「Boston University」カテゴリーアーカイブ

Oscar Fong: Koto Lessons

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For my CIP, I took individual lessons on the koto, doing 1-on-1 sessions for an hour every week. We praticed the basics of actually playing the instrument, before focusing in on a few songs that would be performed at the last lesson as a “concert”!

The instrument itself was really fun (and nice to listen to), but long sessions did sometimes make my hand cramp up. I kept at it, though, and eventually reached a point where I was playing along with another instrument in practice for that concert. I even got a beginner’s certification at the end!

I was initially really scared to start this, because I had had almost zero experience with real-world formal situations and was afraid I’d say the wrong thing or do something rude, but interacting with my teacher over the weeks helped me realize that it’s not all that serious – these people are just like you, and there’s no reason to let that scare you away!

Walker Turley: Roketsuzome

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I studied Roketsuzome (wax resist dyeing) under 金井先生. Over the course of the semester I worked on creating a singular large piece.

The experience was very fun! 金井先生 was very kind and even though I wasn’t very confident in my Japanese, he explained things in a not difficult way.

My main advice is to do something you’d find interesting and don’t be afraid to make mistakes; that’s part of the learning process.

 

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.

Emilija Strydom: Fly Dance Studio

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Hypnotize by XG Dance Video

For my CIP this semester, I attended dance classes with a friend at Fly Dance Studio once a week. Here, I learned a new short choreography every lesson. 

This was an amazing experience, as not only did I get to practice a new kind of dance, but I also got to meet and interact with other Japanese people who attended, as well as the teacher. Through this, I feel that I was not only able to improve my dancing skills, but my Japanese speaking as well!

Some advice I would give is not to be afraid to ask questions in class! I think it can be easy to get stuck in the headspace thinking you have to suffer in silence if you don’t remember a certain part of the choreography, for example, but the dance teachers are so welcoming. Also, asking questions is a great way to interact with the teacher as well as other students who may attend class!

Kaya Kamei: Ikebana

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Our ikebana lessons were under Ashida Ichiju Sensei at the Kadou Enshu School of Ikebana. We had opportunities to take small group/one-on-one lessons at the Kadou Enshu School, or larger group lessons at the Heartopia Kyoto Community center. During these lessons, we would begin with a short explanation of the names of the flowers we were using that day, and an explanation of the style we would be arranging. Then we slowly worked on our own arrangements, getting feedback from Ashida Sensei as we worked.

I had such an amazing experience learning from Ashida Sensei. Beyond just teaching the stylistic philosophy of ikebana, he would also explain the rich history surrounding the art. While he does speak English, I wanted to challenge myself to speak only in Japanese, and he was very patient and always made sure to explain words I was unfamiliar with. After the one-on-one lessons, we had the honor of sharing tea with him, and during this time I was able to chat with him more about his career, and he asked me questions about my semester as well. At the last lesson, it was so hard to say goodbye as I really enjoyed the calm and kind atmosphere, but Ashida Sensei said we were welcome to come visit and take lessons again, so I hope to be able to return to Kyoto soon!

A piece of advice I would give is to really make an effort to talk to your Sensei (if you’re doing a CIP with a Sensei, but also all of the Senseis within KCJS as well)! The first few weeks I went, our conversations were mostly about ikebana, but as time went on I was able to ask about all of my curiosities and Ashida Sensei was so enthusiastic to talk to me, it was overall just such a welcoming and fulfilling experience and I think it would have been completely different if I hadn’t made an effort to make conversation. Also, don’t be afraid of one-on-one lessons! I was definitely nervous about it since there are certain rules and manners to be careful of, but over time I found that the one-on-ones was where I was able to chat with my Sensei the most and also get lots of feedback!

Charlie Carpenter: Jiu Jitsu

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For my CIP this semester, I chose to practice Jiu Jitsu at Ground Core. Ground Core is a dojo run by Morimoto Sensei and includes many other skilled masters at Jiu Jitsu that come to practice. The people there are fun to train with and are very kind to new members. Although Jiu Jitsu was a new sport for me I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Ground Core, it is one I will never forget.

Jordan Lin(Breakdancing club: Egoistic Dancers)

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For my CIP, I participated in the hip-hop/breakdancing club called Egoistic Dancers.  At the club, we did some workshops and taught each other moves.  They have different group chats for what year of breaking you are at, for example, if you are a first year, they would invite you to beginner workshops. The club didn’t really do any cyphering, which I feel like was very much needed, as it allowed everyone to interact with each other.  Many of the club members were very busy with upcoming tournaments and shows, thus there was not much room to interact with fellow breakers.  Unfortunately, they also did not have a real break space, so I would often go to another place to break.  Some advice would be to do some more research before committing to a CIP, and it doesn’t always have to be something that you are really into, because if I could go back, I would have changed my CIP to something I’ve never done before but had some interest in.  I think CIP should be moreso a place to meet and interact with the local Japanese students.

Umi Imai: Intensity Basketball Circle

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For my CIP, I joined Intensity, one of Doshisha’s basketball circles, where I participated in weekly practices throughout the semester. This circle holds practices on MTF from 3pm-6pm, and there are usually around 10-15 members who always show up.

At first, I struggled to communicate with the other members as the circle has a quieter, more gradual style of building connections. However, by showing up consistently and playing in practice matches with the other members, I slowly understood the rhythm of the group, felt more comfortable and included, and was also able to make friends.

My advice to incoming KCJS students is to be open to slower-paced relationship building and to show up consistently, as the connections form naturally over time. I also recommend not hesitating to speak up or ask if you can play with the other members, because usually the Japanese members are really nice and want to play with you but they can be a bit shy to ask you themselves.

Victoria Raiken: Shamisen at Greenwich House

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For my CIP, I took lessons at Greenwich House to learn the shamisen. I was joined by two other students from KCJS where we learned how to play a variety of traditional music pieces and ended the semester with a concert that involved the whole music school.

Before coming to Japan, not only did I have very limited experience with stringed instruments but I had also never seen a shamisen in real life before. Learning the shamisen in such a short time to perform at the concert was a big challenge for me but I’m so grateful I was given the opportunity to be a part of this community and learn about such a valued piece of Japanese culture.

My advice to incoming students would be to apply an interest you already have and use that passion to create connections within the community. Despite my skill-based challenges, I had a genuine interest in music and because of that I was able to bond with both the other KCJS students as well as the wonderful people at Greenwich House.

Evan Arbolante: Volunteer at the local Animal Shelter

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I worked at one of Kyoto’s local animal shelters for my CIP.

I had a great time taking care of the dogs and cats. Some of my responsibilities included walking the dogs, teaching them how to sit and walk alongside you, and cleaning their living spaces.

This CIP is perfect if you love animals and share a passion for protecting and caring for them. For me, it felt like a weekly therapy session where I could destress and build bonds with both the animals and the shelter staff.

For those wondering what CIP to choose, find something that excites you and offers a space to connect with others. The most valuable part of the CIP is that it gives study abroad students a chance to form a special community within Japan. Think about what kind of community you’d like to be part of when deciding on your CIP. No matter what activity people choose, CIP often leaves a warm and lasting place in our hearts—so my best advice is to come excited and ready to participate!