Back

I enjoyed going to Yamanashi, TEPIA, and the sushi-making workshop. It was really nice to bring what we learned in the classroom out into the real world.

Allyana from Summer Short 2019

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

The school trips were a great way to bond with everyone. I enjoyed going to Yamanashi, TEPIA, and the sushi-making workshop. It was really nice to bring what we learned in the classroom out into the real world. The little events like the flea market and such were nice too! I really loved interacting with the obaa-sans, they were so cute!!

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

I deeply enjoyed joining the Koto and Utau Clubs. It has always been my dream to learn how to play an Asian zither instrument so I was very excited to go to the Koto club. After only having 4 sessions to practice the Koto, I was so delighted that me and my friends were able to play "Sakura." The Utau club was also great because it's really fun to learn a language through music. I haven't been listening to Japanese music recently so it was really nice to get recommendations from Saitou-sensei. And of course, it was really fun to practice my Japanese with the club advisors and other KCP students. Through interacting with them in the clubs, I was surprised with how much I understood and could say since starting the program.

Any suggestions for improving class activities or materials?

Nothing really, I had a great experience overall. But I do think making the verb tense powerpoint slides available would be great for drill study. I made some Kanji, Minna no Nihongo, and Verb tense flashcards on a website and app called Quizlet, so if new students need/want access to them please let me know! I am totally willing to share them!

Any comments or tips for prospective/new KCP students?

Keep an open mind and get ready to learn! It's an intensive course, and it's no walk in the park. You'll have to try very hard and study a lot, but if you have the right frame of mind, it's a very rewarding experience. Learning in the classroom is a great way to learn new concepts, but you're not going to get better unless you go out and practice your Japanese! Speak with random Japanese people, and try to speak as much Japanese as you can with your friends, that's the complete language learning package. Seeing peoples' faces light up when they realized I could understand and speak Japanese was so rewarding! It removes a barrier and makes the conversation more comfortable and engaging, especially cause you get to see different peoples' personalities shine when they're speaking their native language. From my experience, most Japanese people are very patient and encouraging even when I would stumble or make mistakes. Of course, not everyone is going to be kind and patient, and if they're not, it's okay. Just say bye and move on.

Search our reviews

Student Life

Past and present students share their thoughts and experiences on studying in Japan.

View Page

Testimonials

Choosing KCP was largely to do with the ease of application. A lot of other summer courses required a lot of paperwork and recommendations and transcripts that are a big pain to gather. But KCP’s application process was very easy and self-explanatory! Also, the student life photos looked interesting!

—Sabrina Greene