This semester, I volunteered at the Kyoto International Manga Museum alongside Tamar under the guidance of Arisawa-san. We participated in a variety of tasks, such as labeling books and helping update the English section of the museum website, but our primary activity was conducting a gallery tour in Japanese. Through our activities and interactions with staff members, I was able to engage with and learn about manga as an art-form in ways I wouldn’t have been able to back home. There were times where I was pushed outside of my comfort zone in regards to speaking Japanese, but for future students I advise to approach these moments of discomfort and uncertainty knowing that they will ultimately help you grow. I recommend this CIP activity to anyone interested in manga, museum work, translation, or learning more about office culture in Japan!