High School Summer Abroad Blog

“koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu” is a Japanese proverb that loosely translates as “nothing ventured, nothing gained” and it adequately reflects the experiences of our scholars in week two... keep reading

Greetings from Robot Cafe in Tokyo! Students got to experience eating at a very unique one-of-a-kind cafe today. People with physical disabilities work remotely and speak through futuristic remote controlled... keep reading

Last Saturday, we went to Nara. After most students left their homestays, they took local trains and met at Kyoto station for our 9 am group departure. From Kyoto station... keep reading

All students took a trip to Hakone for an overnight trip on Week 2 of our four week program! This trip was memorable because of the food, experiences, and memories... keep reading

How do you “level up” in life? Video games give us all kinds of opportunities to level up; step on a toadstool and get an extra life, throw a banana... keep reading

For today's cultural activity, our students visited the Ninja and Samurai Museum in Kyoto, where they were introduced to the rich history and cultural practices of these iconic Japanese figures... keep reading

一期一会。侘び寂び。おもてなし。 Ichigo ichie. Wabisabi. Omotenashi. Tea ceremony encapsulates much of what is central to Japanese culture, and much of what is central to Japanese culture can be difficult to translate... keep reading

After a week in Japan, our group of students are already brimming with stories and experiences that will last a lifetime. From mastering the basics of the Japanese language to... keep reading

Our journey in Tokyo continued with a series of immersive activities that left a lasting impression. At the renowned Tokyo TeamLab Planets, students experienced an extraordinary fusion of light, color... keep reading

One of the cornerstones of the Language and Culture session is the homestay experience. Rather than staying in a hotel, students are welcomed into the homes of a Japanese family... keep reading

After spending a week getting our feet wet in Kyoto, we headed to Tokyo to really dive into Japan's Gaming Culture. It was overwhelming in the best possible way! The... keep reading

Students had a busy second week! This weeks activities held a "blast from the past" theme as students got the chance to experience many traditional Japanese arts first hand. We... keep reading

清水の舞台から飛び降りる. To take the plunge! The phrase above, kiyomizu no butai kara tobioriru, literally means “to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu dera,” but is really an expression meaning “to... keep reading

We are on the way to creating our games! In the first couple of classes, students have started thinking about what it means to be a game designer. Their teachers... keep reading

This week, students got the opportunity to attend a traditional Japanese tea ceremony! Since I am a PL for group 4, this post (and the photos) will mainly showcase students... keep reading