There I am as a high school junior – on the right, middle row, in the pink flowered top.
By Kharan Pierce
The day I’ve been waiting for not just for the past four months, but for the past nine years, is finally this week. I will never not tell the story of how I knew I’d be embarking on the JET Program: when my Japanese Plus class visited the Japanese Embassy my junior year of high school, we got information on so many programs and opportunities, and the one that stuck with me was JET. I said to myself that day “I’m going to be in that program one day.” It is surreal, humbling, and satisfying that that day is here.
I went into the application process expecting to be re-applying next year, but at every step of matriculation, I kept getting through! I felt my interest in Japanese history and pop culture, food, environmental practices, and the pockets of Japanese culture I’ve experienced in DC only scratched the surface of what would make a great JET candidate. However, betting on myself in this process clearly paid off because JET was looking for someone just like me to send on the program. The application process has enhanced my confidence and reaffirmed my caliber of character as a global citizen.
As I’m only just beginning my journey in Japan, I’m excited to tap into my courage by living in another country, make new and hopefully lifelong connections and impacts, but most of all, learn all I can. Having studied Anthropology in college, I know that being immersed in this country will be the best way to absorb the ins and outs of Japanese culture. I’m also recommitting to my Japanese language studies and striving to pass the N4 level JLPT. Outside of these goals, I’m just excited for Japan to surprise me. I can’t wait to report back all the ways which it does.
My Prior Interest in Japan and Japanese Before the Program
Before attending Globalize DC’s Japanese Plus program, my main interests in Japan and the language were anime and the possibility of living in Japan with some knowledge in Japanese. At the beginning my goals were to develop a routine to learning Japanese because I wasn’t as motivated to do it entirely by myself because I didn’t know where to start. I felt anxious because it was my first time committing to a language outside of school using my own time, contemplating if I should actually go through with this or not. But I eventually settled in and built friendships that settled that anxious feeling I had.
Moment #1: Our Hybrid Zoom Classes
The zoom classes were filled with empty screens but also students who participated on camera at times. We had them during Wednesdays and it was beneficial to me because it helped me develop habits and techniques to studying Japanese in the comfort of my own home. It was also convenient because it meant that I didn’t have to go outside of the house on Wednesdays, which at the time I didn’t do a lot of. It was a pleasant period of time in our learning journey but also a very inconsistent one as well, since we failed to turn our cameras on most of the times.
Moment #2: Onigiri Action
The experience I had when making rice balls was a pleasant one, I really did enjoy it as you could see from the smile on my face. Onigiri is a very common food you see in Japan in multiple stores and is also convenient, I assume, because of the price. It’s generally filled with different types of food in it as well, being topped with seaweed over it or covered all over to make a fine seaweed taste. Onigiri Action taught me the proper way to make an onigiri and I will forever appreciate it.
Moment #3: First Couple of Days Learning Hiragana
The times I spent learning hiragana in class were filled with countless questions and laughter. Now that I think about it, it is easy to learn the characters and their meanings but very hard to remember them and implement them into conversation and expressions. These experiences benefited my learning because it gave me an opportunity to talk to everyone in the class and that would later on make it easier to talk to them as time went by, further helping me hone the language.
Moment #4: Exchanges with Japanese Students
The multiple exchanges we had with different groups of Japanese students are moments I will never forget. These experiences tested a lot of us and our skills in understanding and speaking Japanese; moreover, it also connected all of us with the Japanese students as we exchanged social media profiles and gifts. The different activities like certain topics on a piece of paper really helped us start somewhere to continue conversing with the students. These interactions usually showed me how underleveled I was at speaking, but I kept pushing forward.
Moment #5: Discovering Different Historical Moments and History About Japan
Not only did we expand our knowledge with learning Japanese, we also learned about the history of Japan with the US and explored different monuments tied to Japan. Different history like the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the monuments of a gift from an Emperor to the US. I was excited to learn this content in more specific events because I only knew so much about it and started growing curious.
A Final Word.
If the pre program me saw the progress I made over the two years I spent with Japanese Plus, I would’ve thought that I was a completely different person. Committing to the class was something I had doubts on at the beginning of the year but the constant reminder of wanting to live in Japan kept pushing me to strive for it every day. A piece of advice I’d like to give to students beginning their journey in learning Japanese is to never look back at your past self who made the decision to sign you up for the class; sometimes you have to listen to yourself and follow through with the decision you made in the past because if you participate in the class for multiple years then your past self was onto something about your future self and simply wanted you to strive for something you love. My plans for the upcoming years involving Japanese are to obviously go to Japan but to also continue my studies of the language at home. I don’t want 2 years of learning to go to waste but there’s also obstacles I will eventually tackle as well.
Before I joined Japanese Plus, my knowledge about Japan was limited to their advanced technology and the architecture of their ancient temples. When I learned that my school offered a program to study Japanese language and culture, I knew I had to take the opportunity. I wanted to explore a culture entirely different from my own and broaden my horizons. Initially, I had no idea what to expect and assumed the class would involve extensive studying and take a long time to master, given how different Japanese is from English. My only goal was to be able to hold a conversation in Japanese, as I lacked confidence in my language-learning abilities. Despite my nervousness, I was excited to learn something new and unique.
Looking back, the early days of the program now seem amusing. In the first few weeks, we painstakingly learned each hiragana character, which now we can read effortlessly. It’s surreal to see old pictures and realize how much we’ve memorized. I remember how stressed we used to get over hiragana tests, yet we recently took an entire Japanese language exam and performed better than expected.
One of the most memorable moments was when we were told we would meet Japanese students. For weeks, we prepared by studying various conversation topics, practicing introductions, and thinking of questions to ask. When we finally met, we mainly spoke in English, but it was an invaluable experience. Despite our limited proficiency, this meeting was significant for me as it pushed me out of my comfort zone and motivated me to continue learning Japanese. The Japanese students taught us about their culture and school life, and it became clear that I had learned a lot more Japanese than I realized. This encouraged me to keep improving my language skills for future interactions.
Attending the annual Sakura Matsuri (Japanese street festival) with Japanese Plus was another highlight. The festival allowed me to immerse myself in Japanese culture beyond the classroom, using some Japanese with native speakers and observing the blend of modern and traditional aspects of Japanese culture. Learning about things like strawberries from Kyoto was particularly enjoyable. The Sakura Matsuri was a fun and engaging way to deepen my understanding of Japan, and I plan to continue attending in the future.
The beginning of my second year in Japanese Plus was also significant. I felt more motivated, knowing I had limited time left in the program. Meeting a new teacher and seeing my progress since the start was enlightening and made me eager to learn more. Reuniting with friends and participating in more activities outside the classroom added to the enjoyment of the program.
As we neared the end of our second year, our final exchanges with Japanese students were memorable and unique. These interactions showcased my progress, as I could hold conversations about various topics, including city life, food, hobbies, and TV shows. One group even visited my school, allowing them to experience American high school life. Playing soccer and exploring a museum together were highlights that made me feel accomplished and slightly sad, knowing I might not have such exchanges again soon.
Visiting the Japanese embassy in DC was another moment of accomplishment. From knowing no Japanese to being invited to the embassy felt surreal and made me realize I had exceeded my expectations. The visit showed me that studying in Japan is accessible and much cheaper than in the US. It was a fitting conclusion to my two years in Japanese Plus, reinforcing that a connection to Japan is within reach if I pursue my interests.
Going forward, I plan to continue learning Japanese and possibly study in Japan for university. If you had told me two years ago how far I would be in my knowledge of Japanese, I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s amazing to see how much I’ve learned in just two years. To anyone trying to learn Japanese or any language, I would say the most important thing is to track your progress because looking back and seeing how much you’ve achieved is a big motivator. I am very grateful to have participated in Japanese Plus and hope more people take the initiative to do the same.
Before joining Japanese Plus, I had some interest in Japanese culture but very little interest in the Japanese language. Unlike some of my other classmates, I was first introduced to Japanese culture by visiting there with my family when I was 11 years old. I loved the trip and the country so much that I decided when I got back to start learning Japanese with a private tutor. Unfortunately, that idea fizzled out since my tutor had to move for work just 6 months into my journey. For years after that I never even thought about Japan or the Japanese language, I wasn’t too interested in Japanese history or pop culture, and I would have never joined the program had my mom not gotten an email advertising it. She asked me if I was interested, especially considering it would not be my first rodeo with the language, and for the sake of trying new things (and hearing that learning a new language was really good for your brain), I decided to sign up. When I first walked into class at MLK Library for the first time, I had no idea how much I was going to learn. I mean I had no idea what even “mina-san” meant the first time I had heard it. I hoped to at least be able to speak some level 1 or 2 Japanese by the end of my two years with the program, but I had no idea of the fun memories, cultural experiences, and immense studying and learning that was still to come.
The Hiragana Test:
Learning Hiragana was our first real test of any sort of real Japanese learning. Up to then we had been learning the occasional words and theorizing about the way grammar and sentence structure worked but we had no real thing we could point to that proved our knowledge and what we had learned. Hiragana was like the steppingstone into an entirely new realm of the Japanese language, writing. Just looking at my hiragana writing from the past makes me reminisce about how much I struggled memorizing those darn characters. However, it really gave me the first benchmark of my progress with the language. Something to be proud of that would keep me motivated to keep learning. While I don’t remember doing too well on the test itself, the entire learning process of Hiragana challenged the whole group in a new way and made us realize how much we had learned even though this was just the beginning.
The Haiku Competition:
While it wasn’t a huge event for everybody in the group, this competition holds a special place in my memories of the program because it made me realize that I had a passion for learning the language and could accomplish things using it. I submitted my haiku at the last minute, expecting nothing and received an award and had my poem displayed in an exhibition at the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC). This was a special moment to me as it showed me that there were real-world benefits to this. I was really getting to make connections and even win awards through the program which just motivated me more to keep going.
The First Exchange:
The first exchange group of high school students we met will always be a fond memory for me. Being able to tap in more to the cultural learning part of the program by actually meeting people from Japan who were our age was fascinating. Comparisons were drawn over every part of our everyday lives making me realize that there was so much different between us yet so much the same. This was also our first chance to really try and have sustained conversations with native Japanese speakers which admittedly didn’t go too well but it was a fantastic experience nonetheless. It was humbling seeing how little we really knew but this experience also opened our eyes to realize that there was still so much to learn in the next years and that maybe one day we would be able to converse on equal footing.
The NAFSA Conference:
The NAFSA conference was an opportunity for me to branch out into a new possibility for my future with Japan, study abroad. The conference hosted many colleges from around the world including many from Japan. The COI (Connection, Opportunity, and Initiative) program that we visited with invited us to meet with many of these Japanese college representatives to learn about their campuses and the programs they offer both in English and in Japanese. This event really gave me a view into what Japan could mean to me in the future of my education, maybe not as a full 4-year college experience but as a shorter study abroad opportunity.
The Tidal Basin Walk:
Around the beginning of our second year we went on a walk around the Tidal Basin but with one important rule. We were only allowed to speak Japanese with each other on the whole walk. If we wanted to comment on anything we saw or have any conversations we had to try and make it work using what we had already learned. Throughout the walk, we learned how to play rock paper scissors and many variations of it in Japanese to keep us entertained. We even learned a version where the way to win was to count the total amount of fingers the players had up after picking rock, paper, or scissors. This walk helped me familiarize myself with common Japanese phrases and slang speech as I was talking in a new context that I hadn’t been in before.
The Navy Yard Visit:
The Navy Yard visit was an important event to me because it was a real project and presentation that we did outside of our program. Doing this remembrance project I felt like I was doing something in the community outside of just learning, which is a key part of Japanese Plus and Globalize DC. To remember the events of Pearl Harbor, we decorated wreaths and wrote statements acknowledging the events and paying condolences to those who lost their lives. We then visited the Navy Yard complex and presented our wreaths and our statements out loud. This felt like a significant event we prepared for and involved us in the community outside of the classroom.
The Final Exchange:
The final exchange we did was with a group of children from the TOMODACHI Program, a program created following the 2011 East Japan Earthquake to form friendships between Japanese and American students. The word “tomodachi” means friend in English and the program brings students from the Tohoku region affected by the earthquake to the US. In their visit to us, we had a panel where we talked to a variety of people who have lived in both the US and Japan. We also set up conversations to talk to each other in Japanese to practice and also went to the Smithsonian American History museum as a visit. I think what I liked the most about this program was comparing it to our first ever exchange over 1 and a half years before. I knew how to speak so much more the second time compared to the first time which made me proud of my progress. It also gave me hope just like the first time that the next time I tried speaking in a group setting I’d be able to speak even better.
The Final Presentation:
The final presentation marks the end of my Japanese Plus journey. Throughout all the trials and hardships I had faced up to this point, I had finally made it and I had my final skit performance to show for it. I was able to perform my lines flawlessly, making little to no mistakes in my speaking and having good pronunciation. Unlike in my first skit performance, I knew the meaning of almost every word I was saying and felt comfortable as if I was speaking a language that I knew. This success compared to the subsequent speech I gave and diploma I received rounded off my Japanese Plus experience perfectly.
If pre-program me could see the progress I have made over these two years of learning, I believe he would be impressed by how much I had learned and how much I was able to say. I think he’d also discover how many friends and connections I made throughout the program who have changed my life for the better. I think just him seeing how I was able to perform on the STAMP test would have impressed him, especially with the listening and speaking portions.
If I were to give one piece of advice to somebody looking to start learning Japanese, I’d say first of all to go for it since I think it is a beautiful language that is challenging but rewarding to learn and has thousands of years of history and culture to be discovered. I’d also recommend trying out the basics of it on your own before committing. While Japanese may appear very difficult at first, Hiragana and Katakana can be used to read a lot and is easily learned through self-study. Basic sentence structure is also fairly easy to learn once you get the hang of the grammar. Following that, I’d enroll in any basic class and always study 5-10 minutes a day to brush up on anything you may be struggling with. I’d especially suggest dedicating a chunk of that time specifically to reading because the more you master the basic reading of Hiragana and Katakana, the less you will regret it later on.
As for the future, I am adamant in continuing my Japanese learning journey. I hope to enroll in a higher-level course for my senior year outside of the program and carry that learning on into college. I’m not sure quite yet if I want to commit fully to studying 4 years in Japan but either way, I will definitely do all I can to study abroad for some period of time in the country. I hope to not only remember and continue my learning of Japanese going forward, but always keep a special place in my heart for this program, Japanese Plus, which kickstarted my journey and provided me with invaluable friendships and fun for these fantastic two years.
Thank you to my teachers, Takahashi-sensei, Tsujioka-sensei, and Hamano-sensei, as well as all of my classmates and of course, Sally, for making this program possible and making it what it is today.
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.
On the last Wednesday of March, our group had our first Japanese student exchange of Tora year 2. It was a group of nine boys from three different schools that had won the America Bowl – equivalent to our version of the Japan Bowl or Math Bowl. We had the honor of hosting this group of charismatic, lively boys.
We’d been excited to get word that we were getting the chance to interact with more Japanese students, as last year’s KAKEHASHI exchanges were hits! It’s something we all, hands down, looked forward to. The studying and preparation to make sure we’re the best hosts is always our favorite. This exchange we created presentations to present to the students.
We scrambled around with excitement even down to the second they came into the room. We had gifts and snacks prepared, alongside them bringing sweet treats for us as well. We began by engaging in small group discussion, in Japanese, where we got to put the phrases we learned into use. We discussed our ages, hobbies, and the things we liked, which mainly included sports. In my small group, I distinctly remember bonding with one of the students over our enjoyment of badminton. I hadn’t heard anyone say they played badminton, so I was excited.
Afterwards, we both presented our presentations. Our class had spent prior class time preparing presentations of places in D.C. we thought showed the real D.C. to us D.C. natives. I appreciated how very lively they were for our presentations; they had fun reactions which helped with our nervousness. Through my group’s presentation we were able to show them Go Go music – D.C.’s music, and Rock Creek Park – D.C.’s biggest park.
I enjoyed their presentations because they were very interactive. We learned about the importance of certain castle properties, what keeps the people inside safe and what puts them in jeopardy; the deep meaning of sakura and how it has been perceived throughout the years; and origami, something I struggle with heavily, but with their help, I made the tiny sailor hat!
The two hours we spent together flew by devastatingly quick. But of course, we had to make time to teach them the Cha Cha slide – a very popular choreographed American dance that we do at all the parties and events. I love being able to share our culture through something as expressive as dancing. We had a good time and laugh, they are naturals! There was one boy, though, that came up to me and told me he had enjoyed dancing but wanted advice on how to learn dances. That moment was very special to me, as I felt honored that he had asked me for that advice.
Then before we knew it, we were signing cards from comic book cut out cards that the boys individually chose, and escorting them back outside to their bus. I remember staying outside waving to them inside the bus until they pulled off.
But that wasn’t the end. They weren’t heading back home until Saturday morning, so we decided to hang out with them again Friday after school. They had stayed with the DCI students from our group all week (you can read other blog posts about that), so once they finished up there, they traveled to the National Museum of American History, where I met them with sports equipment.
Playing sports with them, even if it was only for fifteen minutes, was the highlight for the few of us that could go. There was a soccer ball, a football, some frisbees, and racquets and birdies for badminton. Some played frisbee, while others were having a soccer match. I engaged in a 2 versus 2 badminton game. In the end, we all participated in a huge soccer game, with even some local kids joining us for a bit.
In essence, we were very grateful to have had this experience and hope that we can one day meet them again with better Japanese. We will work hard!
The Wednesday KAKEHASHI exchange was much easier than the TOMODACHI one Saturday because the students in the Wednesday class were more fluent in English than the Saturday class. I also felt like I got to know the kids on the Wednesday exchange better because there were nine of them instead of sixteen of them. However I could relate to the TOMODACHI exchange’s struggle to communicate, as while their English was much better than our Japanese, there was a clear indication that we had trouble communicating with each other.
On Wednesday, we gave our presentation to the KAKEHASHI group about places to visit in DC. I introduced them to the National Arboretum. Afterwards the KAKEHASHI group did their presentations on the meaning of cherry blossoms and how fortresses in Japan were made. Cherry blossoms, while beautiful, wilt very quickly, thus they often take the meaning of the end of something. Fortresses in Japan were made to optimize their defensive capabilities (e.g. being on the top of the hill for higher ground, having holes in the walls to shoot arrows out of, having a cramped entrance to the fortress to slow down the enemy, etc.). Overall, these exchanges were very memorable for me and helped to teach me how to communicate without speaking, like via hand movements, gestures, and using items to explain new words.
That’s me off camera to the right with only my hands showing.
By Elias Lovos
My time spent with the two exchange groups was filled with laughter and meaningful connections; this time around compared to the other groups we have met, I was less shy throughout the exchange and I did a whole lot better speaking Japanese instead of only relying on English. The students in both exchanges understood my words most of the times and I felt like I also had an easier time understanding their words as well. After the lunch we had at the library, we went to the Smithsonian Museum of American History with the exchange group and I felt like I had a better time speaking to some of the students there. It was a very chilled environment where we could simply talk about any of our personal interests and even talking about what was being displayed inside the museum. My group really liked the pop culture section of the museum with Prince’s guitar and the display of protests and riots at the back. But sadly the time came to an end and we had a nice goodbye to all of the students as both groups went our separate ways.
My first thoughts going into the KAKEHASHI exchange were ones that were followed with nervous energy. I didn’t have a lot of confidence in my Japanese skill and was even more nervous that I wouldn’t even get along with the visiting students. I got into the class about right before the students’ arrival. Everybody was preparing things and it didn’t really immediately help with my nervousness, but when the students got there it was much more relaxed than I was prepared for. The students knew enough English and we knew enough Japanese to communicate through both languages successfully (although the Japanese students were more proficient at English than we were at Japanese). If we were confused with a word the Japanese students found a way to explain to us, and if they were confused we found a way to explain to them what we meant.
These mutual understandings we had of each others’ language allowed me to realize how much I had in common with the Japanese students from the KAKEHASHI group. I was able to relate most to them by asking about their music taste, because music is a very important part of my personal life. I got to learn that we even shared similar music tastes. I got to relate with a group of students over our shared interest in the Hip Hop genre as well as the jazz genre. I even met a student who shared an interest in the band “Ikimonogakari.” These shared experiences helped me get over those nervous thoughts I came in with. I’m very glad I got to meet with the KAKEHASHI group and get that experience of using the Japanese language to learn about kids I share similar tastes with.
On March 30th, I as well as the other members of Japanese Plus had the privilege of welcoming 16 Japanese high school students to DC and to our program. The TOMODACHI (which translates to “friend”) Exchange Program was originally created following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake to bring Japanese students from the Tohoku region to the US as a way of maintaining the bond between Japan and the US. These exchanges still happen today and we were lucky to be a part of one.
When the students first arrived, we welcomed them by explaining our program and what we do and initiated the social activities with a rotation of speaking partners. We formed groups of 2-3 people and went around talking to the students about our respective lives and similarities between them. I found similarities with the students especially in videogames, sports, like tennis and soccer, and music tastes. I met two guys that I had a lot in common with and they supported me during the group presentations we had to do shortly after, by cheering me on and giving me tips. Our presentations were about different places in DC that may not be as famous but are worth knowing about to understand DC, like Anacostia, the Tidal Basin, and Georgetown. I even mentioned some fun facts like how Georgetown had the best movie theater seats.
Following the presentation we walked to the American History Museum. In smaller groups, we then toured the museum. The museum had very nice exhibits that I feel overall represented American culture well. One of my favorites was an exhibit that showed American pop culture throughout the decades, including sports achievements/jerseys, movie props, and famous outfits. I also enjoyed the exhibit that showed how the average American house changed throughout history from the 1700s to today. It was an experience I enjoyed a lot and I’d love to participate in exchanges in the future.
