Japanese language program immerses international, UA students
Niketa Reed
Issue date: 9/3/08 Section: Life & Style
Senior Audra Jackson has served as a conversation partner with the Japanese exchange programs five times, and has worked with SILC since her freshman year.
"Since, for most of them, it's their first time in America, everything is new," Jackson said. "As conversation partners, we take our assigned Japanese students out to eat, to the mall and to our homes and dorm. We introduce them to our friends and family and just basically show them what it's like to be a college student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
"The program is intense and for three weeks, you're running everywhere and doing everything, but you make such great friends and memories that last you a lifetime, " she said. "Every second you spend is well worth it. Being a conversation partner is the perfect chance to look outside yourself and discover a little more of the world that surrounds you."
UA student Savannah Gragg is also a veteran volunteer for the Japanese exchange programs. Her family has served as a host family for exchange students six times. The host program provides the students with housing during their stay in the U.S.
"We really love having them," Gragg said. "They are always excited to cook for us, and that's our favorite part of the hosting program. They're encouraged to bring food from Japan that they can cook.
"I can only get things done while the students are in class because they have a million questions," she said with a laugh.
The Kanto program has grown in popularity over the past six years of operation.
"The two most successful parts of this program are the relationship-building with host families and time with conversation partners," Bergman-Lanier said. "It's a way to kind of find out what the life of an American college student is like."
On the Kanto Gakuin university side, program director Koji Oshii works in collaboration with Bergman-Lanier for the day-to-day operations.
"In Japan, English classes are only in grammar," Oshii said. " This is a great chance for students to learn English in an English-speaking country."
Many exchange students return to study abroad in the U.S. after their experience in the program, he said.
The program was first-come, first-served for the students who come from different education classes and majors, said Oshii, who influenced English majors Misato Ito and Yuta Sukegawa to enroll.
The two participants said they were pleasantly surprised to see the scenic countryside in Arkansas in stark comparison to the Los Angeles and New York depictions of America on T.V. in Japan.
UA students have a great university and should be very proud of it, said Ito, who wishes to go on to the U.K. and Australia to study.
Sukegawa hopes students would consider learning the Japanese language. She said she welcomes UA students to visit Japan in Yokohama and her university at Kanto Gakuin.
"Since, for most of them, it's their first time in America, everything is new," Jackson said. "As conversation partners, we take our assigned Japanese students out to eat, to the mall and to our homes and dorm. We introduce them to our friends and family and just basically show them what it's like to be a college student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
"The program is intense and for three weeks, you're running everywhere and doing everything, but you make such great friends and memories that last you a lifetime, " she said. "Every second you spend is well worth it. Being a conversation partner is the perfect chance to look outside yourself and discover a little more of the world that surrounds you."
UA student Savannah Gragg is also a veteran volunteer for the Japanese exchange programs. Her family has served as a host family for exchange students six times. The host program provides the students with housing during their stay in the U.S.
"We really love having them," Gragg said. "They are always excited to cook for us, and that's our favorite part of the hosting program. They're encouraged to bring food from Japan that they can cook.
"I can only get things done while the students are in class because they have a million questions," she said with a laugh.
The Kanto program has grown in popularity over the past six years of operation.
"The two most successful parts of this program are the relationship-building with host families and time with conversation partners," Bergman-Lanier said. "It's a way to kind of find out what the life of an American college student is like."
On the Kanto Gakuin university side, program director Koji Oshii works in collaboration with Bergman-Lanier for the day-to-day operations.
"In Japan, English classes are only in grammar," Oshii said. " This is a great chance for students to learn English in an English-speaking country."
Many exchange students return to study abroad in the U.S. after their experience in the program, he said.
The program was first-come, first-served for the students who come from different education classes and majors, said Oshii, who influenced English majors Misato Ito and Yuta Sukegawa to enroll.
The two participants said they were pleasantly surprised to see the scenic countryside in Arkansas in stark comparison to the Los Angeles and New York depictions of America on T.V. in Japan.
UA students have a great university and should be very proud of it, said Ito, who wishes to go on to the U.K. and Australia to study.
Sukegawa hopes students would consider learning the Japanese language. She said she welcomes UA students to visit Japan in Yokohama and her university at Kanto Gakuin.
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