KAWAI Sakura | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Q1.Please tell us what activities were prepared in the program. What did you learn from those activities?

In this program we had activities such as, language classes, cultural exchange with local students, sight seeing of Jakarta, dying experience of Batik, homestay, and Indonesian dance. In addition, people I got to know in Indonesia took me to a restaurant where I could enjoy local food. Even outside class, I spent my days surrounded with Indonesian language. I will never forget the words I desperately used in the environment where I had to use in order to get the food I want to eat.

Q2.How do you want to make use of the skills and experiences from the program to your future?

What I learned from this program was not only the language skill. I learned the joy when I and someone who doesn’t have the same native language could finally share one thing after many trials using body language. Meanwhile, the number of the words I could use increased day by day, and I was very happy when people started to understand my Indonesian faster than before. I felt that under difficult situation which you almost give up, keep trying no matter what is an essential factor in the life.

Q3. Please give a message to future participants.

The language acquisition speed increased dramatically after going to Jakarta. However, this Immersion program is not only about learning the language. This program gave me the opportunity to create a strong relationship with people I met in Jakarta and people at the host university, that I believe they will give me a warm welcome when I visit there again. Jakarta is now one of my home place. There will be hard times living for 5 weeks in a place where you can communicate only with a language you are not used to, but as long as you do not forget keep challenging, those 5 weeks will be full of fun and excitement. Please do participate in this program and enjoy the life in Jakarta!