The classes being 100% in Japanese was a huge help.
Which events or activities did you find the most satisfying and why?
Kotoba day was amazing. Seeing students go up on stage singing songs, dubbing anime scenes, and performing full on comedy sketches, all in Japanese, was one of the coolest experiences I've had in my long and grueling 20 years of life.
What were the most productive and interesting aspects of the program for you? The least interesting and productive?
The classes being 100% in Japanese was a huge help. The online kotoba drills were a little strange, and I didn't really understand them. But building conversations in class with classmates was amazing, and really get you thinking about how to speak. Speaking was my worst skill before coming here, and my confidence has shot up tenfold after.
What activities or materials did you find most helpful (e.g., pair work, drill practice, tests, small group sessions, textbooks, games)?
Studying with classmates outside of class was insanely helpful, even just hanging out with them, because the only common language was Japanese. I bought a game console, Playstation Vita, and a bunch of games while in Japan. Seeing words and grammar that we studied in class popping up in the games I was playing helped re-enforce them in my memory.
Anything you especially liked in the living arrangements? Any problems you experienced?
The chair in my room was mildly sqeaky and slightly tilted, so my room wasn't the best place to study. But local cafe's and McDonalds were perfect. The dorm food was amazing, and the cafeteria lady was so sweet, taking the time to explain all the meals and how to eat them.
