLO 5: Cultural internalization and language immersion
5.1 Students demonstrate that they have actively immersed themselves in authentic Japanese cultural and linguistic environments and have internalized the language and cultural experience, from which they have developed a personal understanding and new perspectives of the community.
Studied at: Dokkyo University, Matsubaradanchi, Japan
Duration of Program: 1 Year
5.1 Students demonstrate that they have actively immersed themselves in authentic Japanese cultural and linguistic environments and have internalized the language and cultural experience, from which they have developed a personal understanding and new perspectives of the community.
WLC's Japanese program has exchange agreements with various Universities in Japan the one I attended in my study abroad program was, Dokkyo University. At California State University of Monterey Bay students are strongly encouraged to enroll in JAPN 420: Maximizing Study Abroad prior to their Study Abroad experience. This course prepares students for their study abroad experience in Japan.
Arriving to Japan during the month of September I was sure what I was to expect, the nervous feeling I had still had not settled in, being in a new country alone, miles away from family and friend really was unsettling at first. Many of the exchange students that had also arrived to for the exchange program felt the same way I did, this might have been part of the reason to why I was able to connect with a lot of them on the first night of meeting them. We all discussed our home country and the things that we already missed. Being able to open up to strangers and learn from them really made this program enjoyable, we had quickly become our own support group without even giving it much thought.
The way the school was set up was we had 2 semesters of schooling. These started from late September to mid-February. Then we had Spring break which lasted two months and continued to our second semester which started in April and ended in late July. Our Language and Grammar course ran from 9am – 3pm with lunch from 12pm-1pm, Monday through Thursday’s and Fridays we had half days; on this day our Language and Grammar class ran from 9am – 12pm. My first semester at Dokkyo University I only stuck to attending our require language class and trying to learn my way around the town I lived in and the town that I attended school. Between Yatsuka the town that I lived in and Matsubara-danchi the town I attended school in. In my second semester I became more involved in my university, I had enrolled in a culture class; Rekishi to Bunka (History and Culture) was a well as joined the Boxing Club on campus.
In the Language and Grammar courses we practiced various grammar points, pronunciation exercise’s, reading exercises, essay topics, and presented various topics. Through these exercises I was able to enhance and improve my level of Japanese in order to communicate with the community members of Japan. Along with the friends that I made at Dokkyo University I was able to build long lasting friendships with Japanese students.
In our History and Culture course we discussed various forms of art from Japan. Some of the assignments required us to attend some famous museums of Japan so that we could get a better look at some of the art work produced by famous artist of Japan. From this course I was able to appreciate the artistic elements of Japan and what they stood for. I discovered that if you really step back from the aesthetics of paintings and pictures you get to see a story coming from each individual artwork.
Lastly what also had a big impact in my development of my Japanese was being able to participate in the practices of the Universities Boxing club. Through this experience I was able to see the different perspective in how Japanese students and American students prioritize sports. I was surprised that Japanese students really took their training seriously. This really motivated me to continue studying Japanese.
Throughout the year I was in Japan I was able to experience a lot more than I have ever imagined myself to do, I have been truly blessed to be able to participate such an experience as this, Dokkyo has made a big impact in my perspective towards Japan and my motivation to pursue my interest in Foreign Languages.
Studied at: Dokkyo University, Matsubaradanchi, Japan
Duration of Program: 1 Year
5.1 Students demonstrate that they have actively immersed themselves in authentic Japanese cultural and linguistic environments and have internalized the language and cultural experience, from which they have developed a personal understanding and new perspectives of the community.
WLC's Japanese program has exchange agreements with various Universities in Japan the one I attended in my study abroad program was, Dokkyo University. At California State University of Monterey Bay students are strongly encouraged to enroll in JAPN 420: Maximizing Study Abroad prior to their Study Abroad experience. This course prepares students for their study abroad experience in Japan.
Arriving to Japan during the month of September I was sure what I was to expect, the nervous feeling I had still had not settled in, being in a new country alone, miles away from family and friend really was unsettling at first. Many of the exchange students that had also arrived to for the exchange program felt the same way I did, this might have been part of the reason to why I was able to connect with a lot of them on the first night of meeting them. We all discussed our home country and the things that we already missed. Being able to open up to strangers and learn from them really made this program enjoyable, we had quickly become our own support group without even giving it much thought.
The way the school was set up was we had 2 semesters of schooling. These started from late September to mid-February. Then we had Spring break which lasted two months and continued to our second semester which started in April and ended in late July. Our Language and Grammar course ran from 9am – 3pm with lunch from 12pm-1pm, Monday through Thursday’s and Fridays we had half days; on this day our Language and Grammar class ran from 9am – 12pm. My first semester at Dokkyo University I only stuck to attending our require language class and trying to learn my way around the town I lived in and the town that I attended school. Between Yatsuka the town that I lived in and Matsubara-danchi the town I attended school in. In my second semester I became more involved in my university, I had enrolled in a culture class; Rekishi to Bunka (History and Culture) was a well as joined the Boxing Club on campus.
In the Language and Grammar courses we practiced various grammar points, pronunciation exercise’s, reading exercises, essay topics, and presented various topics. Through these exercises I was able to enhance and improve my level of Japanese in order to communicate with the community members of Japan. Along with the friends that I made at Dokkyo University I was able to build long lasting friendships with Japanese students.
In our History and Culture course we discussed various forms of art from Japan. Some of the assignments required us to attend some famous museums of Japan so that we could get a better look at some of the art work produced by famous artist of Japan. From this course I was able to appreciate the artistic elements of Japan and what they stood for. I discovered that if you really step back from the aesthetics of paintings and pictures you get to see a story coming from each individual artwork.
Lastly what also had a big impact in my development of my Japanese was being able to participate in the practices of the Universities Boxing club. Through this experience I was able to see the different perspective in how Japanese students and American students prioritize sports. I was surprised that Japanese students really took their training seriously. This really motivated me to continue studying Japanese.
Throughout the year I was in Japan I was able to experience a lot more than I have ever imagined myself to do, I have been truly blessed to be able to participate such an experience as this, Dokkyo has made a big impact in my perspective towards Japan and my motivation to pursue my interest in Foreign Languages.