I have been volunteering at Nico Nico Tomato for the last four months, which is a volunteer organization based out of Kyoto University hospital. My time volunteering is usually divided between working with small children in a playroom within the hospital or spent organizing materials for fundraisers, events, and sometimes making presents for the pediatric staff. The work itself is fun and interesting, but I also enjoy observing the day-to-day operations of one of Kyoto\u2019s largest inner city hospitals.<\/p>\n
There were two approaches I took when participating in my CIP; the first was the \u201cofficial\u201d reason I was there: to experience Japanese in a setting besides my classroom or homestay, in which I think the volunteer work was an interesting and worthwhile setting and let my Japanese language skills develop more naturally. The second approach I took was from the perspective of a pre-medical student observing the operations of a hospital as somewhat of an insider, an opportunity I hadn\u2019t had yet, but one crucial for any pre-med student\u2019s application to medical school.<\/p>\n
The last few times I visited Nico Nico Tomato, I have spent the first forty-five minutes or so folding pamphlets, estimating the prices of small toys to be sold for a fundraising \u201ccaf\u00e9,\u201d or sticking stamps onto envelopes, all while chatting with the volunteers, who are mostly housewives. I often find myself listening to their conversations more than I participate in them, but as time has progressed in the semester, I\u2019ve noticed that I comprehend a lot more than I initially did. I see this time as good practice for listening and speaking, and it\u2019s usually pretty relaxing as well.<\/p>\n
After a certain time or when I\u2019ve finished my job, I\u2019ll go down to the playroom on the floor below and hang out with the kids. I like to think of that as a more rigorous Japanese practice, but I normally am having too much fun to really focus on the language like how I do in a classroom, and rather more how I consider it when talking to friends or my host family. I also always get to bring a thing I made home as well, which is always nice.<\/p>\n
I honestly never expected my CIP to be as enjoyable as it eventually became; the first few times I visited the hospital were tiring, too hot, and, on account of not a small lack of confidence in my language ability, quite stressful. However, the hours I put in conversing with the volunteers in the staff office and children in the playroom quickly paid off and I think my listening ability became much stronger as a result.<\/p>\n
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I have been volunteering at Nico Nico Tomato for the last four months, which is a volunteer organization based … \u7d9a\u304d\u3092\u8aad\u3080