Homestay
Our programs are geared toward giving you the full experience of living as a student in Japan, and an integral part of that is the homestay program. For a real understanding of any foreign culture, a taste of home life is crucial. True immersion happens only when you have the opportunity to separate yourself from your peers and settle in with a family that is not yet your own. It is exciting, and sometimes challenging, but always rewarding.
Before leaving for Japan, we match you with a Japanese host family and encourage them to treat you like visiting relative. You'll eat from their table, and learn their customs and routines. Some of them have hosted foreigners before, but many have not. Some speak a little English, but most don't, so bring your dictionaries, your photo albums, your sketch pads and best Charades moves! Communication happens, and you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll make yourself understood. And if you stumble into a gap, we are never more than a quick phone call away.
When it's over, you'll have a clearer understanding of another culture, how their lives are different from your own, and -perhaps more surprisingly- how they are the same. Not only that; you'll have stories to tell and new connections that will hopefully last for years to come.
In addition to experiencing home life, you'll also get a taste of School Life.