World Campus - Japan Program

At first I was afraid and didn't know, what to expect. As a japanology student I knew a lot about Japan already, soI was starting the program with lower expactations. But I was wrong. It was the most amazing and exciting experience of my life! The people, the opportunities, the community... everything was absolutely amazing and it took my breath away! Living with host faamilies and sharing each others culture and opinions and different perspective is very exciting and it opens your mind. Also getting to know other participant's and their differences, I've learned so many thing about various countries which you would never learn at school. You get to do thing you would normally never have a chance to and you get to know Japan and other countries from it's core- Highly recommend!

For a long time Japan has been on my mind. It is a country that has rich tradition, beautiful nature and interesting popular culture. These and a few other reasons led to me wanting to visit the said country.
And so I did. Last summer I finally managed to find time to accommodate a trip abroad and I have absolutely no regrets. I stayed in Japan for a total of 6 weeks out of which three were with World Campus Japan program and while the solo travel allowed me to see some places the program was not able to (like the top of Mt. Fuji), there's only so much you can experience by relying on your own decisions in a foreign country. This is where the program shines. I could just trust the staff and locals to have made their very best to provide me with experience like no other - one that truly let's me get a look at the Japanese society from the inside, whether it's in the form of living with them or visiting the governing facilities.
And this brings me to the one thing that I personally found the most important part of the whole program. Yes, you can visit many places and see many sights on your own - you might even be able to meet up with other tourists visiting from around the globe, but the one thing this program really provided me with was a family in Japan. With each city visited I got one more reason to re-visit this country as the host-families became so much more than just a place to sleep. Three cities visited, three families gained and soon, with Christmas almost knocking at our doors, it's time to prepare some cards and small presents for my new younger siblings on the island country just across one small Russia.

From July 24 to August 12, 2019 I participated in the World Campus Japan program. During my time I explored Mito, Abiko, and Tama with the program, but I also got to see Tokyo and Asakusa with my host families. Although my time in Japan was rather short, it was the best three weeks of my life and I think about it everyday.

When you participate in the World Campus Japan program you get to experience Japan in an entirely different way, almost as a local. You get to experience home stay, which is the most exciting part of the entire program. You get to experience home cooked Japanese meals, which are delicious. You also get the chance to see how your host family lives, what they do for fun, etc. Even though I only stayed with my host families for a week, I bonded with them all and I still talk to them to this day even though I've been home for two months now. I'm going back to Japan in a couple of months and I've already made plans to visit all of my host families again and I can't wait to see them.

My review of World Campus Japan wouldn't be complete without mentioning the participants, the counselors, and the program director. My group was rather small, I think there were around twelve of us. We were from all over the world and after spending three weeks doing almost everything together, you get incredibly close with each other. I still speak to some of the participants to this day and I hope that someday we see each other again.

The counselors in the program were amazing. The other participants and I noticed how hard that they worked for us and we all greatly appreciate it. The counselors have a tough job of running the town/cities that you visit and organizing it all. They also have the job of translating the language so people who can't speak Japanese know what's going on. The counselors are also there for you if you need to talk to them about anything. They are incredible.

The entire program wouldn't be possible without Hiro, the program director. You have your interview with him before you get accepted into the program and you will be communicating through him all the way until you arrive to Japan. When I participated in the program, it was my first time traveling abroad. Hiro makes everything as simple and smooth as possible. If you have any questions or issues, you can go straight to Hiro and he'll help you. Just like the counselors, he is incredible.

World Campus Japan is an amazing program that everyone should participate in. You get to make connections in Japan that can last a life time as well as making friends with the other participants. If I could do it all over again, I would.

This past summer, I spent about 6 weeks with World Campus, traveling from Omura all the way to Mito. It’s been over a month since I left Japan, but I still think about it almost every day. I was skeptical at first mainly because of the language barrier but also because of the people I would meet. But as soon as I got there, I was welcomed with open arms and smiles.
Throughout the program, I met not only Japanese people but people from all across Europe and Asia as well as fellow Americans, some of which I still talk to today. The people in each session felt like a family only a few days after meeting. The staff was wonderful and although some were about 10 years older than me, they were so easy to talk to. They were always there to listen and help. I remember not having anything to do in our free day in Tokyo so I went with Nena, one of the staff members, to Koreatown and then we walked to Shibuya and Harajuku, finding cute restaurants and coffee shops along the way. The host families were absolutely wonderful, making me feel right at home. I still keep in contact with some of my host families, like the one from Mito for example. We send each other photos and updates about what we are doing in our everyday lives and whenever I get a text from them, I huge smile comes on my face.
The activities that the staff had planned for us were unforgettable. From climbing over 800 stairs to visit a temple to training like ninjas for a day and participating in school classes, each experience was one like no other. At times, the school visits were overwhelming. I remember the first large school visit I went to. Barely speaking Japanese, I was swarmed by first graders asking if I’d play a game with them outside. Having already promised the 5th graders the same thing, but not knowing what they were saying, especially when 10 voices were talking at the same time, I said yes. We got to the field and both groups went up to me. I didn’t know what to say (literally), so I just joined whatever game of tag the other WC members were playing. But looking back at it now, it was a lot of fun and definitely worth it.
Lastly, there’s the arigato event: a night of dancing and thanking host families and LOC. I never realized how much I liked dancing. Well, I like dancing but I didn’t think I’d like dancing in public. And I don’t want to brag, but I got pretty good at the dances after a while. Along with that, all of the Americans agreed to do the Chicken Dance and we even got the families to join in. I even stepped out of my comfort zone and performed a solo in the Paprika song. I could go on and on, but my review is already really long. Basically, join the program! You will not regret it!

I went on the 2018 Session 3 trip to Mito, Ibaraki; Abiko, Chiba; and Tama, Tokyo. To put it simply, this was the best trip I had ever gone on.

Prior to the trip, I was a fairly introverted student who only had an interest in anime and the nature in Japan like the cherry blossom trees and the green grass you see in a bunch of pictures. After going by myself with only a basic understanding of the Japanese language, I've found a newfound appreciation for the country and its people.

The host families were all very welcoming and I had very unique experiences with each one. In Mito, I stayed with a family of six who lived in a house off the main road in the middle of rice fields. While I was still a bit out of my comfort zone as this was the first time I've ever traveled alone, my family made me truly appreciate the family bond and always made me feel at home even though we had the language barrier! They took me to some of the most gorgeous waterfalls and temples in the area and they taught me all about what their daily life looks like. My family in Abiko lived in a much more urban area where I got to experience more of the city. They love to travel to, and we got to make sushi rolls at home and my sisters always wanted to watch anime movies with me before bed. Finally, my host family in Tama were suburban as we lived in an apartment. I really learned a lot about the community as my brother's school was kind enough to let me sit in with my brother as part of a summer learning program.

While this was just my experience during my off time in the morning and at night, this doesn't even capture how much we would do as a program group during the day. Whether it be visiting a soy sauce factory or visiting the Girls Und Panzer museum that made the local area famous, it was something new and exciting every day. All of the other participants made me feel like a big family and I still cherish the memories we had.

This program had taken me straight out of my comfort zone and made me a much stronger person. Before I left, I would often deal with anxiety from the smallest things that would make life difficult. After the trip, I've learned just how to navigate the many small challenges such as language, bringing gifts I think the family will enjoy, and trying to give back as much as they give to me. I was able to complete the giant challenge of entering a culture I know little about, yet come out feeling like I could conquer anything thanks to the extremely kind host families, staff for the program who made me feel safe, and the participants for being kind and being able to share my experience with. I've begun Japanese courses at my college and feel ever the more motivated to return and greet my past host families and show them how much I've improved.

In 2018 I joined World Campus Japan for the second time, but that year i decided to say for two sessions - session 2 and 3 (6 weeks in total). Even though I was a participant at session 2 the previous year, I decided to join again, and I don't regret it even for a second. The amount of memories I have, and the experience I got, is priceless.
First of all, I got to meet new people from different countries. At the time I was 19 and felt young. Sometimes I wondered "Ok, so, what if I am one of the youngest there?". The answer is that it doesn't matter! I felt like a part of a huge international family. You get to do so many great things together when you attend the activities, and I promise you, you get to have a lot of fun at the Arigato Event (An event where participants dance, show their culture, and say thank you for everything to the families and community). I got to know many amazing people, and some of them I plan on visiting soon in their countries.
Second of all, the host families. It seems scary at first to stay with people you don't know, but it feels so good after you get to spend time together! I don't really speak any Japanese at all, and we still managed to establish a great connection. I taught them about my country, and they taught me about Japan. It seems like they also rediscovered a bit about Japan as well :) I also tried to teach them English, and I could learn some Japanese. At the end of the program, I could actually understand a bit! I miss all my host families, and I keep in touch with all of them. We exchange messages, and send postcards.
Third of all, the activities are great. I never felt bored, and I made my comfort zone so much bigger than before I joined World Campus. I got to try Ninja Training, met kids at school, visited a soy sauce factory, played with children, went to Oyama Mountain, made my own chopsticks, interacted with students, and so much more. I felt like not only I was learning about the Japanese culture, but I was also learning about myself.
If you have the opportunity to join the program - do it! I can't imagine a better trip to Japan, and a better way to spend my vacation-money. You will feel like a part of a huge family!

What is it really like to live in Japan? How are the Japanese People? There are many questions like these for people interested in this country on the most eastern side of asia. You might think you know the answers because you read a lot about Japan in school or during your freetime. If you ever participate in the program, you will realise, in a very positive way, that most of the stuff you've learned from books are paper talk.

Being a participant from 2017, I participated in session 1, which is the Kyushu session. These three weeks in the archipelago was one of the most memorable three weeks in my life. Apart from learning about how the real everyday mundane life is in Japan - which is in my opinion one of the best part about WCJ - you also get to see a lot of the landscape, the city life, and a lot more. Things like meeting a authentic Katana sword smith, attending and helping out in schools, trying out different martial arts (including Ninjutsu), and most importantly the wonderful and great host families, really make this program worth your time in the summer. As a bonus, you also gets to know lots and lots of people from all over the world.

When I heard about this program from my friend, I immediately decided to apply. I was excited but started to have my doubts about it a week before my flight. I was going far away from my home and all familiar to me for almost a month. But when I arrived, I realized that I had nothing to be afraid of. I met many amazing people from different countries and backgrounds and we did many interesting and exciting things together. From cooking, visiting interesting historical sites and schools to completing a ninja training and dancing at Arigato events. I've learnt so many things, especially how to work with people from different countries that see things differently than me, how to fit into a community of people even if I don't speak their language and they don't speak mine and also how to be considerate of other cultures and how to work with them. I felt really happy the whole three weeks that I spent with World Campus in Japan and I have many great memories. And I will never forget the great families that I stayed with and all the people I met while being a part of WCJ.