the programthe program
CIEE support
Our representatives at World Youth Service Society (WYS), headquartered in Tokyo, will be responsible for the placement and support of students while in Japan. They will screen and select host families throughout Japan, depending on the school where the student is accepted. Students will be placed in a Japanese Kotogakko (high school). Students should be prepared to purchase their schoolbooks.
orientation
Orientation will take place in Chicago or another west coast city one day before departure. They consist of a full half day program of information on important topics such as an introduction to your host country, health and safety, tips on how to adjust to a new culture and language, the academic program, and getting to know other high school students going to the same country. The rest of the time is spent on sightseeing in the area, restaurants and evening activities. Students will be met at the airport and transferred to a local hotel where they will stay with other CIEE participants. CIEE staff will stay in the hotel with the students and will accompany them to their overseas check-in. They will be met at the other end by our program staff abroad and then onto their final destination for an onsite orientation which includes sightseeing of Tokyo.
placements
WYS cannot guarantee placement with families in a specific geographic area. Students are generally placed in suburban locations. In the past, students have been placed in Hiroshima, Kobe, Chiba and Kanagawa.
CIEE participants will be placed in a local high school where typical subjects are Japanese, Japanese literature, Japanese history and civics, math, science, and P.E. Most schools offer some form of art. Ceramics is a highly esteemed art form in Japan, so work in clay is likely to be available. Students may also be provided with a tutor or JSL instruction.