This quarter I was an intern at HUB Kyoto. \u00a0HUB seemed like the perfect creative space for me to debut as a functioning member of Japanese society in a friendly, collaborative setting. \u00a0The HUB “Dojo” is a community center nestled not far from the Doshisha campus in a beautifully renovated Kyoto machiya-style building. \u00a0I was immediately smitten with its tatami rooms on the second floor and bamboo garden hidden away in the back.<\/p>\n
My first move as an intern was attending “HUB Kitchen,” a monthly event that is open to all HUB members. \u00a0It is an informal buffet-style dinner and forum where people can bounce laughs and ideas off of each other. \u00a0While there, I was able to talk to a variety of Kyoto natives in Japanese and English, and it was amazing to hear stories of how people ended up in Kyoto or kept coming back. \u00a0I was able to meet the staff members of Kyoto Journal magazine. \u00a0After I expressed my interest in writing, we soon struck up a correspondence about how I could contribute to Kyoto Journal magazine as the focus of my HUB internship.<\/p>\n
I started off preparing a summary of a Japanese documentary event that was held at HUB Kyoto. \u00a0My next project was to interview HUB Kyoto staff, and then translate the interview into whichever language it wasn’t conducted in. \u00a0I prepared my questions and looked forward to getting a personal glimpse of HUB Kyoto’s members and their unique interests. The logistics of this process proved to be quite a challenge. \u00a0The last few weeks have been an endless parade of me trying to track down people to interview. \u00a0HUB members are busy people! \u00a0I scheduled one interview two times, and on the third time when I was sure I would have success, my interviewee simply did not show up. \u00a0I really wanted to enjoy working for HUB, and if I were not juggling a schedule of KCJS courses and host family obligations, this would all seem less frustrating.<\/p>\n
Though I am not satisfied with my output this quarter at HUB, I still think that it was a good experience for me. \u00a0While it has been a challenge coordinating with the individuals at HUB, these situations have provided me with the opportunity to sharpen my Japanese communication skills (phone calls, emails, one-on-one discussions) so that they are clear and effective. \u00a0I believe that this very basic correspondence practice will be valuable to me as I continue my Japanese studies. \u00a0I look forward to a change of pace next quarter and plan to pursue a traditional and perhaps more rewarding individual class, such as pottery or tea ceremony.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This quarter I was an intern at HUB Kyoto. \u00a0HUB seemed like the perfect creative space for me to debut as a fu … \u7d9a\u304d\u3092\u8aad\u3080