"Some advice: join clubs. I joined the archery team even though I'd never shot anything before in my life. Learning how to shoot and all the terms in another language was pretty cool, met lots of people and made lots of new friends, and it also became a good case study for the senpai/kohai relationship. Travel when you get a chance. Most of us had easy course loads, there's less work in Japanese colleges, so you'll probably have lots of chances." Hamilton Hudson, University of California, LA, Sophia University, Fall 2001

"I joined a hip hop dance circle, and met many friends there, and even got to perform at some clubs around Tokyo. This was a big commitment, but it was really fun and really rewarding and I had a great time with them! So definitely the most important aspect of my study abroad experience was making friends with Japanese kids and not sticking just to your American friends, which can be very tempting." Timothy Miller, Vanderbilt University, Sophia University, Spring 2002

"Another aspect of my experience that I consider to have been very important was my participation in a college club. I joined the tea ceremony club, and practiced the tea ceremony twice a week with the five other girls who were members. It was a wonderful experience, because we shared a genuine, real activity. I felt like my interaction with them was the closest to normal interaction out of my entire experience, because they didn't make any allowances or special concessions to the fact that I was a foreign student. I was just another member, and I had to learn the rules of the ceremony just like the rest of them. They also didn't help me by translating conversations that I didn't understand. This turned out to be a good thing, because by the end of the year I could understand and even think in Japanese, because of the practice at listening and trying to speak. I think that joining a club is an important thing for any student that wants to really have a part in their school community." Laura Marschner, University of Kentucky, Kansai Gaidai, Fall 2000

"As a member of the Waseda University Symphony Orchestra, I was profoundly busy. The average American college student likely cannot begin to comprehend the dedication and industriousness with which a Japanese college student participates in group activities such as school social clubs and extracurricular activities. It seems as though long after the average American student would be demanding private time and space, Japanese students are getting their second wind for another two or three hours of group activity. This was especially evident in a circle club like the symphony orchestra. A group of Japanese students does not quickly or easily break up into individuals who go their separate ways in the evening. They often depart as individuals only reluctantly, after post-activity socializing and late-night apologies for leaving too soon." John Fitzpatrick, San Diego State University, Waseda University, Fall 2001

"The last aspect of my study abroad experience that I would like to mention is my participation in a university club. Although I was too shy to attempt to join a sports club for most of my stay in Japan, especially after hearing the rumors about how strict sports clubs at Japanese universities are, I did end up joining Konan's kyudo club for the last two months of my stay. This was a wonderful experience for a number of reasons. First, it gave me the chance to make a lot of new Japanese friends, something I hadn't successfully done for most of my stay (mostly because I tend to be a bit of a homebody and study far too much). Second, it gave me the chance to observe for myself the sports club environment that I had heard so much about, which gave me a taste of Japanese culture as well. Third, through practicing kyudo itself, I learned a bit about traditional Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, while at the same time learning a sport I would never have had the chance to study in America. I was really touched by how supportive my coach and fellow club members were--in fact, I was a little embarrassed by it most of the time--but I felt so accepted there that I found myself wishing, when it was time to go home, that I could stay at Konan just to keep practicing kyudo. I have been exchanging emails with one of the club members ever since my return to America, and hope to return to Konan for at least a short time in the near future to practice with my old teammates again." Amy Vance, Michigan State University, Konan University, Fall 2001

"To better integrate myself at ICU, I joined the Wadaiko club after classes started in September. I had no idea what traditional Japanese drumming would be, but it sounded interesting to try, and I could make new friends in the process. The extracurricular clubs, saakuru (circle), at ICU did not resemble their American counterparts. In the US I was used to participating in several different programs simultaneously, while also keeping up with my studies. The clubs at ICU practiced intensely; wadaiko rehearsed for six hours per week when there were no performances. However, that was never the case. We constantly had a performance to prepare, so practices stretched into 16 hours every week. Furthermore, wadaiko is a total-body sport that includes dancing and striking large drums very hard. The degree of dedication it took to participate fully in a club in Japan took me by surprise. While I found it a worthwhile experience, I do wish I had had more free time while school was in session. After all, I went to Tokyo to experience a place totally different from anything else I had ever known." Margaret Grillo, University of Pennsylvania, International Christian University, Fall 2000

"While many students committed to one of the 'clubs' at Gaidai, I opted to join one of the less serious 'circles'. The Salsa Circle I joined was as educational as it was enjoyable. As a foreigner, I found it difficult to learn the proper levels of respect, consequently landing myself in awkward circumstances from time to time. However, involvement in the circle gave me another opportunity to practice Japanese as well as a closer look into the social dynamic of Japanese youth. I gained a deeper perspective on social hierarchy in Japanese culture and the complexity of the social structure." James Lazo, Kansai Gaidai, Arizona State University, Fall 2001

"I joined the badminton club at Kansai Gaidai. It turned out to be the best way to meet other Japanese students, because I was always in classes with other foreigners. Joining a club is a big commitment which required 6 days of practice totally almost 20 hours a week, but it was a great way to make Japanese friends and learn how they interact." Charlene Chiu, DePaul University, Kansai Gaidai, Fall 2000

"I joined the university's judo team in September and stuck with it until the day I left. This was probably the highlight of my stay in Japan. The time I spent with the judo guys is priceless. I have so many memories, both of good times and painful ones (and I do mean physically painful). I started as a beginner in September and came home a Yuudansha in July." Chad Diehl, Montana State University, Bozeman, Kumamoto Gakuen University, Fall 2000

"Also, by chance, I was welcomed to the soccer club and played with them once or twice per week. I never knew that club members were so tight with each other. When it was time for me to leave Japan, the club held a dumpling party for me. They couldn't make dumplings at all, but they thought they would give it a try to make me (a person of Chinese descent who grew up with dumplings) happy. All the dumplings were inedible, but it was the sweetest farewell party ever. In the end, we all went out to play our final soccer game. It was almost midnight. I could merely see the ball and everyone's faces under the dim moonlight. But I could hear my teammates cheering me on, 'Ball! That way! Shoot! Good job!' It was the best memory." Kevin Du, Rice University, IES Tokyo, Spring 2001