Teen Japanese Language Camp in Japan

My 17 year old daughter participated in the Teen Language Program in Fukuoka, Japan this last summer. This was without a doubt the scariest thing I’ve ever done. Putting my kid on a plane to Amazingland alone was emotional and frightening, but I just kept reminding myself that this was for her, and I didn’t want my fear to be her roadblock. So, in front of her I was all brave in my SuperMom cape. Behind the scenes, I was a disaster, but the difference in my daughter from that moment when she left for Japan and when I picked her up was simply astounding. She was uncertain and nervous when she left, but returned all smiles and confidence. Her speaking skills improved tremendously with full immersion. Greenheart took excellent care of us, and Connor was a joy to work with! So if you’re on the fence, count this as encouragement to take the step. This experience entirely reshaped my daughter. Now, when she talks of college, she shows interest in much more significant degrees than she did before. She thinks bigger now and has set her bar much higher than it was before. She has learned that just because something seems scary doesn’t mean it’s beyond her reach. She is already trying to figure out how to get back to Japan and has begun saving her money again. So, yes, as a mother I was sure I’d lost my mind when I agreed to this, but I definitely got cool mom points for supporting her when it was time for her to level up.

This program was an amazing experience and it is something I will never forget. I never expected to have this chance and I’m so glad that I did. The staff at greenheart travel were amazing and answered all 101 of my questions. I felt very safe while I was there and walked all over. My favorite part about the whole trip was my host family. I could not have been placed in a better family. They matched my personality and took amazing care of me. I hope to visit them again someday. The placements were very good as everybody I talked to loved their families as well.
The classes were fun and fast paced and I really enjoyed them. There was a lot of homework and my host family had to help me with it but overall I really loved this program and would gladly go back

I learned so much more not just about the language but I got to really dive deeper into the culture of japan. I made friends from all of the world and would not trade this experience for anything. If you ever get the chance to go abroad take it. You will be amazed at how it changes your views. This program really exceeded my expectations. My host family was truly wonderful and I really felt a part of their family. If I have learned Japanese a few years earlier I wish I would have been able to study abroad there. I plan on going back next year for six weeks. There are so many fun and exciting things to do in japan. A tip is to get out as much as possible if you stay inside all the time you're going to miss all the amazing things that are included in the program.

I only stayed in Tokyo for 2 weeks, but it still was one of my best experiences abroad!
My host family was really kind and funny and I could adapt to their everyday life easily. They had a daughter my age so we really bonded and it was very nice.
The school (GenkiJACS) and Greenheart Travel staff members (Allison Yates) were really helpful with everything and I appreciate their support! The classes were practical and useful, having different teachers everyday was really fun. At the school I was able to meet wonderful people and now I have friends from all around the world.
I'm very glad I joined this program and I recommend it to anyone willing to learn about Japanese culture and language!

I had one of the most amazing families anyone could get! They were the sweetest and did not mind showing me around anyplace I wanted to go. I loved Hakata station and an old lady basically pulled me into a crammed elevator while laughing because I was afraid I couldn't fit! The people in this particular town seemed so nice and open to foreigners. I personally felt like I fit in there. The staff was fun and did not mind if we asked what certain things were or got particularly confused even if the rest of the class got annoyed. Everyone had such a positive atmosphere that even the rain didn't seem to phase.

I was able to make close friends from around the world and was also able to become close with my host family. ( I still contact them and I hope to be able to see them again in a couple years.) The staff at GreenHeart Travel (Allison Yates) and GenkiJACS were amazing and they were able to answer all my questions. The only things I regret not doing were not being able to attend the last school day due to the weather. Thus making me not able to say proper goodbyes to anyone at the school. Also, I wasn’t able to go to all the places I have wished to go to. During me stay there, I was able to find some fantastic boba milk tea. I would be happy to share where I got them from if you want to know. (Sorry, I just had to say this because I love boba a lot....haha.) I do feel like the culture excursions on Saturdays could be improved. Overall, I feel that this trip was amazing!

I was in the summer language camp program for two weeks, and those two weeks were a fantastic time, not only was the school very nice and I feel I learned a lot, but being located in Tokyo, and living with a host family helped my language and communication skills increase exponentially, and I have also felt the experience in general has made me more able to communicate with people, even if I am doing it in English. I would definitely do it again if I ever have the chance.

I had a great time even though I only stayed for two weeks I felt this was a good length for me as as much as i didn't want to leave and now want to go back I missed my boyfriend a lot. The trip helped me to become more confident as it forced me to deal with my problems and anxiety head on rather than getting worked up and relying on other people. As i was only there for a short time I didn't experience much culture shock either way but it did impact my life in terms of my Japanese and ability to remember vocab and rules etc improved greatly as the school i was at's teaching methods were incredibly good and intense but in a fun way. It's also given me experiences and proof of enjoyment and self motivation in the subject to include in any personal statements or CVs when applying for uni/college. My favorite memory, or the one that comes to mind first, despite all the amazing things i did was when i first landed at the airport i looked out the window and saw fireworks exploding in the near distance and it made me laugh after the 13+ hour flight and the years of wanting to go to Japan - im finally here and there's firworks going off its almost too fitting, like a movie.

This was a very valuable experience for me not just because my Japanese language skills increased a lot, but also because I began to learn how to "adult"; namely, how to properly manage my existing amount of money that I had. My hosts were very welcoming and tolerant of my linguistic mistakes ( I made many ^^). This past summer was probably the best in my life, and I am thankful to my parents, my hosts, Greenheart, and the friends that I made overseas.

I really enjoyed going to Japan with the Greenheart Travel program. I've always wanted to go to Japan ever since I started getting into anime as well as learning the Japanese language at my school. Through the Greenheart Travel program, I was able to experience new things that I wouldn't have the opportunity to experience. I met many new people from all over world, not just the United States, but from Turkey, Taiwan, China, Australia, etc. We still keep in touch till today!

The highlight of my trip to Japan was being able to learn the Japanese language a lot more than I did in my school's Japanese class. For example, my teacher at my school told me to use "Anata" as "you", but when I said it to my teacher in Japan, she said that it was an informal use of "you" and that there are others ways of saying you in different sentences. I wouldn't have learned this in my school in Hawaii. Being able to learn a language where its the primary language of the country is a totally different experience than learning it at home.

Another highlight of my trip to Japan was being able to go to different places to truly understand the culture, the people, and it's history. I was able to explore different places that I normally wouldn't have visited. Such as an onsen, shrines, temples, and other places of interests. I also became very comfortable using public transportation whereas at home, I never even caught the bus.

Overall, I truly enjoyed my time and experience in Japan. I would recommend this program for anyone interested in learning a country's culture and it's language.