Students return from In-country Kawasaki program

Aug 22, 2003

Participants in the University of Wollongong's "Japanese In-country" three-week program in Kawasaki recently returned from Japan.

The program involved 10 students (six from second year and four from third year) majoring in Japanese and the co-ordinator, Dr Noriko Dethlefs from the Faculty of Arts.

It was the 11th In-country program for UOW students majoring in Japanese in 2003. The In-country program, such as the one that has just taken place in Kawasaki is to become a compulsory component of the Japanese major again from 2004. It will be held in June/July for three weeks.

The aims of the program are to develop performance in speaking and understanding what is spoken in Japanese; to experience research in Japan; to develop reading and writing skills with an emphasis on functional literacy; to experience living with a Japanese family; and to develop an understanding of the capacity to operate and communicate in Japan's cultural environment.

At one stage during the trip, students prepared a University of Wollongong and Wollongong City booth at a festival where many people came to ask them questions. Students were asked to go on stage and introduce some Australian songs which, according to reports, they did very well with the help of a guitarist.

They visited the Kawasaki's Mayor's office which was a very formal visit with speeches and exchanging gifts and formal photos.