An Immersive International Experience from Home Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Readings and resources were provided in advance of the program, including a detailed agenda, to help orient everyone. We studied about Japanese business and language prior to attending virtual meetings with business executives. I was impressed with the credentials of the executives we met with. Some were in high level director roles with decades of experience and could answer students' questions with incredible depth and detail. We met with a mix of expatriates and native Japanese business people, which gave multiple perspectives on cultural facets of doing business in Japan. Students researched, created, and shared presentations about the companies we would be speaking to, and the company executives attended these presentations, providing personal feedback afterward. I learned far more about conducting business and the inner workings of very successful Japanese businesses than I had initially thought possible prior to the program.

On-site administration of your program

Faculty and program administrators were readily accessible by phone, email, and text for questions, concerns, or just follow up on anything brought up during the seminar. Despite attendees being located all across the US (and some in Japan), communication channels were open and responses near instantaneous.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

As it's a virtual seminar, I enjoyed all the comforts of my own home, just as all the other attendees could enjoy the comforts of theirs. The Zoom meetings didn't feel intrusive either, because we were encouraged to keep the digital atmosphere to a relaxed, business casual.

Although we couldn't go to Japan physically, we were shipped food items from the country and got to participate in a virtual Japanese cooking lesson with recipes provided for us to reference in the future. I was amazed at how much the group could bond over talking and cooking from home over Zoom.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was surprised at how close the group of students, faculty, and leaders grew during a virtual seminar. Within the first few days friendships were forming and everyone had gotten comfortable speaking with one another and to the group. The business executives we met with were eager to answer questions and clearly enthusiastic to spend time with us even virtually. Interactions were professional but very comfortable. The executives were more than happy to share contact information to follow up on anything we wanted to know about Japan and their businesses. It was an extremely trusting environment. We got to meet with Japanese university students from Hiroshima, during which we practiced some of the Japanese we had learned and discussed different perspectives on business and culture. A highlight of the seminar was meeting with a Legacy Successor from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. As a group and along with the Japanese students, we had a deep, difficult, but amazingly respectful discussion about different viewpoints on the atomic bombing. Even if I had traveled in-person to Japan, I am not sure I would have had such a rewarding and varied experience in one trip.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The virtual program was clearly developed with students' health at the forefront. Most of us were under quarantine, so this was a great opportunity to preserve mental health by having a rich social and educational experience virtually. The leaders made it clear that if any of us had any problems to reach out for support. The leaders, students, and even the executives we met were extremely understanding of home circumstances, such as family needs, that might pull a participant away from the Zoom meeting for a few moments. Since this program is attended from home, the healthcare system is familiar, so if something really serious did come up, you're in the best place already for care.

On a virtual trip, physical harm is extremely unlikely. Still, the possibility for emotional and mental harm is present, and IBS did a wonderful job from the outset acquainting students with one another to build a strong social network, and making very clear the expectations for respect and tolerance that all attendees were to show one another. We had a diverse and open group, but we all knew that if someone were to have gotten out of line, we had channels to directly report any behaviors that might be emotionally or mentally harmful to faculty or leaders.

Despite a pandemic and quarantine orders, I got to experience another country from afar and enjoyed immersion in its language, culture, and business. The executives we met with were extremely knowledgeable, and I felt privileged to receive in depth information about their companies' operations from them.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

There are no additional expenses beyond the flat price of the program. Since everyone is at home, you live on the same budget as usual. No surprise fees or expenses, no need for insurance, no currency exchange fees, no wondering about meal prices.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

An entire session was dedicated to learning the language from a native Japanese speaker who in fact teaches incoming expatriates the Japanese language. We learned basic introductions and some useful phrases to get started, and immediately practiced with each other and with Japanese students who had joined the session with us. Each day we were encouraged to add a few more words related to Japanese business or culture to our vocabulary.

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• Other

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• Americans

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• Americans

• Virtual
• Low-risk
• Interactive

• More student participants

The Academic or Linguist