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Japan: Student Comments
“EAP has been an extremely valuable experience for me because it has helped me to focus my major academic interests. Living in Japan has improved my Japanese language skills and has given me insight into the Japanese perspectives, American biases, and relations between the two countries.” —EAP Student “Living in Japan made me realize the bad aspects of living in America that had never occurred to me. You start to realize that America isn't the center of the world. Overall, this year has been tremendous.” —EAP Student “My year abroad in Japan had the biggest impact on my life. It motivated me to reevaluate priorities as well as my views on people and foreign cultures. It was a character-building experience. For many of us who went through emotional ups and downs, it made us stronger people. You can't be stubborn and unaccepting of change and expect success abroad.” —EAP Student “This program allowed me to put things about my own country into perspective and has inspired me to get more out of my UC education and waste less time.” —EAP Student “I feel that I have learned a lot from EAP even though I was only in Japan for four months. I learned how to be much more independent and responsible because in a way I was on my own in Japan and I had to make a new start by meeting people and adjusting to life here.” —EAP Student “The Peace and Security program in Yokohama is an absolutely unbelievable program. Academically, culturally, and with respect to self-growth, I have learned an incredible amount from this experience.” —EAP Student “My major emphasized international relations and an understanding of the Asian financial markets. The EAP program at Meiji Gakuin was the best way to accomplish this goal of learning about them.” —EAP Student “I was awarded the University Medal when I graduated after coming back from Japan. The University Medal is a Berkeley campus award, given to 'the most distinguished graduating senior' each year. In many ways, my EAP experience contributed to my receiving that award. The experience itself distinguished my undergraduate record from many others.” —Emily Bender, UC Berkeley “I had a life-changing time in Yokohama, Japan, researching contemporary experimental music in Japan, which interests me to no end. I fell in love with the place and can't wait to go back.” —Dustin Fujikawa, UC Santa Barbara “Nineteen eighty-nine was the first year of the Peace Studies exchange program. I never would have gone into the field of social justice community organizing had I not taken the trip to Japan. Visiting Hiroshima and living in Japan changed my life.” —Erica Harrold, UC San Diego “From an academic perspective, I have been challenged in various ways. Given that nearly every class requires a plethora of papers, I have learned to hone my research skills. Further, I have learned a great deal about Japan, especially with regard to economic development and Japan's unique security needs. However, the greatest element I will take away from this program is a deeper self-understanding and a more globalized perspective on the human experience. Witnessing firsthand a culture that is so completely different from America in almost every respect has been quite shocking. Going on such trips as Hiroshima, Nara, Kamakura, and Mia Jima has further enhanced my understanding of Japanese culture and society. It is an experience on which I will continue to reflect for the rest of my life. ” —Eric Hausner, UC Berkeley “Engineering students who participate in EAP not only gain valuable international experience, but also take undergraduate course work while being able to conduct research. My experience abroad profoundly changed my life and was a decisive factor in my obtaining a job in industry.” —Paul Herz, UC Berkeley “From the wild array of neon lights in Tokyo to the Buddhist temples in Nara and Kyoto, my experience in Japan was an exciting mix of new and old. I always felt welcome in my study and travels throughout the country. But when I wasn't running around Tokyo or climbing Mt. Fuji, I was spending my time studying. Inside the classroom, there is more emphasis on final exams than on homework, which gives students more time to engage in campus life. University life is filled with club activities, sports, and social events, all of which can offer you a sense of belonging, and of course, great fun. I had an unforgettable experience on EAP and will never forget the friends I made along the way. ” —Jermaine Howard, UC Davis “The EAP program not only offered me a chance to practice my spoken Japanese and learn about Japanese culture firsthand, but also taught me that most people in the world do not think the same way I do-and that is perfectly okay!” —Daryl Pitts, UC Los Angeles “I really enjoyed my EAP experience. My one big regret is that I wish I had studied more. When I was abroad, I thought the language class I was placed in was too hard and so I talked it over with many of the teachers. They thought I should move down to an easier class. However, I wish I had stayed in the harder class. I think I would have gotten more out of the school if I challenged myself. Other than that, I had a great EAP experience. I made many friends, not just from Japan, but from many different countries including India, France, Argentina, and China. I also wish I went to more temples, shrines, and festivals.” —Michael Richmond “Japan is a world unto itself and any attempt to equate it with experiences within the United States or around the world would serve no purpose. Japan has genuinely enlightened my understanding of the importance of striving to be a 'global citizen.' Immersion into the Japanese culture and way of being was almost immediate and the situation provided for a unique experience, which required personal growth and intellectual stamina. The learning, experiencing, enjoying, and above all surprises will undoubtedly play an important role in my life as an individual as well as in my professional career. The final lesson: learning never ceases…aim higher.” —Samy Sadighi, UC Irvine “Living abroad is an unforgettable experience. It's become part of who I am now and has shaped the way I view many things. I met people who will be part of my life forever. It was just a wonderful experience in which I'm glad I was able to take part. I'm glad I didn't chicken out on my second time applying to the program.” —Mery Janet Shin, UC Berkeley “I partcipated in the taiko club and was able to perform in ther annual concert. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to participate in a club activity of such magnitude, despite the time and effort.” —Constance Wang, UC Irvine “My academic year at International Christian University was an experience that broadened my outlook on life. As a result of my positive experiences in Japan, I switched majors (to Oriental languages) and became interested in foreign policy. This study opened up new career opportunities, and I have not been disappointed with the results!” —James Zumwait, UC Berkeley “My academic program had a relatively fixed set of classes, with just two electives. The electives could be chosen from the host university's regular class schedule, and optionally one of them could be an independent research project. I chose to do a research project, and it was one of the very few things about my experience that I regret. First, in general, the personal growth you get from EAP doesn't come from solitary scholary endeavors that can more or less be done anywhere; it comes from interacting with others. Taking a regular class as my second elective would have meant more interaction with the host school students. And second, the research project was on a topic of my own choosing, so of course it was something I was interested in, but it turned out to be neither interesting nor complicated enough for an entire semester of research. One of my most intense and treasured memories from a semester full of them was my first climb of Mount Fuji (with the second climb being not far behind). In good weather, it's not much more than a long and steep hike, but do it in the middle of the night, throw in nonstop torrential rains due to the edge of a typhoon, and a dash of unexpected altitude sickness (no one ever knows if they are prone to it until the moment of truth), and you have an odyssey to remember. The climb was at the same time profoundly solitary and the very expression of camaraderie. Covered in layer after layer of supposedly waterproof material, yet somehow getting wet to the bone from the battering rain, looking now down at your feet, which move monotonously as of their own accord, and now foward, at the rocks that slide continuously beneath you, it's like you're encased in your own world of personal trial. On the other hand, you never forget for a moment that the blobs of blacker darkness always present in the darkness around you are your friends, and nothing brings a group closer than shared tribulation. When we were huddled under the thin overhang of the last rest stop, trying to share what was left of our collective body heat, the lower layers of my consciousness were peacefully happy even as the upper layers worried about the sufferer of altitude sickness.” —Jonathan
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