Yearlong English Interviews
Life in Japan has been progressing as usual. We are already starting to get ready for many of the exchanges next year. While for the short term programs it is as simple as accepting applications or preparing information sessions, the yearlong program requires a lot from the student. We already accepted the Hippo applications and provided an informational guidance session at the end of October. However, that is just the beginning.
In order to be accepted into a foreign program, the student must work hard to complete many more pieces - a Japanese interview, a foreign language interview, a Second Language English Proficiency test, and then after passing all of those they must write applications and essays for the foreign program (many times requiring additional revisions to complete proper language). That is why we are so busy with the program already and why we have so many members on the yearlong team.
For the most part, I serve two purposes on the team. First, I am a native English speaker and can provide language interviews to people going to English speaking countries (or countries where no one in the office has proficiency in the language - and because the student will probably have to use a lot of English to communicate). Second, I have experience with yearlong (since I have studied abroad before and am currently on a yearlong program) plus I have first hand experience in an American high school.
The interviews are actually a lot of fun for me though I'm sure they are often very stressful for the student being interviewed. We even had a student who we thought might pass out because
he was so nervous! He did do well though and I'm sure he could have done better had he relaxed. The reason I enjoy them so much is because I get to meet many youth from Japan and hear about their excitement (or their fears) about going abroad for a year. Sometimes, I interview students with the help of one Japanese coordinator, but most of the time, Angie (the Romanian intern) and I work together to interview students, while one of the coordinators is there to provide support. With almost 20 interviews already completed, I can't wait for my upcoming trip to Nagoya where I will interview more students!
This is the view from where we held the English interviews.
In order to be accepted into a foreign program, the student must work hard to complete many more pieces - a Japanese interview, a foreign language interview, a Second Language English Proficiency test, and then after passing all of those they must write applications and essays for the foreign program (many times requiring additional revisions to complete proper language). That is why we are so busy with the program already and why we have so many members on the yearlong team.
For the most part, I serve two purposes on the team. First, I am a native English speaker and can provide language interviews to people going to English speaking countries (or countries where no one in the office has proficiency in the language - and because the student will probably have to use a lot of English to communicate). Second, I have experience with yearlong (since I have studied abroad before and am currently on a yearlong program) plus I have first hand experience in an American high school.
The interviews are actually a lot of fun for me though I'm sure they are often very stressful for the student being interviewed. We even had a student who we thought might pass out because
he was so nervous! He did do well though and I'm sure he could have done better had he relaxed. The reason I enjoy them so much is because I get to meet many youth from Japan and hear about their excitement (or their fears) about going abroad for a year. Sometimes, I interview students with the help of one Japanese coordinator, but most of the time, Angie (the Romanian intern) and I work together to interview students, while one of the coordinators is there to provide support. With almost 20 interviews already completed, I can't wait for my upcoming trip to Nagoya where I will interview more students!This is the view from where we held the English interviews.
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