「Volunteering」カテゴリーアーカイブ

Marisa Tomaru – Volunteer at Mistuba Yochien (Preschool)

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My CIP was at Mitsuba Yochien which is a local preschool a ten minute walk from campus. I attended the after school care where all of the remaining students would play in a big room together.

Overall, I really enjoyed getting to know all of the students and seeing the dynamics of Japanese kids in this space. Because the kids are comfortable with each other and I was the outsider, they were very welcoming and wanted to get to know me in a way that I haven’t seen in other spaces. This experience helped me understand Kansai-ben better and speaking Japanese even when I wasn’t confident in what was going on.

To incoming students who are interested: My biggest advice would be to ask the teachers for guidance when you can! They know best and you are there to support them so don’t be shy in asking even though it is very busy at times. Also! Japanese kids (or maybe just all kids) are very friendly and touchy so be prepared for them to climb all over you. And bring a mask because they can be a little sticky sometimes.

Camilo Becerra: Volunteering at Nalba Children’s Cafeteria

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For my CIP, I chose to volunteer at Nalba, a children’s cafeteria in the Kitayama area in Kyoto. A few times a week, groups of around 15 children go to Nalba to play, do their homework, and have dinner together. Once a week, I got to join a staff of adult volunteers in cooking the food and playing with the children. Here, I got the chance to contribute to the valuable mission of supporting busy parents in taking care of their children, which was a new experience that I found very rewarding.

I really appreciated the chance to share a special moment of recreation, cooking, and dining with this community. All the staff were very welcoming, sweet, and nice people, and the children were all very fun, sweet, energetic, and welcoming as well. I am glad to have met and shared this semester with them. It was definitely a new experience for me, but I got to learn a lot, put myself in a new situation, and learn how to make some great food!

I would not recommend this CIP for everyone, though. I think it requires a certain type of person to succeed at this activity, and I think that having a pretty high level of Japanese is very useful. The children spoke very quickly, which made communication difficult until my Japanese began to improve. However, I think that if you have a genuine interest in being a part of Nalba, and have an approachable, willing attitude, you can succeed at this CIP.

Derrick Chen: Volunteering at Umekoji Koen

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Alongside Sam and Jonah, I volunteered at Umekoji Koen on Saturday mornings for 2 hours alongside Kyoto locals. Every week, we would work on different parks of the park for the sake of beautifying it, and by the end we could see our efforts paying off. No week was the same, one week we would be trimming trees and pulling out stumps, the next we could be digging holes to plant new flowers into, it kept the activity fresh and interesting. Everyone was also very welcoming to our different levels of Japanese, and despite language barriers, they made sure we were understood, felt welcome, and made their best efforts

to try to get every point across. After the CIP activities ended, we would huddle around the backyard and drink tea and socialize. Afterwards, we would find ourselves grabbing lunch together as well. I found myself often finding or learning one new thing about plants and Japanese culture just from participating in conversation and volunteering activities.

To future students: This CIP is a fun laid back one if you like gardening, and a low stakes environment to practice your Japanese and learn more about Japanese culture. It is also a great place to get to know one of Kyoto’s largest green areas, and also contribute to a place where much of Kyoto’s greenery thrives and people come to play and host festivals.

Tamar Feinland: Volunteering at the Kyoto Manga Museum

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For my CIP this semester, I chose to volunteer at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, as I enjoy reading manga to enhance my reading skills and Japanese and thought this would be a good opportunity to get better. I did some filing and sorting during my sessions, but most of my time there was actually spent preparing for and carrying out a gallery talk about one of their exhibits. My classmate Destiny and I were expected to follow traditional Japanese workplace manners like using keigo and excusing ourselves when we entered a room and such. However, as time passed we got more comfortable with our mentor who supervised the gallery talk and she eventually started using short form with us in our final weeks, and I was really glad she felt comfortable enough to do that, like I had made a real connection.

If any incoming students like manga and would like to volunteer at the museum, I’d definitely recommend it. It will take some time for both parties to loosen up when it comes to formalities, but after you get to know the staff, there’s not so much pressure and you can enjoy yourself a lot more.

Destiny Brewington: Volunteering at the Kyoto Manga Museum

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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!

AJ Johnston- Volunteering at NPO Reframe

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This semester I volunteered at NPO Reframe, an alternative school offering children the opportunity to interact with each other and volunteers in an environment free from the pressure and expectations of a traditional school. Generally, I found it to be a relaxing place, and having the opportunity to speak to a number of different volunteers as well as the students themselves each week was a lot of fun. Developing these community bonds, as well as chatting with some of the kids about manga and art, was a highlight of my time at this CIP.

As NPO Reframe is a very low pressure environment, anyone looking to volunteer here should be prepared to spend time in silence with the kids, or watch them play games on their iPads. Some of the kids will not want to interact with you or other volunteers, and this isn’t something you have to fix or change. Roblox skills would probably be a plus.

Lisa Lu: Volunteering at Demachi Salon

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 At Demachi Salon, I led activities (Chinese, English, Ink painting, etc.) for a group of elders that come to this elderly care center. Throughout the 2 hour session, we would start with a casual chat while they do their daily health check ins, then I lead the activity of the day, we go on a virtual trip to places in Japan, daily exercise, and games at the end. I really had a lot of fun talking to the obaachans,and they were incredibly nice and warm to young people. The experience really made me appreciate the multigenerational connection. If you like interacting with or want to help elders, I think this would be the perfect place to practice your Japanese! But one advice would be to be aware that a lot of the elders speak Kansai dialect, which can make it hard to understand them at first.

Sam Lindwall: Volunteering at Umekoji Koen

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For my CIP, I volunteered at Umekoji Park, working roughly 2 hours every Saturday morning alongside a group of 10-15 Kyoto locals. Each week had a new goal: planting and maintaining flower beds, trimming trees, improving soil quality, etc. It was a fantastic way to become part of a local community. Everyone was welcoming and eager to make conversation (especially during tea time at the end of each session!). I enjoyed gradually building relationships with a few specific members as the weeks went on. Many Saturdays ended with small group meals or time spent riding the bus together back to our respective homes. I would highly recommend this CIP to anyone looking for a low-pressure way to practice your Japanese and connect with people of varying ages, while soaking up—and contributing to—one of Kyoto’s most lush yet lively areas.

 

Mica Brabander: Volunteering at Mitsuba Preschool

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For my CIP this semester, I chose to volunteer at Mitsuba Preschool right near Doshisha’s campus. I had the opportunity to play with a large group of kids (~30–40) aged 3 to 6 once a week.

Each week, I joined the kids for activities including drawing, playing tag, reading, and origami. I had an amazing experience getting to know many of the kids well, and I always looked forward to going each week. I was able to practice my casual Japanese speaking skills with the kids, and formal Japanese with the teachers.

I would highly recommend this CIP to anyone who wants to play with a ton of energetic kids. Although it was a bit challenging to understand the kids at first, it became very rewarding as I got to know and understand them! My advice is to try your best and don’t worry about making mistakes because kids are very forgiving!

Jake Lefort: Ohara International Clubhouse

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My CIP was with Ohara International Clubhouse, an after-school program at Ohara Elementary/Middle School that focuses on teaching the students in Ohara about other cultures from around the world. My responsibilities mostly included planning games for the students, reading storybooks in English (while another teacher read the Japanese), and building strong relationships with the students!

Ohara is a really special place, and having the chance to volunteer there is an amazing opportunity to get out of the city and spend some time in nature every week. All of the teachers and staff at Ohara are also incredibly welcoming, especially the woman in charge of the Clubhouse, Hijino Kaoru-san.

If you’re interested in volunteering at Ohara, my advice would be to really understand the commitment you’re making – the commute can be a lot! But the work is really rewarding, and working in a small community like Ohara will let you really see your impact every time you come back.