My experiences here at the language camp since last Friday were much more interesting. I feel as if I have settled in a little more. I have had no train mishaps (luckily). The one thing I hate most about this country is it is so HOT. The humidity on top of that is killing me as well. I am still not used to the dry heat of California, where I prefer to stay inside where it is safe from the sun. Here the heat is painful. This past Saturday was interesting, however.
This Saturday my host mother and sister and I went to the Dazaifu Tenmangu Jinja, a Shinto shrine located in Dazaifu. Dazaifu was the seat of government for all of Kyushu during the Nara and Heian periods of Japanese history. It was surrounded by large trees and dense greenery.
I was glad that it was raining while we were there. That gladness quickly turned to a slight sense of concern. I did not want to be sick for the rest of the trip, did I? Anyway, after we made our prayers, we got ice cream. It was pouring buckets outside at this point, so we ate inside a restaurant. There we bought mochi, which was the Temple specialty. It was filled with red bean paste, which was delicious. I have noticed that in America, red bean paste tastes nasty, which I do not understand.
Both my host sister and I were soaked. Me less so than her. Dinner was a bizarre combination of pasta, tempura, baguettes, and meat patties seasoned Japanese style. California needs the amount of rain that fell that day.
The next day was torturously hot. I could feel my life slipping away as I went for a bike ride with my host sister. She seemed used to that kind of heat. About an hour later, before I could clean up, we went to visit my host brother’s friend. He was cool, he likes to curse just like me, though Japanese has a much smaller amount of vulgarity than English.
After playing video games, we played UNO, which I sucked at. My host siblings, the friend, his brother, and I then proceeded to play the game of LIFE, which was a mistake, as it lasted THREE HOURS. Our dinner was Bulgogi, pizza, and rice balls.
On the way home, my host mom asked me if I had a big car and a big house. I get the sense that it’s a stereotype that Americans have many possessions, particularly large possessions. My response was that no, I don’t have a Jeep, no my house is not big. I was a bit embarrassed that I didn’t shower when I returned from the bike ride, but the past is the past.
The Wednesday afterward was also very, very hot. I went to Kushida jinja with a group of fellow students. The shrine was nice, but I liked the Dazaifu Tenmangu Jinja better because it was not in the middle of the city. There was a funny little statue of a person peeing out water, so that it served as a fountain as well. Fukuoka seems to have more of those than necessary (I saw a pair of those fountains last week).
Later that day, after the group returned to the school, I attended a “Casual Conversation Class,” where I had a mini bout of sadness. I could not understand much of anything of what the person I was talking to was saying, so he had to repeat himself a lot. I myself did not talk much at all. I felt like I failed my family and the others who supported me for my trip because I hadn’t improved. The class was useless for me, another thing to be added onto the list of things I am inept at.
The JR train is something I find a bit depressing. The crowds of people in the train always look so sad or tired, Like all they do is work and then go home and start all over again. It is a depressing way of life that I am certain I would not last in. I like traveling and eating new foods, but being stuck in one place and just soullessly working your life away is sad.
Aden Jibril is 15 years old and lives in Oakland, California. His goal during his language program in Fukuoka, Japan is to “learn to cook at least one Japanese dish, increase my language skill, and to interact well with my host family.” Follow Aden’s adventures in Japan on his weekly blog post updates.
Greenheart Travel is excited to send a group of amazing high school students to language camps overseas as part of our 2016 Travel Correspondent Scholarship awards. To help introduce our inspiring writers, we are doing a series of spotlight interviews to help you get to know a little more about who they are, where they will be headed and what inspired them to learn a new language abroad.
Read on to meet 16-year-old, Autumn Lee, our Greenheart Travel Correspondent from Alameda, California, who’ll be traveling to Arcachon for her summer language camp in France!
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I love learning to play new instruments. So far, I play the piano, flute, piccolo, and clarinet, and I will be playing the saxophone in marching band next year.
Have you traveled abroad before?
I really enjoy exploring new places and I have traveled abroad to the Caribbean, China, Mexico, Canada, Italy, and France. Every summer, I go to Hawaii for a week or two and snorkel and kayak in the Pacific ocean, which is one of my favorite things to do.
What got you interested in learning French and traveling abroad?
A few years ago when my older sister graduated from high school, her big present was a trip to Europe. For 2 weeks, my family stayed in France and during that time, and I developed an affinity for the French language and culture. After that summer, I signed up for French as an elective freshmen year. It has been 3 years and I am still completely fascinated with it.
What are you most excited to experience during your language camp?
This summer, I am going to Arcachon, France and I am so excited to improve my French vocabulary and accent! I’m also looking forward to the beautiful scenery, and of course the French cuisine.
Why do you feel it’s important to travel to a new place and learn a new language?
I think it’s extremely important to travel and learn new languages because it opens the door to opportunity. With an understanding of culture and language, communication is plausible and can lead to connections in the private and domestic sphere.
What are you nervous about as you prepare for your language camp?
I am very thrilled and ecstatic to travel this summer, but I am also very nervous to be away from my family and travel on my own. Despite that impediment, I think that I will be just peachy in France.
How well do you speak a second language at this point?
At this point, I have a pretty solid understanding of many French verbs and have the ability to hold a conversation and ask questions formally and informally.
How do you think you will change the most during your time abroad?
During my time abroad, I hope to advance my French skills, meet some amazing people, and learn to love the oysters. I think that I will return to the States with a deeper understanding of the French culture and hope to be very prepared for AP French 5 in the fall!
Autumn Lee is 16 years old and lives in Alameda, California. Her goal during her language program in France is to “improve my French vocabulary and understand in more depth the French culture and people.” Follow Autumn’s adventures in France on her weekly blog post updates.
¡Hola! I am just finishing up my first week in Salamanca, and it has been an incredible experience so far. I have had lots of fun, made some great friends, and have had endless opportunities to practice my Spanish. I have noticed many differences between Spain and California, and one of the biggest differences is the food!
Meals are at different times, there is many more sweet foods, and I am always snacking.
Here is a sample of what I usually eat in a typical day:
8:00 A.M- El Desayuno (Breakfast)
Breakfast is usually very sweet, and smaller than American breakfasts. I eat a slice of bread with nutella, and a glass of orange juice.
10:30 A.M- La Merienda (Snack)
Everyday, we have a 30 minute break in between my language classes. My friends and I head to a bakery to pick up some coffee, and a pastry.
11:00 A.M- Trip to the mercado (market)
Today, my class visited the local market. There were many types of fish I have never heard of before, and lots of meat. Jamon (ham) is very popular here, and there was lots of it sold at the market.
1:30 P.M- El Almuerzo (Lunch)
After class, my roommates and I head back to our house for lunch. We typically eat lunch with one of our host sisters, Wendy, who is 12 years old. We ask her about her life in Spain, and she teaches us Spanish vocabulary. Our host family cooks us something different everyday, today we had spaghetti. Pan (bread) is always served at meals. In California, we rarely have bread with our meals, but I am happy with the new addition to the table!
5:00 P.M- ¡Tapas!
My friends and I decided to head to a tapas restaurant to try out the famous tiny meals. We ordered paella, a rice and seafood dish, and patatas con salsa. Little did we know, salsa means sauce, not spicy tomato stuff! The potatoes were very different than we expected, but delicious none the less.
5:30 P.M- Food Lessons
At 5:30 we headed back to the school for lessons about Spanish food. We learned about different Spanish foods, and where they originate from. We also had a discussion (en Español) about the differences between food from our countries and Spanish food.
9:00 P.M- Cena (Dinner)
Tonight, our host family made us Gazpacho, a cold tomato soup, and pollo (chicken). I enjoyed the Gazpacho and it was really fun to try real Spanish cuisine.
11:00 P.M- Poste (dessert)
There is many helado (ice cream) shops in and around the Plaza Mayor. I often buy an ice cream to eat while I am hanging out with my friends in the Plaza Mayor. Tonight, my friend Niamh and I decided to try chocolate con churros, a very popular (and delicious) dish in Spain.
Stay tuned for more adventures from my language camp in Salamanca, Spain!
Do you have any suggestions for foods I should try during my travels? Share them below!
Allie Larman is 15 years old and lives in Berkeley, California. Her goal during his language program in Salamanca, Spain is “to learn and try Spanish dance styles such as Flamenco while I am in Salamanca. I practice American dance at home, and I hope to broaden my dance horizons.” Follow Allie’s adventures in Spain on her weekly blog post updates.
Greenheart Travel is excited to send a group of amazing high school students to language camps overseas as part of our 2016 Travel Correspondent Scholarship awards. To help introduce our inspiring writers, we will be doing a series of spotlight interviews to help you get to know a little more about who they are, where they will be headed and what inspired them to learn a new language abroad.
Read on to meet 17-year-old, Sam Gorman, our Greenheart Travel Correspondent from Los Angeles, California, who’ll be traveling to Berlin for his summer language camp in Germany!
Have you traveled abroad before?
Last summer, I was fortunate enough to travel to England, France and Switzerland as part of an amazing scholarship opportunity!
What got you interested in learning German and traveling to Berlin?
It was actually during my time in Switzerland that I decided to learn German. I was in Davos, a completely German speaking area, and just wanted to understand what they were saying. I taught myself a few words there so I could manage the basics, but it was really only after I got back that I decided to seriously teach myself German. After learning for a few months, I started pursuing opportunities that would take me to Germany so I could fully immerse myself in the culture and language, and was so excited when I found out I would be able to travel with Greenheart Travel to Berlin this summer!
What are you most excited to experience during your language camp?
I’m most excited about meeting German people and getting to practice my language skills whenever I can! I have yet to meet a German person in Los Angeles, and while I can meet people over Skype, it’s not the same as speaking in person. I hope to hear about German culture firsthand and forge long lasting relationships with the people I’ll meet there this summer!
Why do you feel it’s important to travel to a new place and learn a new language?
I feel that in today’s globalized world, we can no longer afford to adopt a strictly Americentric point of view. While the United States is a powerful country, it’s crucial that Americans appreciate cultures different from their own and take the opportunity to travel whenever possible. And even though English is widely spoken across the world, there’s a vast difference between trying to speak English with an exasperated Parisian salesclerk and surprising her with your flawless French. Languages open doors, introduce you to extraordinary people and places, and allow you to understand the world through points of views you would never have encountered before.
What are you nervous about as you prepare for your language camp?
I’m not a huge fan of plane rides, or airports for that manner, especially when I’m going by myself. But I know that I can overcome any apprehension I may have in order to get to my destination.
How well do you speak a second language at this point?
When learning a language, my focus is always on speaking and I make sure to learn what I need to talk with people as naturally as possible. I speak French at an advanced level, and I’m able to communicate without serious problems. My German is upper intermediate, around a B2 level using the European Framework of Reference. And after attempting to teach myself Spanish in a week recently, I speak Spanish at a conversational level as well. That’s where I’m at right now, but I hope to add Chinese to the list too in the next year!
How do you think you will change the most during your time abroad?
The beautiful thing about travel is often one can come to certain destinations with a fixed idea of how to experience it, and fly home with a completely different story to tell. While I can hope that I will emerge with a better worldview and appreciation for foreign culture, I can only imagine the ways this trip will change me that I would have never been able to anticipate before going.
Sam Gorman is 17 years old and lives in Los Angeles, California. His goal during his language program in Berlin, Germany is to “make as many international friends as I can and to speak as much German as humanly possible! The only way to really improve in a language is by speaking it, and I plan to put that into practice by using the city as my classroom and by getting out of my comfort zone to improve my language skills. ” Follow Sam’s adventures in Germany on his weekly blog post updates.
Hello, my name is Owen and I’m currently in Costa Rica for a summer language camp. I’ll be here for two weeks learning Spanish and embracing the pura vida way of live that characterizes Costa Rica. During my time in Costa Rica, I’ve learned a lot about the language, people, and culture of Costa Rica, and I hope my experience can help you in your time abroad.
The view from my language school.
Here are four pieces of advice that will help you enjoy your time abroad and hopefully allow you to live the pura vida:
Burst your bubble!
Whether it’s deciding to go abroad or you’re already abroad and are decided whether or not to do something totally out of your comfort zone, just dive on in and give it a shot. My comfort zone has already been challenged many times while I’ve been in Costa Rica, and I’ve done things and eaten things that I never would have when I was home.
One of the favorite things I’ve done so far is surfing in the Pacific Ocean. I had never been surfing before, but now I can see it becoming one of my favorite things to do. Now all I need is an ocean in Missouri, and it’ll all be good. I’m not trying to give the false impression that everything you try is going to turn into your favorite thing, but I guarantee that you’ll always regret not stepping out.
Me surfing the waves.
For instance, this week we had Salsa dance lessons and I really don’t like to dance. By no means did salsa dancing become a passion of mine or even something I had a blast doing, but I’m glad I had that experience! Stepping out of your comfort zone, getting out of that bubble of what we call “normal,” is the only way to truly discover what you like to do and who you are.
It’s how you find out whether you like to surf, or whether you like to salsa dance. Whether you enjoy traveling constantly, or picking one place to hang out for a while. It’s in stepping out that you become who you were meant to be, not who you are expected to be.
Get to know some people!
Without fail, people are one of the coolest things about traveling abroad, especially on programs that have people from a lot of backgrounds. You’ll find people that are from completely different backgrounds than yourself, people with drastically different lives than you, and people who have different passions than you. Every person you meet broadens your perspective of the world and opens your eyes to just how unique each person is.
I have met some awesome people here that I would never have had the opportunity to meet if I didn’t strike up an “awkward” conversation (and you’ll find that it’s never quite as uncomfortable as you think it might be)! I met a couple from Argentina, a lady from the Netherlands that now lives in Costa Rica, and a lot of other awesome people in Costa Rica. You’ll never regret introducing yourself and getting to know the uniqueness of another person!
Me at my host home with Siony- one of the awesome people I met.
Try the local food!
I can’t vouch for everywhere, but the typical food of Costa Rica is delicious! I have really enjoyed getting to try new foods that I most likely would never have eaten at my home in the States.
Gallo pinto, a typical rice and beans dish, and chicken and rice are just a few of the meals that I’ve eaten. I would also highly recommend taking a cooking class or having one of those new people you’ll meet teach you how to cook some traditional meals. This way you can have your friends and family back home try some of your favorite new foods.
I had a cooking class this week to learn how to cook the traditional arroz con pollo, which has a lot more ingredients than just chicken and rice. Not only was it a lot of fun to take the class, but we also got to eat a scrumptious meal afterwards!
The Tico dish I learned to make called Arroz con pollo.
Put a smile on your face!
Whatever you’re doing, whether it be sitting in class learning a new language or getting to do something you’ve been waiting weeks to do, do it with a smile on your face. Go into whatever activity, whether mundane or exciting, with a good attitude and a positive expectation and you’ll find that no matter what, you’ll have a good time. Whether rain or shine, (in quite a literal sense here in Costa Rica since it’s the rainy season) you’ll be able to rejoice in the pura vida.
I hope these consejos (tips) come in handy during your time abroad, and I wish you the best of luck in exploring more of the world!
Owen Arnall is 17 years old and lives in Springfield, Missouri. His goal during his language program in San Jose, Costa Rica is to “embrace the pura vida of life so that I can be completely submerged into the culture and build meaningful relationships with the Ticos!” Follow Owen’s adventure in Costa Rica on his weekly blog post updates.
My favorite aspects of my language program in Japan so far is making new friends from all around the world. I’ve made friends from Turkey, Sweden, California, Australia, China, etc. It’s just amazing to be able to meet with each other and to be able to learn the same language that I want to learn.
We also hang out during our free time as well as study the Japanese culture and the language together. It’s just a fun and amazing experience to be able to enjoy learning the Japanese language and culture while making friends!
Below is my second week of activities during my time abroad.
Day 7 in Fukuoka:
Today, I went with my host family to Yuusentei park. It was a very beautiful and well preserved place. It had a small waterfall, as well as a pond where there was a bunch of koi and small turtles inside the river. It was very beautiful to see the old Japanese palace. Especially the Ohiroma Hall, which was the formal room lifestyle of the samurai, as well as the Josuian (which was the tea ceremony room that was isolated from the hall).
After going to Yuusentei park, we went to walk on the Mochihama beach near our home and we went to Robosquare. Robosquare was a display place of all these very cool inventions. For instance, a robotic dog, a robotic baby, and a Hello Kitty robot.
It was so cool to see all these amazing, high tech robots in Japan because I’ve always seen some of them through videos on the internet. However, now I’m able to see it with my very own eyes.
Day 8 in Fukuoka:
Today, I went to the beach with Kat’s host family at Meinohama. I have never actually seen any other places besides Tenjin, Fujisaki, Hakata, and Fukuoka Airport, so it was cool to be able to go to Meinohama (Two stations away from mine).
We drove to a supermarket store to buy some food for a barbecue. We then went to the beach and the food that her host mom’s boyfriend cooked was delicious. After eating all of our food, we all went to the beach to swim.
We all stepped into the water, but it was freezing. For me anyways, Kat just dove straight into the water even though it was freezing. Even Niko, the host mom’s dog didn’t like the cold water either. But that didn’t stop us from enjoying the beach. We created a sandman as well as sand balls to throw at each other. It was fun!
After the beach, we were given one hour to explore the whole area. Kat and I decided to find an ice cream shop. We searched and searched and searched, but we couldn’t find a single ice cream shop. The only thing we found was a barber shop, a bike shop, a seafood restaurant that was closed, and more beach. We then just found a place to sit down and talk for a little while.
Day 9 in Fukuoka:
Today was when the new students in GenkiJacs were coming to class. I noticed that I didn’t have class till later on in the afternoon. So Kat and I decided to meet up at Hakata station to go to Canal City Mall. We went looking and exploring the mall because the last time we went, we didn’t see the 2nd to 5th floor of the mall. While we were exploring, we got to see a pretty cool water show every hour. They played different songs from like the Nutcracker and Indiana Jones. It was cool to see it installed inside the mall. After exploring the mall fully, we decided to sit down for ice cream from Baskin and Robins (again another American company).
After that, it was time to head back to school. We went back to school to meet another Greenheart Travel student named Aiden who was a scholarship winner just like me. Sadly, we were in different classes, but it was cool just being able to talk before I went to my class. After class, my friends and I didn’t have anything planned, so Kat and I went to the station and went back to our host family’s home.
When I went back, Mahiru had his friends over and we were having pizza for dinner tonight. It was cool meeting other Japanese students around my age and being able to talk with them. After eating the pizza, I guessed they had some crazy idea. They grabbed a duck mask and went out in the dark to do something. I didn’t join them even though they asked me if I wanted to, but I just couldn’t get my mind off of why do they have duck masks in the first place.
Day 10 in Fukuoka:
Today, we had a cooking class. We went to a place where we were able to cook udon from scratch. We hand-made the noodles by making the dough for it. After making the dough, we rolled it flat, and cut it into small thin pieces. When we were done with that, we cooked them and we got to eat it with the broth that the teacher already made. We all sat down and ate the udon together.
After the udon, we were to create our own temaki rolls of either egg or cucumber or even both. After eating our meal (and my friends finally coming to the cooking class), we left to go back to school and took our classes.
After class, Kat and I went to explore Hakata station’s mall because the only place where we got to see in Hakata station was the pokemon center and the supermarkets. We explored the remaining floors and finally found a place where it was amazing. It was a garden on top of Hakata station and it had a small train tracks with a shrine and a lookout place where you could see everything around Hakata Station.
Day 11 in Fukuoka:
Today, we had another activity class where I learned how to do Japanese gift wrapping. I learned three different styles of wrapping gifts as well as the difference between the Japanese letters and what each color of the string that was tied around the letter represented. Like for example, black is usually for bad news such as funerals, while red is like a sign of good news such as money or marriage, etc.
I also learned how to make a gift that look like a collared shirt with a neck tie, a way of wrapping omiyage with a piece of cloth (sadly I don’t remember the specific name for it) and a way to wrap small gifts. It was cool learning different ways of wrapping the gifts. We then cleaned up and went to class to learn more about the Japanese language.
After class, I went with my friend Kat to the movie theater together to watch a movie. We both wanted to see how the Japanese theater compares to an American one. We saw the difference immediately when we were buying our tickets. Turns out, we had to choose where we were going to sit in the movie theater. So we chose two seats near the middle of the theater and he gave us our tickets.
Apparently it was like girl’s movie night or something like that where Kat got her ticket price cheaper (lucky). The seats were very comfortable and we could easily find where we had to sit even though it was super dark. The whole movie theater looked very clean, especially the ground which was surprising to see.
We watched some movie trailers which had a Japanese voiceover of describing what the trailer was about (even though the trailer was in English). And during the movie, I saw the Japanese translations, but it went so fast, I couldn’t even read the first word before it switched to another sentence. I don’t know how they are able to read that so fast, but I guess it just means that I’m still trying to learn the language.
Day 12 in Fukuoka:
Today, we had another activity class where we learned how to do Japanese Taiko drumming. We all went to school, where we left to take a bus all the way the taiko drum place. There we got to see a live demonstration performed right in front of us. Surprisingly, the person who did most of the talking spoke very good English which surprised me. They said that they are international, so they travel a lot to perform in various places, so they picked up the English language.
They also were going to give us a live demonstration. We were lucky to see it because they said that they usually don’t do a demonstration for people, but since we were such a big group of students, they said that they wanted to do it for us. We got to see an amazing flute player and a taiko drummer do a duo and a solo right in front of our eyes which was amazing. It was awesome! After the demonstration, we got to do our own songs and learned how to play the taiko drums. It was cool learning how to play it as well as being able to see it performed by an expert.
After class, Kat and I went watch a movie at her host mom’s place because she had a tv that we could use to watch an animated movie. Kat doesn’t watch anime that much, so I wanted to show her what the “Classics” are like. We watched Ponyo and Totoro together and we created dumplings/gyoza for dinner. It was fun creating it from scratch with her and her host mom and we made a ton of gyoza for the three of us. After we cooked the food, we thank her host mom for the meal and we all dug in. It was very delicious.
We were able to finish all the gyozas that we made and we helped her clean up. We then started to do our homework because we remembered that we still had class tomorrow and we helped each other with our homework.
Day 13 in Fukuoka:
Today, Kat and I went to Canal City Mall again so that we could buy omiyage (presents) for our friends and family. We finally mapped out the mall on Monday, so we knew where to go to find certain things. We knew where we could get her mom some nice jewelry, for her dad, some snacks to munch on at home and for her grandma, traditional things that she could use back at home. It took a while to find the things that Kat wanted to get, but we were able to get them with another hour to spare.
We then went to the place where I had to go to get more snacks for my family. We then went to Cold Stone to buy some ice cream. We talked to each other and after eating the ice cream, we didn’t feel hungry, so we went back to school instead of eating lunch (in which we will soon regret later on).
When we went to the school, it was time for the ceremony again. This time I had to say goodbye to three of my friends. I had to say goodbye to Kat, Martin, and Viggo. It was hard to imagine that they were all going to leave this week, but sadly there was nothing that I could do to stop them from leaving.
After class, my friends and I had plans to hang out after school to say goodbye to them. Sadly, Martin, wasn’t able to come, but we still had a huge group of people hanging out with us. Our group was made out of six people, Deha, Kat, Viggo, Maja, Marcus, and me. We went to karaoke where we failed miserably with Japanese songs and English songs. We only spent there for about an hour or so and we went to the bowling alley.
Sadly, Viggo had to go after karaoke, so our group went down to five. We went bowling which turned out was very crowded because a company was doing a bonding experience with its workers. Luckily, we got a lane and we started to bowl for two rounds.
The first round went to Marcus who came in first place, Deha in second, me in third, Kat in fourth, and Maja in fifth. The second round, Marcus, Deha, and I wanted to try do trick shots, so we were doing all these weird shots while Kat and Maja took it seriously. I don’t remember the placing exactly, but all we knew was that Kat got first place with over 70 points (greater than what I got when I was trying).
We then went to eat dinner at a ramen restaurant and said our goodbyes to our friend and went back onto the subway. While I was walking home, I wished I had more time to spend with my friends, but sadly, time goes by fast when you are having fun. And truly, hanging out with them was so fun that I forgot that this was my second week in Japan; one more week before I had to go back to Hawaii.
Want to see more of my adventures in Japan?
Check out my video from my second week in Japan and don’t miss my recommendations at the end for where to buy anime and sites around Fukuoka Station.
Duke Takeno is 16 years old and lives in Oahu, Hawaii. His goal during his language program in Fukuoka, Japan is to “learn the language, connect with the other students in the program as well as my host family, and to enjoy what Japan has to offer. I can’t wait to begin my adventure!” Follow Duke’s adventures in Japan on his weekly blog post updates.
Studies show that only around 1% of students in the United States embark on a high school exchange program overseas, and we hope to grow that number in the years ahead. Making the commitment to study abroad, however, is no small feat. To help make these academic experiences open to as many students as possible, each year Greenheart Travel offers scholarship opportunities to high school students looking to study abroad.
With the start of the school year fast approaching, we are thrilled to announce the winners of our 2016 Greenheart Travel Correspondent and Global Explorer Scholarship awards for our High School Abroad destinations. Stay tuned for articles, photos and videos from them during their adventures abroad in the months ahead!
I am very excited to studying abroad in Costa Rica because I have never left the United States, and I know that there is a lot to experience apart from here! I can’t wait to meet new kinds of people and try unfamiliar things, all while improving my Spanish language skills!
My number one goal for myself along this journey is to gain a better understanding of the culture in Costa Rica and to see more of the world, and really take it in and appreciate it to the fullest.
I’m thrilled to be able to travel to and spend nine months studying abroad in Ireland. I am looking forward to being immersed in Ireland’s fascinating culture and learning more about it’s customs and history. I am so excited to have unforgettable experience during my time in Ireland.
While there, my goal is to create relationships that will continue throughout my life and develop a new understanding of the Irish culture.
I am excited to travel abroad to Germany, because I love experiencing other cultures. It reminds me that the world is a wonderful place that is meant to be cherished and explored.
One goal I hope to achieve while I’m in Germany is make friends that I will keep for the rest of my life. I also hope to learn about the Germans, and in turn, learn about my heritage.
Follow our scholarship winners during their travel adventures this fall, and stay tuned for more stories in the months ahead!
Have any tips for learning a new language and studying abroad? Share them below!
I arrived in Fukuoka with a warm greeting from my host mother named Ms. Chikako. She showed me how to get to school and also how to get back to where her house was in case I got lost.
I also got to meet Mahiru, Ms. Chikako’s son which was awesome because I got to finally meet someone who lives in Japan that is around the same age as me. Mahiru can speak English fluently which really helps me to translate Ms. Chikako’s Japanese. Also he plays one of the sports that I used to play which is soccer. He even likes comics such as the Avengers, Iron Man, etc. It was an amazing experience to meet my host family and to be able to finally go to Japan after all the hard work to get here.
Day 2 in Fukuoka:
Today was the first day of school and it was crazy! I didn’t really know where I was supposed to go even though I received instructions from my host family. But thankfully with the help from a lot of people along the way, I got to where I needed to go. They helped me get on the subway which would take me to a station near my school. When I got there I didn’t know how to buy a subway ticket because in Hawaii, there are no subways, so I was completely new to this type of transportation. I asked a nice, kind lady and she showed me how to buy a ticket as well as where to go for the right subway.
When I was about to enter the subway, my jaw dropped. It was packed to the point where it was body to body. In a lot of animes that I watch, the subway scenes are always never packed and it looks empty all the time. My initial expectation was that it was going to be less packed, but in reality it was crowded! But I knew I had to get into it, so I went in squished to the point where I could hear the person next to me breathing.
It took a long time before I reached my station and by that time I thought I was going to pass out from all the body heat, but I survived. Luckily I found my school (by wandering around all over the place), I went through orientation at my school and got my class schedule. I got to talk to some people while I was waiting for my orientation and found out that most of them were from different programs other than Greenheart Travel. After all the chaos and figuring out when and where my classes were, I went back home, with a reminder that anime and reality are sadly not the same.
Day 3 in Fukuoka:
Today was the second day of school and I woke up early to make sure that I would miss the traffic that I encountered yesterday; I was able to get to school one hour before it started. However during this time I got to meet Megan (from Australia), Kat (from California as well as a Greenheart Travel Scholarship winner), Veego (from Sweden), Deha (from Turkey), Maja (from California), Marcus (from China), etc. It was so cool meeting all these new people who were from all over the world. Most of the people that I met, were in the same class as me and I got to know them even better.
After class was over, we had an excursion to the Zen temple. In the Zen temple, we had Zen meditation. We had a monk show each of us how to do the meditation correctly. The first five minutes was just clearing our minds to be able to hear the sounds of nature. That was the first stage. The second stage was when we learned what a true monk had to go through.
The second stage was like a simulation run of what monk trainees would go through during meditation. If you were a monk in training, and if you fell asleep or your posture was bad, you would get hit very hard by a stick. They called this “encouragement” because it’s supposed to not make you want to get hit again, so you should stay awake till the end. Even if you have good posture or if you’re fully awake, you could still get hit if the monk wants you to get hit. Being hit by the monk was optional, but I thought to myself, “Well, your back is usually very strong, so most likely it won’t hurt that much.” Boy was I wrong!
When it was my turn to get hit by the stick, I was confident in myself. When the first of the two strikes hit, I was wondering how could I make him stop hitting me. When the second of the two strikes hit me, I was already feeling my body getting bruised. I thought that he was being serious, but when the meditation was done, he said to everyone who got hit that he was doing “soft-touch” for us and that if it was for real, the stick would’ve broken.
I thought to myself “I don’t think I would ever want to be encouraged by a monk again,” but I must give credit to all the monk trainees in Japan because the pain that I felt was the greatest amount of pain that I have ever felt in my entire life. Also if that was supposedly a soft hit, I’m scared to find out what the hard hit feels like!
After the class excursion, I went to Ms. Chikako’s friend’s house. Her name was Makiko and she has a family in Hawaii. Ms. Chikako was talking to her about me and how I was from Hawaii and Ms. Makiko wanted me to come over to show me a casual tea ceremony. I went there after school and got to see tatami flooring as well as I got to watch how green tea is made. I also got to drink it which was awesome!
I got to meet Ms. Makiko’s son as well. His name was Daiki, and even though he couldn’t speak English, I was able to communicate with him through Ms. Makiko. In my opinion, Daiki was a younger version of me. He loves playing minecraft as well as playing other types of video games and invites his friends over to play them as well. He also likes reading manga (otaku buddies) and we got to talk a lot about my life as well as theirs. It was a fun experience to be able to use my Japanese language skills as well as to be able to talk to another Japanese family.
Day 4 in Fukuoka:
I got to create a character bento today and it was very interesting. Character bentos are bentos that are created with food that forms into a picture of a famous character such as Hello Kitty or Naruto. I have seen some of the character bentos on social media sites and have always wondered how to create them. Now I finally have learned how to make them and EAT them!
I also got to go to an anime store called “Animate” and it was so awesome! I’m considered to be an Otaku (a person who loves anime a lot) and just seeing so much anime merchandise in one place was like heaven. I was able to buy not only for myself, but for my friends back home as well! The best part of it was that it was super cheap compared to what it is in Hawaii.
Day 5 in Fukuoka:
I got to wear a yukata today and it was really cool to finally be able to wear one. I have seen it many times in animes, however I was never able to see one in real life nor have the chance to be able to wear one. Interesting fact: Yukatas and Kimonos are different.
Yukata is a traditional dress that is only one layer while as a kimono is two layers. Also there isn’t that much specific types of yukatas or kimonos, but there are different colors for the different seasons.
Day 6 in Fukuoka:
I didn’t have classes until the afternoon so Kat, Megan, Maja, Zane and I decided to go to Canal City Hakata to buy omiyage for our family and friends back at home. We met up at the school and “yelped” our way to the mall. We found the mall after a couple of minutes and when we arrived we thought that it was huge!
When we checked the information stand to see the whole entire mall, our minds were completely blown away. The part that we were at was only ⅕ of the mall and the mall had five different buildings with each building having five levels including a basement level. We knew we wouldn’t be able to go to each and every store, so we decided to just explore the first and basement floor to see what it had.
We were able to buy some candy for our family as well as anime stuff from a store called “Jump Shop” and ice cream at a very American shop called “Cold Stone.” After we ate ice cream, we went back to Hakata station to buy some food and went back to the school.
Sadly there was a ceremony that was held today for our school. It was a ceremony for all the students who were leaving the school this week. There were a couple of people who I have seen around the school, but I never got the chance to talk to them. However, there was one person who I had to say goodbye to. Her name was Megan and she only stayed here for a week. Even though it was a short amount of time, we acted as if we were best friends since forever.
It was sad to see one of my friends leave, but we enjoyed our last day with a blast by going to a pokemon shop called “Pokemon Center” and got to see awesome pokemon goodies. We then took our last train ride together and we said our goodbyes. It was nice getting to meet Megan and to be able to talk to her about anime and other crazy things.
These moments are the moments I truly enjoy, to meet new people from around the world and to be able to connect with them so much to the point where we feel very close together. Even though it was sad seeing her for the last time, I was happy I was able to meet her.
After saying goodbye to Megan, I met with my host family and we went to a supermarket mall to buy some food and groceries for Mahiru’s camp that he is going to tomorrow. After shopping, we went to eat at the food court. I chose to eat meat with eggs and rice at “Pepper Lunch” and it was so ono! After a happy yet sad day, there was a good meal to end the day!
Want to see more of my experience so far?
Check out my video from this first week in Japan and don’t miss the three important tips for travel at the end!
Duke Takeno is 16 years old and lives in Oahu, Hawaii. His goal during his language program in Fukuoka, Japan is to “learn the language, connect with the other students in the program as well as my host family, and to enjoy what Japan has to offer. I can’t wait to begin my adventure!” Follow Duke’s adventures in Japan on his weekly blog post updates.
My first few days in Japan have been a bit overwhelming. My hosts are a very welcoming and nice family, though we have had some troubles communicating due to mutual language difficulties. I have been mostly taking the train and walking to the language school, which has resulted in me getting lost and basically almost not getting home.
I took the rapid transit train, which skipped my stop and went into the outskirts of Fukuoka Prefecture. I had to wait 40 minutes before another train came, and it took another 30 to get back to my host family’s home. On the bright side, the station I was stuck at was surrounded by fog covered mountains. On the not-so-bright side, it was barely bright enough to see at that point.
Later, I went out for sushi with my hosts. It was one of those places where they have those conveyor belts that deliver the food, which was pretty cool. The sushi was also good.
As for school, I like that it starts later, at 10:00 a.m., rather than 8:00 a.m. normally. The station where I get off, that is near the school, is a major station. It seems to me to be like a combination of a mall, and a train station. There are ten floors of shops and restaurants, most of which I have not seen yet. I found that many parts of the station have gift shops with clay kitchenware, fans, chopsticks, etcetera, (I did not know that it was a touristy part of town).
When I get to school, I find a recreation room with several groups of young people, some playing Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U, some talking, and some doing homework from the previous night. I usually play video games until class starts, which usually begins around 90 minutes after I arrive (I make sure to leave early, just in case I get lost again).
Some of the morning classes we have done include a Japanese gift wrapping class, an udon making class, and a Taiko drumming class. I ended up frustrated after the wrapping class due to my apparent incompetence, and I did enjoy the Taiko class. After which we go get lunch.
There are many food places within the area of the school, and I have eaten things like Kara age, Ramen, and just Eki-Bento.
The afternoon class is Japanese language class, which goes on until 6pm. It’s boring to sit in a class for four hours, but necessary. Almost all of the people in my class are adults, and most of them do not have the same amount of language immersion that I would have, being young and living with a host family, so they have a little more trouble than I do.
I have gotten better at understanding Japanese, though my speaking skill leaves a lot to be desired. I have met people from many different countries, such as Germany, Sweden, Turkey, or Spain, which was nice, even though I am a little introverted. I still get nervous when boarding the train for fear of losing my way once again.
It has been an experience I will not forget, and this is only the first week! I felt a bit like a baby on my first day with my host family, stuck in a new world with barely a wisp of an idea of what was occurring. I was and still am very nervous because I am afraid of being impolite or making some kind of mistake that I myself am not aware of.
Until next week!
Aden Jibril is 15 years old and lives in Oakland, California. His goal during his language program in Fukuoka, Japan is to “learn to cook at least one Japanese dish, increase my language skill, and to interact well with my host family.” Follow Aden’s adventures in Japan on his weekly blog post updates.
Greenheart Travel is excited to send a group of amazing high school students to language camps overseas as part of our 2016 Travel Correspondent Scholarship awards. To help introduce our inspiring writers, we are doing a series of spotlight interviews to help you get to know a little more about who they are, where they will be headed and what inspired them to learn a new language abroad.
Read on to meet 15-year-old, Clara Bekeny, our Greenheart Travel Correspondent from San Francisco, California who’ll be traveling to Salamanca for her summer language camp in Spain!
Favorite thing to do in your free time?
My favorite thing to do in my free time is dance. I take modern and ballet at a studio, and Jazz at my school. Also, I am a part of the dance company at my school.
Have you traveled abroad before?
Yes, I am fortunate enough to have a family that values traveling. I have family in Europe so I have been quite a few times. Some of my favorite places I have been include Venice, Italy; Paris, France; and Punta Mita, Mexico.
What got you interested in learning a new language and traveling abroad?
My mom traveled abroad to Salamanca in college and talks about how it was a life changing experience. She not only learned about the Spanish language, but also learned about different cultures being in such an international place.
What are you most excited about experiencing during your language camp?
I am most excited for improving my Spanish and meeting new people! I can’t wait to learn about where all my peers are from and spend time with them!
Why do you feel it’s important to travel to a new place and learn a new language?
I feel it’s important to travel and learn a new language because it can broaden your perspective of the world. Traveling to new places makes you more open to other people and educated about the world. I believe that the more people that put time and en energy into traveling and learning a new language, the more peaceful our world will become.
What are you nervous about?
I am nervous about being away from my friends and family. I spend so much time with them; it will be hard to not see them everyday. I know it will just make me more of an independent person though.
How well do you speak Spanish at this point?
I have been speaking Spanish for four years now. I have a good understanding of grammar and writing Spanish, but my speaking skills need to be improved. I hope by being immersed into the Spanish language I will improve a great deal.
How do you think you will change the most during your time abroad?
I think I will become more adventurous during my time abroad. I hope to try new things, and return home with great memories to share with my family and friends.
Clara Bekeny is 15 years old and lives in San Francisco, California. Her goal during her language program in Salamanca, Spain is to “to broaden my understanding of the Spanish culture and to make new friends during my trip to Salamanca. Additionally, I hope to improve my Spanish language skills.” Follow Clara’s adventure in Spain on her weekly blog post updates.
Aden Jibril is 15 years old and lives in Oakland, California. His goal during his language program in Fukuoka, Japan is to “learn to cook at least one Japanese dish, increase my language skill, and to interact well with my host family.” Follow Aden’s adventures in Japan on his weekly blog post updates.
Autumn Lee is 16 years old and lives in Alameda, California. Her goal during her language program in France is to “improve my French vocabulary and understand in more depth the French culture and people.” 
Allie Larman is 15 years old and lives in Berkeley, California. Her goal during his language program in Salamanca, Spain is “to learn and try Spanish dance styles such as Flamenco while I am in Salamanca. I practice American dance at home, and I hope to broaden my dance horizons.” 
Sam Gorman is 17 years old and lives in Los Angeles, California. His goal during his language program in Berlin, Germany is to “make as many international friends as I can and to speak as much German as humanly possible! The only way to really improve in a language is by speaking it, and I plan to put that into practice by using the city as my classroom and by getting out of my comfort zone to improve my language skills. ” 
Duke Takeno is 16 years old and lives in Oahu, Hawaii. His goal during his language program in Fukuoka, Japan is to “learn the language, connect with the other students in the program as well as my host family, and to enjoy what Japan has to offer. I can’t wait to begin my adventure!” 
Clara Bekeny is 15 years old and lives in San Francisco, California. Her goal during her language program in Salamanca, Spain is to “to broaden my understanding of the Spanish culture and to make new friends during my trip to Salamanca. Additionally, I hope to improve my Spanish language skills.”