Community Outreach
AIU’s Division of Community Outreach arranges many kinds of activities with the local community. Consistently rated among students’ favorite aspects of AIU, these activities offer a unique backstage pass to experience rural Japanese life and culture.
Sample Activities
- Teaching English and cultural exchange activities at AIU and local schools
- School holiday parties including Halloween and Christmas with children
- Cooking local and international dishes with schools and local community groups
- Rice planting and harvesting with schools and farming communities
- Homestays and activities with local community
- Participating in set-up and execution of local festivals
- Testing and evaluating new local tourism programs
Program Spotlight
Students’ Voice
I really enjoyed all the community outreach activities. AIU gave me the chance to experience what a typical Japanese school life is like. It was great being a part of Japanese culture in a way that was important to me and important for the kids’ learning. I hope that I was a good influence in their life to help bridge the gap between America and Japan just a little bit more. My favorite part of doing those events has been seeing the students’ faces as they enjoy their time listening and trying to speak with me.
Sarah Wooden, Mississippi State University, USA
It was such an eye-opening and heart-warming experience to be able to interact with elementary and junior high school students from the rural countryside of Japan. Coming from a country that is almost completely urban, I have always wondered what life growing up in the countryside would be like. It was thus a once-in-lifetime opportunity for me to be able to participate in activities such as rice farming with these students to learn more about life beyond modernity. I hope that the intercultural exchange via these AIU’s initiatives will inspire local students to be global citizens in this rapidly diversifying world.
Wei Lin Tan, National University of Singapore, Singapore