I have been going to the 食事会 for the Kyodai International Exchange Circle every week. Other than the 食事会, I have attended a couple 飲み会, which have given me a chance to make more Japanese friends. Furthermore, contrary to what I at first thought, participating in a circle that is designed specifically for exchange students has not put me in situations in which I am likely to speak English, but rather, almost all of the members speak only in Japanese with me. Many claimed to not really speak any English, or said they were focusing on other languages.
My main goal for a CIP was to make more Japanese friends, as I have felt that I have not had enough opportunities to meet Japanese students at KCJS. I believe that participating in KIX has fulfilled this goal. Furthermore, it has made me realize the extent to which my Japanese language improvement depends on my own decisions. Being in Japan does not necesarilly mean always being in a Japanese speaking environment. Through KIX, I have been able to make Japanese friends with whom I speak in Japanese almost exclusively. Finding these friends through KIX has made me realize that especially when studying abroad, everything is worth trying at least once.
Yeah I would have to agree. Studying abroad in a foreign country does not guarantee some type of exponential increase in one’s language ability, albeit it does definitely have much more opportunities to practice. One’s growth is definitely a reflection on how active they are in their learning experience, especially outside of the classroom. I also did a International Exchange Circle and totally feel the same way.
It definitely is weird though that a majority of the people there did not seem to know any English….or other foreign languages. Interesting to find that is also a thing in your circle.
Yeah, for sure. I think that one of the challenges of this semester has been knowing how much to push myself to try new things. I know what my hobbies are, but at the same time, just like my experience at KIX, there is always the possiblity that trying something once will lead to a really great experience in the end.