Japan: GHJ International Interns
Will Cerne is a 4th year Physics and Mathematics dual major with a certificate in Japanese Professional Communication.
What inspired your interest in Japan?
Although I usually hesitate to tell the truth on this matter, the real initial spark came from watching Japanese anime in middle and high school. However, in those days I was not all that interested in Japan, but more so just enjoyed the cartoons and the alternate worlds and stories anime presented. In high school, my focus in anime shifted away from the more magic-type anime to more everyday, realistic anime. This initially sparked my interest to try and learn some basic Japanese. From there, I fell headfirst down the Japanese rabbit hole, and have been a diligent studier of Japanese ever since.
So in summary, my true interest in Japan stems from the language. I am aspiring to be proficient in Japanese to the level of natives one day, which is no easy task, but one I believe to be possible.
How did the GHJ internship fit into your academic and career plans?
As I am a Physics major who intends to become a researcher, most of the skills that would be gained teaching English may not seem relevant, but the skill of teaching will help me in my future career, as researchers at universities are usually required to teach classes. Being able to gain teaching experience helps me towards that goal. Also, I plan on going to graduate school in Japan, not only because I want to get better at Japanese, but also because the University of Tokyo and Nagoya University have a lot of theory groups working on physics I am interested in. Living in Japan for 2 months helped give me, at least to an extent, an insider perspective on what it is like to live there, which helped confirm my decision to pursue my graduate studies in Japan.
What surprised you or interested you about Japanese culture?
I think what surprised me most about Japan was that there were parts that were different from what people had told me. I think a large part of these differences came from the fact that the people who told me these facts did not speak Japanese, and so I had a fundamentally different experience than them because I was able to speak to people with little to no issues. For example, I was told that Japanese people will just respond to me in English if I attempt to use Japanese, but I never had this issue, and everyone I spoke to in stores, on the street, etc. all replied to me in Japanese.
However, even facts that don’t revolve around language were off from what people told me. For example, I was told that I would stand out and people would stare and point at me, but I did not notice anyone in Japan doing that. Overall, people, for some reason, tried to instill all of these problems that exist in Japan regarding foreigners into my head, but being there I saw none of these problems exist. That is not to say that there aren’t problems, because I’m sure there are, but as a tourist who was only there sporadically (and not with a fixed residency), I observed none of the issues that people tried to make me believe would exist.
Nina Truong is a junior majoring in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies.
What was the most challenging moment of your internship or time abroad? Most memorable moment?
As someone who is studying the Japanese language the most challenging moment was speaking Japanese to my host family. Throughout my time in Japan, I was really anxious to speak Japanese and couldn’t think in Japanese. My host family didn’t really speak English and I wanted to interact with them. Even though my Japanese wasn’t that good we were able to communicate and if it was difficult we would use translators. I was able to overcome my speaking anxiety and fear of making mistakes because my host family was so loving and caring. Living with my host family for the weekend was the most memorable experience in Japan. The homecooked meals were the best food I had in Japan and I felt like I truly got to experience the Japanese culture living with my host family. My host mother was really easy to talk to and my host brothers are so cute and nice. My host father and mother were amazing chefs.
What surprised or interested you about Japanese culture?
I knew that the Japanese culture was more focused on being community but I didn’t realize how much they cared about their citizens. They had many vending machines on the streets to keep their citizens fed and hydrated. They had a convenience store every two blocks in case you needed anything or if you were hot there was AC to cool you down. The sidewalks had a lot of tactile paving(to assist blind people) running all along the sidewalks. America only has that on the corners/stops/intersections and that surprised me about the Japanese culture about how much thought and care they have for their citizens.
What did you learn during your internship that will shape you in the long run?
I learned how to work and collaborate with other interns which will prepare me to work well in a group setting. This internship allowed me to work with many different students and I got to interact with many different personalities which made me use various teaching methods and approaches. I’ve made lifelong friends both in the States and abroad. I’ve learned what I want and do in my future career. I wouldn’t mind teaching as a career since I meet a lot of new people and learn something new every day. A job that is repetitive every day is something I know I don’t want in my future career. This opportunity allowed me to reflect on what I want and to explore my options globally during my undergraduate career.
Where would you like to travel next?
I truly enjoyed my experience abroad and I learned more about myself and made a lot of international friends. I believe that my cultural competence increased a lot and want to continue meeting new people abroad and have the opportunity to make new friends globally. I have been looking into study abroad opportunities either in Japan or related to my major in Consumer Behavior and Market Place Studies. There is an England and France internship program that I’m looking into and I’m curious how their daily life would compare to mine in the United States. I want to learn and understand the work culture over there and see if I can bring any of the skills I learned abroad back to the United States. However, I do miss Japan too and would like to travel back there to continue growth in my Japanese education and visit my host family again. I have a lot of decisions to contemplate but I know my future will involve traveling whether it’s for fun or work.
Malique Daniel is a junior majoring in English.
How did this internship fit into your academic or career plans?
My internship with GHJ International served as the perfect opportunity for me to gain practical experience teaching English in a foreign setting. Through my experiences, I gained insight into the many different obstacles that EFL teachers face (e.g., adjusting to a foreign workplace etiquette, adapting to Japanese culture and customs, and providing instructions and facilitating activities despite a language barrier) and gained the cultural and communicative competency skills required to overcome these obstacles.
What was the most challenging moment of your internship or time abroad? Most memorable moment?
The most challenging moments of my internship were those where I felt overwhelmed by a sense of unfamiliarity and made mistakes due to miscommunication; however, these moments were outshined by the memorable expressions of gratitude extended to myself and the other interns. In particular, I fondly remember a school day where students asked for our autographs, gave us tons of high fives, and took a commemorative class photo with us to remember the occasion.
What did you learn during your internship that will shape you in the long run?
I ultimately feel that this internship was one of the most formative experiences of my life thus far. While I was expecting to gain more familiarity with Japanese culture and the field of EFL instruction, I never would’ve imagined myself undergoing such immense personal growth. I became more outgoing, more adaptable, and more aware of the kinds of goals I want to achieve. My internship with GHJ was an unforgettable experience that I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.
This UW Signature Internship was developed exclusively for UW-Madison undergraduate students by the International Internship team at International Academic Programs. Learn more about opportunities to intern abroad.