Japan Empowerment Program (Summer)

The Japan Empowerment Program is a fantastic way to see Japan! Honestly, my main incentive for applying was to get a free trip to Japan in return for the work we would be doing. However, after completing the program I can honestly say that the work was the best part! You are there to empower students, but seeing how much each and every student is able to grow towards their best selves over the course of just a five day session is truly awe inspiring. While the program has an intense schedule, and I was quite exhausted by the end of the time there, all the challenges were well worth it! GPI US and ISA staff were extremely helpful throughout the entire program and really helped me begin to understand Japanese hospitality and work culture. On the whole, this is a great program that I would highly recommend to any one interested in Japan or the fields of teaching and education.

This was an amazing experience -- many people go to Japan every year. Going with a homestay program like this one exposes you to so much more than you can see alone. You may participate in tea ceremonies, try on kimonos at local festivals, participate in taiko and traditional dance classes, and learn local histories. Even better, there's a new homestay and new city every week, which keeps things exciting and fresh and exposes you to even more, from Tokyo and Osaka to Yokohama and Kumamoto. You'll live and learn surrounded by Japanese culture. You'll make many friends among the other international student leaders, and you'll enjoy teaching the local Japanese students English.

First things first, I participated in the Empowerment Program as a Japan-based international student who directly worked with the interns from the US and other international students in Japan. I regularly joined the Japan Empowerment Program each summer and winter. I started out as an Activity Leader/ Group Discussion Lead. As such, I lead small groups of 4 to 5 high school students of the client school and worked with the Program Facilitator and the ISA staff. After just one year, I assumed the position of Empowerment (EMP) Facilitator.

Throughout those five years, each EMP left an incredible memory or experience that I still cherish even now that I am not based in Japan anymore. I met wonderful people - ISA staff, GPI-US interns, facilitators, Japanese teachers of the client schools, ALTs, and best of all, cute Japanese students. They're really cute like kids.

If you're up for experiential learning, friendship, and cultural appreciation, please join this program. By the way, I put 9/10 for fun not because it was "just close to fun" but only because I want you to discover this missing tenth for yourself. Sure, there's an iota of challenge in a few programs... This is also pretty normal in every program where diversity is deemed part of the learning process. How do you deal with cross-cultural understanding if there's no hint of difference? What matters is our focus on building friendship, learning, and understanding.

I am so glad I decided to do the Empowerment Progam! In the program you travel between different cities each week for one month. I was lucky to be able to stay with such kind and heart warming host families during my stay. (To this day I still keep in contact often with them). The families go out of their way to make the week you stay with them so special. In addition, on the weekends they take you to Japan's tourist sites and local delicacies. GPI US inc takes very good care of their instructors, and provides (airfare, accomodation, travel, food, and a stipend). Going on this trip made me realize how much I enjoy teaching high school students, and how lovely of a country Japan is. If I could, I would 100% go back with this program!