By Jennifer Pineda

In the beginning of our first year in Japanese Plus we attended the Lunar New Year Festival, sponsored by Japan Commerce Association of Washington DC. There were lots of different activities such as live performances, calligraphy, food, drinks, and games. One game stood out to my classmates and me. It was a card game – karuta. There was an announcer and the game was played on a tatami mat without shoes. When my classmates and I started to play we were very confused as to what words were being said and how the game was played. With the little Japanese we knew, we managed to play the game not very well. The game was fun to play even with the little Japanese we knew and the event was a big joy to attend to.

The second year of Japanese Plus we went to the Sakura Matsuri and saw the same organization, DC Inishie, presenting karuta. This time the game was on top of a table at a booth. The same classmates and I decided to play the game once again. This time it was more competitive and we were able to understand how to play the game and what to look for. The game consisted of poems and the first hiragana character to be said was the card that was looked for. It was more enjoyable playing the game because we knew more Japanese than before and understanding the language helped us understand the game better. It helped me realize the progress I have made over the years from knowing nothing to being able to understand what is being said and how to read Japanese. 

Another thing I have realized while being a part of Japanese Plus is that I’ve grown to be more social and learned to network. At the beginning of the program, I would often keep to myself and talk to the same people I knew because I was too shy to talk to others. This became especially hard during exchanges. Because I was shy I would minimize my talking but still try to speak Japanese. I was self-conscious of my Japanese skills and afraid to practice. I would feel more comfortable talking in English than in Japanese.

In our second year of Japanese Plus, we had a lot more exchanges and learned more Japanese. This helped boost my confidence in Japanese. I tried speaking more Japanese because I’ve realized that the process of learning a language involves mistakes and more practice. I’ve learned to network more like introducing myself and creating small talk which turns into more Japanese-focused topics. I’ve grown closer to my peers and made strong connections with them and fun memories that I will cherish. I’ve also made connections with exchange students and memorable moments. 

I’ve learned so much about Japanese culture. I feel as though I had the honor of experiencing a lot of Japanese-related things. For example, I’ve been able to have a Japanese meal. This is only the tip of the iceberg. I enjoyed having a meal and trying different flavors than what I am used to. Another thing is being able to cook a small Japanese dish such as Onigiri. It was a reoccurring thing in Japanese Plus and now on my own, I continue to make Onigiri for myself, my friends, and my family. I’ve been exposed to many different Japanese-related events such as the Sakura Matsuri, Lunar New Year Festival, Embassy of Japan, dance performances, etc. I feel like exposure to a different culture is crucial to understand another country.

I really enjoyed learning Japanese and its culture. Japanese Plus allowed me to open my horizons, meet new people, create connections, find opportunities, enjoy another culture, and so much more. I cannot express my gratitude enough and how lucky I am to have experienced this program. I am glad to have met my teachers, peers, other students, and friends. As the year comes to an end it is a sad feeling but with much hopefulness and happiness at the same time. Similar to the Cherry Blossom tree, happiness for a short time feels very beautiful in the moment but sad that they will go away soon. I am now aiming to study abroad in Japan and continue my studies of Japanese and Japanese culture in college.