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You're only going to learn Japanese if you really put the effort to study hard.

Steven from 2012

Which events or activities did you find the most satisfying and why?

Sports Day. I thought it was silly at the time, but now I realize how awesome it really was. The more I watch Japanese TV the more I realize the importance of Sports Day in Japanese school culture. Also, I enjoyed the day we went to the Udon shop and had lunch. That was a very simple thing, but I learned a lot. I wish we would do more simple trips like that. When I studied Spanish in Spain, one day we were studying market vocabulary, when the teacher stood up and said, let's go to the fruit market! So we spent "class" at the fruit market buying fruit in a real situation! It's those real-life experiences that I think are the most valuable when learning a new language.

Why did you select this program?

When I first visited Japan I saw something beautiful in Japanese culture that I did not understand. It invoked a curiosity in me and I became really motivated to study Japanese. A common criticism of Americans is that they do not understand the world outside of America. By studying Japanese, I hope to gain insight into a foreign culture, and obtain a new level of understanding.

What were the most productive and interesting aspects of the program for you? The least interesting and productive?

Saito Sensei is the man. I have faced many tough days at KCP, but he has inspired me to keep going and to try my best. I was a professor of math in America, but I often returned home early after finishing my classes. It is really remarkable that the staff and teachers at KCP stay so late into the night working. It is really inspiring.

What activities or materials did you find most helpful (e.g., pair work, drill practice, tests, small group sessions, textbooks, games)?

Going out drinking with classmates after school. Seriously, I learned more doing this than at a cafe studying by myself.

Any further thoughts or tips for those considering the program or new KCP students?

KCP is a great program, but get ready to work hard. You're only going to learn Japanese if you really put the effort to study hard. Forget about home. If you don't embrace Japanese culture and practice Japanese everyday, you will never advance to the next level at KCP.

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It was a very convenient program length/dates and the cost was one of the best I’d ever seen.

—Kay Hood