Global Initiatives Spotlight: Kyoto, Japan 2024

Courtesy of @pea.japan.2024

By CARLY CANSECO, AARYAN PATEL, HANNA WEI, GRACE YANG

As students returned to campus from break for the winter term from their homes, November break trips, or vacations, students from two term abroad programs rejoined the Exeter community from Grenoble, France, and Japan. Six seniors partook in the trip to Kyoto, Japan, which entailed taking classes at a local high school as an exchange student, being immersed in rich culture, and living with a host family for around three months.

Students who attended the Japan program enrolled at the Ritsumeikan High School, where they attended classes Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Every Thursday after lunch, the Exonians participated in cultural excursions. Each student was placed in a homeroom, which was a group of students that went to all of their classes together.

Senior Matteo Diaz explained one of his favorite parts of the school. “The high school holds a global forum every year where kids from around the world come and discuss different issues,” Diaz said. “I was a part of the Super Global Forum, and this year’s theme was regeneration, so I got to work with my classmates to create posters about regenerative farming practices.”

Forrest Zeng / The Exonian

Others found the accessibility to cultural immersion particularly fascinating. “Some of my favorite aspects of Japan’s school culture were events like Cultural Festival, Sports Festival, etc,” senior Maemi Carrillo shared. “During these events, the whole school got together and participated in games, performances, and more.”

Senior Shiqiao Zhang described his term abroad in Japan as a “life-changing” experience. “I finally had the opportunity to experience Japan from an insider’s perspective. My Japanese classmates were extremely kind and welcoming, making me feel like an integral member of the class from the first day,” Zhang recalled. 

Diaz also highlighted one of the most essential parts of all term abroad programs - understanding the importance of diversity. “I got to meet students from all over the world and hear their different perspectives on many topics. For us, it was specifically climate change and how it affects them.”

Several Exonians noted differences between class structures and learning styles. “Classes were mostly lecture-based with less group work besides when practicing language.”

Senior Nia Harris, who participated in the Japan program, noted.  “I actually missed Harkness. Professors were respectful but more formal than what I’m used to. The classroom environment was disciplined, and students were very involved.”

Diaz reflected a similar sentiment. “It was definitely seminar-based, much more similar to an American public school education or a lecture format.” However, he mentioned one class that was similar to Exeter’s practice of Harkness: “There was one class that was called English Discussion, which taught English discussion skills and conversational English.”

Carrillo also noted integral differences. “There was definitely more of an emphasis for the exchange students to practice their comprehension skills rather than stress about the material itself.”

Zhang added to this sentiment, stating, “The local Kansai dialect differs from the standard Tokyo dialect that I was familiar with, it took me some time at the beginning to get used to the pitch accent, conjugations, and vocabulary of the Kansai dialect. Familiarizing myself with the basics of the Kansai dialect greatly helped me blend into the class.” 

Another main focus of the term abroad program is exploring the culture of students’ new homes. All term abroad students stay with a host family in the surrounding regions of their school. These families are an excellent way for students to explore the new cultures at home, where they feel cared for and safe. Exonians’ strong bond with host families further enhanced their experience in foreign countries. Furthermore, during downtime, students could explore the towns near their host family’s house. 

“My host family was incredibly kind and welcoming,” Harris described. “They shared their traditions with me and showed me so much of Kyoto and Osaka. Thanks to them I was able to experience and see so many different things in my short time there.” 

Carillo explained her relationship with her host family: “They were super welcoming and patient with me as I tried my best to speak in Japanese. They took me sightseeing often and invited me out to some of the best meals of my life.”

Students also noted improvements in their Japanese. “I think it really helped me improve my conversational Japanese, build my vocabulary, and remember grammar rules. But obviously, when you’re around a language all the time, you end up being able to understand a lot more.”

Zhang also explained his struggles with the language, saying, “I fell sick during the program and had to visit a hospital by myself, which was a test of my Japanese language skills, especially concerning medical terminology.  To my surprise, I was able to understand most of the conversations.  The doctor was also very understanding and patiently explained words that I was unfamiliar with.”

Although students recommend these programs to others and describe their experience with an overall positive perspective, being away in a foreign country for three months did pose several difficulties.

“It’s definitely not an easy experience. There will be ups and downs, and you will be homesick, but overall, it has changed my life so much for the better,” Diaz stated. “It was in some ways I think more challenging than being at Exeter, but in other ways I think it was probably less stressful than my friends’ experiences who were on campus during the fall term.” 

Carillo agreed. “I think the obvious challenges were the occasional language barriers and cultural differences.” She summarized, “Ultimately, I have no regrets and would absolutely do it again.”