Connect with Former Fellows

Hey everyone! I'm Nick, a sophomore in Berkeley studying Global Affairs and History. My time in Osaka was nothing less than transformative—building bonds with other Japanese university students is a unique experience you won't get in any other program, and thus, my Japanese certainly improved a ton. The fellowship also allowed me to travel around and hit some of my lifetime bucket list items—climbing Mount Fuji on a whim, watching a Sumo Tournament live, staying with Buddhist monks, visiting an onsen town, and getting very acquainted with the Japanese vintage thrifting scene! I would love to talk about my experiences anytime so please reach out!

Greetings and Salutations! I'm Jason, and I spend Spring 2024 abroad in Osaka with CET Japan. I had an incredible time abroad not only sharpening my Japanese skills, but also taking a deep dive Japanese society and culture, observing its deep history and its differences and connections to the American and Chinese culture I come from. I was able to explore the country from Nagasaki to Hokkaido, and I made so many great connections with all sorts of amazing people. I'm thrilled to share my experiences with everybody!

Hi! My name is James and I spent the 2022-23 academic year at International Christian University through the Middlebury in Japan program as a Light Fellow. As I am a heritage speaker of Japanese, this program's heritage track courses really helped me hone my language skills. Outside of the classroom, I was able to travel a lot and see so much of the country. I also have great memories of campus life, as I was able to make many friends in my dorm and on the school's basketball team. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions!

Hello! My name is Jesús Cebreros and I am a third year in Trumbull College majoring in Art. During the 2023-2024 year, I studied abroad at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. At Nanzan I got to practice my Japanese through intensive Japanese courses as well as several art courses like 生花(Flower-Arrangement)、書道 (Calligraphy)、踊り(Dance)、and 武道(Martial Arts). Outside of the classroom, I practiced with Nanzan's Judo, Track and Field, and Art clubs, frequented a jazz bar in Sakae called Jazz Inn Lovely, experienced salsa and bachata through the oldest salsa bar in Nagoya, got close to a couple of the nearby mom-and-pop shop owners, made a trip to Tokyo to see the Hakone Ekiden and thrift with a friend studying at Middlebury's ICU program, climbed at two local climbing gyms (one in Sakae and the other in Imaike), went on multiple CJS field trips including to Tokugawaen, Ghibli Park, and Toyota Automobile Museum, completed two bike trips (one to Tokushima and the other around Shikoku and Shimanami Kaido), saw Kaneko Ayano and her band perform live at Zepp Nagoya, and SOOO much more!!! My year abroad in Japan was such a transformative experience and one that I will never forget. If you have any questions regarding the Light Fellowship, Nanzan, living in Japan, studying Japanese, or any of the experiences I mentioned above, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Hello! My name is Jaxon Havens and I am a sophomore in Trumbull College. My intended major is History and I hope to go for the certificate in Japanese. I was a Light Fellow in the 2022 Summer through the CET-Japan program at Osaka Gakuin University. It was a truly life-changing experience and I am incredibly grateful for how I have progressed in both my study of Japanese and in my understanding of myself as a multiethnic person in an increasingly globalized world. I would love to talk all about Light, applying to programs, adjusting to life in Japan, and studying Japanese at Yale, so do not hesitate to reach out. 頑張りましょう！