「Boston University」カテゴリーアーカイブ

Jonathan Wu: Volunteering at the Kyoto International Manga Museum

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This Spring semester, I volunteered at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, where I assisted with archiving, shelving, and preserving manga while learning about Japanese workplace culture and library systems.

Volunteering at the museum was incredibly fulfilling, not only because of the unique nature of the space itself (a hybrid museum/library), but also because of how much I learned about intercultural communication and the subtleties of Japanese work etiquette. As someone who has personally loved anime and manga for a long time, getting to volunteer in a space dedicated to their preservation and study made the experience even more special. This space was a place of personal growth, cultural exchange, and meaningful connections for me, and I am incredibly thankful to have been given the opportunity to be part of it.

My advice to incoming students and prospective students: Don’t be afraid of discomfort or feeling out of place at first while abroad; these moments are often where the most growth happens. Observe how others interact socially, and most importantly, be curious and open-minded. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn simply by participating with sincerity and respect.

Sam de la Vega: Shakuhachi

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My CIP was the traditional Japanese flute known as a Shakuhachi. I had lessons once a week for about 2 hours and occasionally practiced with other students who practiced other instruments, such as the koto or shamisen. Towards the end of the semester, all of the other students involved in the instruments took part in a traditional concert recital. 

The shakuhachi was an incredible experience that was not only extremely rewarding to learn, but it also helped with listening comprehension and feeling more comfortable speaking Japanese in a more casual manner. One of the most important aspects of learning this instrument was becoming good friends with my teacher as he created an environment where learning the instrument was fun and no stress was created. 

My advice for future students of KCJS is to go beyond what you believe you’re comfortable with and do not be scared to try something new. I’m not new to learning instruments, but learning a new instrument in a language I’m not fluent in was incredibly daunting. Yet, it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. I’m forever grateful for this CIP and will continue to practice the shakuhachi for the rest of my life. 

Sloane McLean: Volunteering at NALBA Children’s Cafeteria

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Although NALBA is a cafeteria, as a volunteer I was more so responsible for playing with the kids as meals were being prepared rather than participating in the cooking. We would all have dinner together, during which I would make small talk with the kids and volunteers, and then it would be time to clean up and keep the kids entertained as they waited for their parents to come pick them up.

I love kids so this was an incredibly rewarding (though physically tiring) CIP experience for me as I got to develop relationships with the children and see them excited to spend time with me every week. The volunteers at NALBA are incredibly warm and friendly, and the children were very curious about why I was in Japan and also wanted to know about the USA, so there was always a lot to talk about and I easily made conversation with the people I met there.

I highly recommend NALBA to anyone who is nervous about their Japanese skill level but still wants a bit of a challenge for themselves — it’s easy to connect with the kids because there are so many games you can play together which require limited conversation ability, but at the same time you will definitely still need to practice the more advanced grammar you are learning in class when talking to the kids (and they talk a lot!). Speaking with the older volunteers was always a little outside of my language comfort level, but I’m glad I pushed myself. My biggest advice for anyone in a similar situation is to just power through any hesitancies you have at your CIP. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation, and ask clarifying questions as often as needed! I would say the latter piece of that advice is definitely extremely important, as it’s absolutely necessary in order to understand what the rules and boundaries are.

Overall NALBA was a warm and energetic environment I enjoyed going to every week, and leaving it was really hard. I hope many more KCJS students will participate there in the future!

Isabel Hurwitz: 茶道(Tea Ceremony)

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For my CIP I had private 茶道（Tea Ceremony) lessons with the lovely 三谷先生. Our lessons consisted of meeting once a week for about two hours to practice the steps of the ceremony including purifying (cleaning) the utensils and bowl and learning how to prepare the tea.

This was, by far, one of the most enjoyable experiences of my personal journey in Japan. Not only I was able to learn something I had been wanting to learn for a long time, but also I was able to understand the cultural and historical context of Japanese way of life through the lens of this ceremony.

I also owe this experience to 三谷先生 because she was the best teacher I could have had for this. She is the sweetest and most patient woman I’ve met. Even though I made a lot of mistakes, she kept cheering me up and telling me I got better every session, and that really inspired me to practice at home by my own.

I would recommend incoming students to do this as your CIP project if you want to get more involved in the subtle culture of Japan—or if you really like Matcha. Through this activity, you can get a deeper understanding and appreciation for the way Japan approaches interpersonal communication and mutual respect.

Daniel Kryzhanovsky: Dance

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While here in Kyoto, I did dance lessons at Fly Dance Studio near Teramachi. While here, I specifically focused on hip-hop dance lessons, slowly and surely improving my skills one class at a time. For those interested, they offer a variety of dance lessons other than hip-hop, like K-pop and jazz.

Although I wasn’t super good at it at first, I gradually improved and learned several dance moves and movements I wasn’t sure I could pull off, isolation in particular being one of the techniques that challenged me in a good way. I also met some cool people along the way who ended up chatting with me from time to time in between lessons.

If you want to do something that makes you feel a little intimidated or out of your comfort zone, don’t worry about those feelings and do what’s calling to you. You’ll end up regretting that decision–do whatever is calling to you and you’ll have the time of your life!

Zhihe Tian: KGK (Christian Student Association)

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My CIP activity is participating in KGK (Christian Student Association). KGK is a circle that any student can join to meet other students and learn about God and the Bible. There are weekly meetings (Tuesdays) starting at 6:30 PM. We will start with worship (singing songs), then self-introduction, then break up into small groups (4-5 people) and chat about a given topic to get to know each other and learn about the Bible. 


As for advice for incoming students, I encourage you to come to KGK’s meeting even if just once. The friendliest and most open people I have met in Japan are from KGK. The first time I joined, people came up and introduced themselves to me. Everyone is curious about the newcomers and wants to be your friend. I was one of 2-3 foreigners who participated regularly. KGK is majority Japanese students and everything is in Japanese. Despite not being able to understand everything (especially when I first arrived in Kyoto), the warm atmosphere makes going worthwhile. There is an Australian missionary who comes to the meeting weekly, so if you need translation, someone is there for you. Also, I’m not a Christian, but just interested in Christianity, so even if you are not Christian, you are more than welcome to come. 


In spring, there is a 3-day camp for KGK that I attended. It was a bit scary because there are a lot of people and the number of foreigners is few, but I’m really really glad I went because I bonded with the locals and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Going to KGK has made my time in Japan very special. I bonded with the locals and had cheerful moments I otherwise wouldn’t have.

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!

Theodore Chen: Sieg F.C.

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For my CIP, I joined Sieg FC, a soccer circle at Kyoto University. For clarification, soccer clubs work different in Japan, with the official university team being referred to as the “soccer club” (サッカー部) and unofficial ones (often several) being referred to as “soccer circles” (サッカーサークル). We met 1 – 3 times a week and I was able to play in a game against another circle from a different university in Kyoto. The level of play would be comparable to a Sunday league in the US, and that was about how serious everyone took it as well.

It was a bit difficult to find a club to join at first, but I was able to join Sieg because my conversation partner was already in it, and he essentially acted as a reference to get the schedule and start going to practices. I had been largely ignored/dodged when I tried to express interest in other soccer clubs, so I’d recommend going along a similar route I did in order to join one if you are interested. I think this is just due to the fact that the students aren’t sure if an exchange student would be able to fit in due to the language barrier, so with somebody who already knows you it is much easier.

I really enjoyed my time with the club, and although it was slow getting started and a bit awkward talking to everyone, over time I got to know a few people and it was really cool getting a glimpse into soccer culture in Japan as compared to the US. Regardless, soccer is still soccer no matter where you go, so it was a great avenue to get to know other Japanese students through that common ground.

Compared to other activities however, I think joining a club, especially a sports one, places the responsibility of interacting with people and making friends on you. Although it’s good I didn’t feel like I was treated differently, it meant I had to go out of my way to get to know people, which actually ended up being good Japanese practice.

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.

 

Wen-xuan Li: Volunteering at Fukakusa Kindergarten

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My volunteering at Fukakusa Kindergarten entails instructing basic English vocabulary of colors, animals, and children’s stories and playing with children during the asobi time. Will and I went there once a week, two hours each time.

I appreciate this volunteering, which provides me with a window into Japanese kindergartens and children’s rearing systems, which I could compare and contrast with the situations in China and America. It also serves as one of the few opportunities for me to be involved in the Japanese community directly by interacting with Japanese teachers and children, driving me to think about how education for children contributes to Japanese culture.

You are expected to be nervous and confused initially, but you will get through that period quickly because the teachers are amiable and helpful. They are very considerate and respectful. If you have any confusion or questions, direct communication is appreciated. The Japanese etiquette can be tricky to approach at first, but gradually, you will handle it well.