| UOW students pictured outside a temple in Japan UOW students pictured outside a temple in Japan | 
| UOW students participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony UOW students participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony |
Arts students thrive from Japanese expedition
8 Aug 2007 | Renee Criddle
Ten students majoring in Japanese at the University of Wollongong recently returned from a three-week study abroad program in Kawasaki (Wollongong's sister city in Japan).
It was the 15th in-country program for University of Wollongong students. The ‘In-country Japanese Session’ (JAPA271) is an attractive component of the Japanese major at UOW and takes place in June/July of each year.
According to the students, the program is one the most appealing aspects of the major as it offers the opportunity to put new Japanese language skills into practice and to cultivate inter-cultural skills in ways only available through such an intensive experience. This year, the program was co-ordinated by Dr Helen Kilpatrick from the Faculty of Arts and the students were accompanied in Japan by the faculty’s Ms Terumi Narushima.
This popular subject is compulsory for all Japanese majors in the middle of the second year of study at UOW. Subject to participant numbers, the program is also available to students minoring in Japanese. Students are required to attend morning classes at Senshu University and participate in all lectures/seminars/excursions that are arranged in conjunction with Kawasaki City and the university. While in Japan they experience typical daily life by living with a Japanese host family.
The aims of the program are to develop performance in speaking and understanding of spoken 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. Dr Kilpatrick said it provides the unique opportunity to enhance both language and cultural understanding.
“Excursions include visits to Studio Ghibli, the home of Japanese anime; Kabuki theatre; schools; and aged care homes,” she said.
“The program includes cultural experiences such as learning how to put on kimonos and conduct a tea ceremony. There are also many public speaking opportunities which are also assessed as part of the subject. Students are exposed to a variety of situations ranging from the very formal visit to the Kawasaki Mayor's office, with speeches, formal photographic sessions and the exchanging of gifts to the informality of the homestay experience.”
Each year, the main highlight for the students includes meeting and conversing in Japanese with conversation partners of a similar age. Another highlight of the trip is participation in an International Festival where students introduce Japanese audiences to life in Australia, Wollongong City and, of course, the University of Wollongong.
Students prepare speeches and posters (in Japanese) about Australian sports, food and culture as part of their participation in the Australian stand at the festival. Besides learning about Japan, they can also experience other cultures at the festival by visiting similar spaces reserved for other countries.
“This year, some of our students took their musical instruments along and sang some original (self-penned) songs which were very popular with audiences,” Dr Kilpatrick said.
- Contributed by Dr Helen Kilpatrick
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