My time volunteering at Klexon English Circle has been a culturally enlightening and entertaining experience.\u00a0 Through the circle, I have come to meet a lot of interesting Japanese people, mostly students from various universities in Kyoto.\u00a0 The actual CIP itself consists of speaking in English for two hours each Tuesday with various Japanese people in the circle.\u00a0 For the first hour, I talk with several people one on one for about 10 minutes each. \u00a0For the second hour everyone breaks up into small groups and talks about various topics.\u00a0 This allows for a more natural conversation to develop.\u00a0 After the two hours are over, Klexon members often go out in a more natural social setting.\u00a0 This is where I really get to talk to the members and get to know them. \u00a0At Klexon we speak all in English, but when we went out we spoke in a mix of Japanese and English, the goal being to use whichever language best facilitates communication.\u00a0 To me, learning a language in a classroom setting can often feel forced, but actually using language in a real setting was exhilarating. \u00a0More than practicing language, we were trying to have real conversations.\u00a0 I also noticed that the atmosphere became much more casual and people became more open and willing to talk.<\/p>\n
I also went to two parties held by Klexon. \u00a0At first I was unsure of how to initiate conversation \u2013 whether it should be in English or in Japanese.\u00a0 After a little while, however, people began to engage me in conversation. \u00a0While they spoke to me in English at first, people started to speak to me in Japanese as they became more comfortable.\u00a0 The structure of the language they used matched the informal setting of the party.\u00a0 They used more informal speech patterns, which immediately helped to make the environment friendlier. \u00a0In this casual environment, I managed to make some friends that I have since seen outside of the circle.<\/p>\n
When first talking to a Japanese person, I would informally introduce myself.\u00a0 We would then proceed to talk about very basic personal information.\u00a0 This type of introductory conversation is very similar to that used in America.\u00a0 I did not, nor did the Japanese people around me engage in the formal introductions common in many situations in Japan.\u00a0 The more informal setting of the party eliminated the need for such formality.<\/p>\n
These parties had no music or dancing, but were instead dinner parties in which we sat, ate, and talked together.\u00a0 Parties at my college in America are usually extremely loud and filled with people dancing rather than talking.\u00a0 The Klexon party had a completely different atmosphere.\u00a0 These parties were not just places to have fun; more importantly they were places to get to know each other.\u00a0 This is different from many American college parties where the objective seems to be having fun, not necessarily getting to know new people.<\/p>\n
I have found that it is hard to find opportunities to really sit and have a conversation with a Japanese person, so Klexon has been great in that regard.\u00a0 Klexon allowed me to experience how Japanese people socialize.\u00a0 It was also fascinating to see how Japanese people interact with a foreigner in a social setting.\u00a0 Initially, most people were slightly shy when talking to me, but as we talked they opened up and became much more willing to initiate conversation.<\/p>\n
Klexon has been a wonderful experience.\u00a0 I have had the opportunity to meet and talk in depth with many Japanese people. I am extremely glad that I picked Klexon as my CIP, and I would recommend it to anyone in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My time volunteering at Klexon English Circle has been a culturally enlightening and entertaining experience.\u00a0 … \u7d9a\u304d\u3092\u8aad\u3080