「Volunteering」カテゴリーアーカイブ

Camille Chang: Volunteering at the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design

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My CIP was volunteering as an interpreter at the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design. I met with many craftspeople giving demonstrations at the museum, and translated their explanations of their crafts to English-speaking visitors, and any questions that a visitor might have, into Japanese.

I am an art history major, and I have always had an interest in traditional crafts and folk art, so I wanted to develop more familiarity with the world of Japanese crafts and use my Japanese to do so.  I had to switch back and forth between English and Japanese, which turned out to be easier than I thought it would be. The act of interpreting across languages made it easier for me to connect the two cultures that I had to fuse as well. Shaking off habits I had in the U.S. to better fit my lifestyle in Japan, I also found that my Japanese and English also ebbed and flowed to fit each other’s existence in my brain (if that makes sense lol). By using so much Japanese, my English has also changed! This process also taught me a lot about Japanese work culture. I was essentially doing a part-time job at a Japanese museum, and I loved getting to know my coworkers and even translate a few wall labels into English for lacquerware exhibits.

I am super grateful to have had this opportunity while in Kyoto. While volunteering was difficult at times, it gave me a great opportunity to learn more about crafts, meet artisans who have made craft their life, and use my language skills to connect people from across the world.

Judson Buchko: Teaching Assistant at Ohara Gakuin

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My CIP was as a English teaching assistant at Ohara Gakuin, a 1st-9th grade regional school just outside of Kyoto in the sleepy town of Ohara. I assisted the English teachers there along with my fellow KCJS student Sebastian as an English conversation partner with the students, as well as assisting in class lessons by providing a native perspective and native fluency. Ohara is a beautiful little town located in the northern mountains behind Kyoto, and every time I took the bus up there each week, I was astounded once again without fail of its natural beauty. The students there were very kind, and were very patient with my not-yet-fluent Japanese skills, and I ended up making a few connections that, I think, will be important memories for these students as they grow up– reminding them that there are friends and connections to be made with people regardless of their home country, language, appearance, et cetera. To incoming students, I would say that while you’re in Japan, try and engross yourself at least in some way in the everyday lives of Japanese people. Try to get outside of the 留学生 bubble at least a little bit, and immerse yourself, even if it’s hard, as putting yourself in something like a school setting, or a workplace setting, really helps you gain some valuable and unique cultural perspective on the everyday culture and activities of real Japanese people.

Anna Trapani: Volunteering at Nagaoka-kyo Children’s Center

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For my CIP I chose to volunteer at an after-school children’s center that was near my homestay. The kids were elementary to middle schoolers, and I got to play games with them, help with homework, practice my Japanese, and learn about what childhood is like in Japan. It was an amazing experience that really made me feel like a part of the community. The memories I made with the children and the staff members will be forever very special to me. For those who are not the best at putting themselves out there in the social setting, I really recommend 1. volunteer activities, because they give you a sense of purpose, and/or 2. working with kids, since they will immediately take a liking to you. For those who do chose a similar CIP, I recommend getting to know some Japanese names for games beforehand and teaching the children games you used to play, too!

Anna Yan: Volunteering at 聖マリア幼稚園　 子ども食堂 (Kodomo Shokudō)

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At Kodomo Shokudō, I volunteer to help create a welcoming space where children and families can enjoy meals together. My main tasks include assisting with meal preparation and cleanup and interacting with children to build connections and learn more about Japanese culture.

This experience has taught me the importance of communication and adaptability in cross-cultural settings. Engaging with the children has been a highlight, helping me understand Japanese values like politeness and community through their actions. Plus, the food is really good – it’s always a treat to enjoy the delicious and balanced meals prepared here.

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and engage with others, even if your Japanese isn’t perfect. Small efforts, like asking questions or sharing activities, go a long way in building meaningful connections. 

 

Xu Yitian: Volunteering at 聖マリア子ども食堂

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I participated in volunteering at the 聖マリア子ども食堂, where I helped the staff prepare dinner for kindergarten and lower elementary school children every week. In the process, I not only learned a lot about cross-cultural communication, but also felt the warmth and friendliness when interacting with the children and staff. For future participants of this program, I would like to say that although you may feel uncomfortable at first due to the language barrier or cultural differences, as long as you remain open and patient, gradually you will gain a lot and realize that you have made great progress in communication and understanding. Remember to be brave and interact with the children, their sincerity and smiles will bring you many unexpected benefits.

Afiq Amjad bin Khairir: Volunteering at Nalba

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A selfie of Afiq with three kids with their faces blurred out.

selfie with the kids at nalba

I decided to volunteer at nalba, a volunteer-run cafeteria that provides dinner for children and a safe space for them to do homework, relax, and play with others. They operate every Mon/Wed/Fri from 3.30pm to 8.00pm.

My main job at nalba was honestly just to have fun, play, and interact with the kids until dinner time. I also tried to help out with the dinner preparation once, so f you’re also interested in cooking, there’s also that aspect of nalba.

The kids were always so full of energy and constantly want to play games, run around, talk to you etc. so there’s never really a day where you don’t quite do anything at nalba. I absolutely loved talking to everyone there, from the kids, to the other volunteers, to the people in charge. They were all so kind and accommodating, so never feel scared to approach them if you have any questions regarding anything.

My advice to those interested, the kids are probably more shy/intimidated by you than you are of them, so when first starting out, you probably have to put more effort into trying to get them to play with you. They’re definitely always down to talk/interact/play, so don’t feel like you have to wait for them to come up to you.

 

Sergianni Jennings: Volunteering at NPO Reframe

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This semester I volunteered at NPO Reframe, an organization that provides a space for children and community members to be themselves and participate in various activities. I spent the majority of the semester spending time with kids and playing different games. I really enjoyed the space that NPO Reframe created because it allowed for everyone to participate in activities they enjoyed within a community. My favorite moments volunteering included having tea and cookies with kids and learning about different Japanese games that I had never played before. I found it especially fun to learn different hand gesture games that are played in Japan. It was really interesting to compare different games played when I was growing up in the U.S and what the kids play. I also had a great time teaching them the hand gesture games I played as a kid.

If you are interested in volunteering with kids in a peaceful and relaxing environment, I would recommend volunteering at NPO Reframe. The kids there are very friendly and love to spend time reading or playing games. This is the perfect environment to truly engage in conversation and also participate in different activities like tea time, cooking, video games, nature walks, etc.!

Eve Koslofsky: Volunteering at Mitsuba kindergarten

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Above is a portrait drawn for me by one of the students at Mitsuba!

For my CIP I decided to volunteer at Mitsuba kindergarten. Each week I went to Mitsuba and for two hours I played with the kids and helped them out with small tasks. I feel like I learned so much from this experience, both in my language skills and my cultural understanding of Japanese schools. The kids were all so sweet, curious, and friendly, welcoming me into their classroom with open arms. The teachers were also very generous, something I was very grateful for whenever I was confused or stuck! Anyone who is interested in this CIP, I would say give it a shot – especially if you enjoy working with little kids and want to work on your speaking or listening skills.

Jayden Fedoroff: Volunteering at Bazaar Cafe

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For my CIP, I volunteered at the Bazaar Cafe, which is right down the road from Doshisha University. The volunteer work consisted of primarily helping out in the kitchen. I would wash dishes, clean up the kitchen, and during down time, I would chat with the other volunteers and customers.

I thought that volunteering at the Bazaar Cafe was very fun! The volunteers and staff are incredibly friendly and the atmosphere was very laid back. Some of the days, the cafe was very busy, and during those times I had to wash a lot of dishes and there wasn’t as much time for chatting. However, when the cafe became less busy, I was often treated to a free lunch and I got to have some very nice conversations with the other volunteers.

I would highly recommend this CIP to students that really want to practice speaking casual Japanese (and Kansai-ben.) The volunteers are very laid back and kind, so they’re very easy to talk to. However, I would recommend also checking what the available times are for volunteering. I volunteered on Wednesdays from 12-2PM, which is when the cafe would occasionally become busy. If you would prefer a time that is less busy, I would recommend volunteering in the afternoons (around 2-4PM.) They are also very accommodating, so if you can’t come in during your usual time, if you let them know in advance, you can just come in the following week or reschedule for another time that week.

Bryan Wang: Yoshida Daycare

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I  had actually started out working at a cafe, but after a couple weeks I ended up switching to working at a daycare. I mostly just helped around the daycare and played with the kids, who were all super sweet. They were all very curious about me and American culture as well, so it was fun talking to them about that. One challenge I faced was communication. A lot of the kids spoke very quickly and with a lot of slang, so it was hard to understand them at times. But the kids were surprisingly patient with me and kindly explained what I did not know. The senseis I worked with were also very kind and accommodating and were happy to help with anything I had questions about. My biggest piece of advice is to not be afraid to ask questions. Even if you end up embarrassing yourself, you’ll inevitably learn something!