＜Interview＞English Immersion Work Experience Program Report
On August 31, 2024 by 
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＜Interview＞English Immersion Work Experience Program Report
English Immersion Work Experience
Summer 2024
Our Work Experience Program gives volunteers the opportunity to work in a real-life English-speaking environment.
Yuki and Sei participated in this program over the summer as teacher assistants in our Kids Program.
We interviewed them to learn about their experience.
Q1. Do you feel your English has improved after this program?
YUKI: I joined this program for 4 weeks. It was very hard to hear and understand what native teachers were saying at first, but by my third week my understanding started to improve. I was also able to express myself in a variety of ways by copying how native teachers spoke.
SEI: I’m from Japan, but I study at a Community College in NY state. At my college, I spend most of my time with other international students, so I don’t really have a chance to speak with native speakers. During this program, I could hear native teachers communicate with natural speed, and I began to understand them better.
“My understanding started to improve”
Q2. Did you have any difficult experiences?
YUKI: At the beginning, it was difficult to get used to my tasks, and I was also physically tired. But eventually, I started to really enjoy working with the kids in this program.
SEI: Through this program, I realized that I really like working with kids. I didn’t have many difficulties except being able to follow naturally-spoken English.
Q3：Why did you decide to try this program?
YUKI: I had already lined up a job in Japan, so I wanted to improve my English during my last summer as a college student. This program is different from “studying” in a school, as it gave me a real-life work experience in a native English environment, so I could improve my skills naturally.
SEI: My goal is to transfer to a University in the USA, and having work experience is highly valued when submitting an application. Through this program I received a letter of completion from the school principal, which I can use for my collegeapplication.
“I could improve my skills naturally”
How did you spend your time on the weekends?
YUKI: The program gave me a free HOLO card (a card used in Hawaii to ride The Bus), so I went to many places on the weekends.
I went to the North Shore, Lanikai Beach, and so many other places.
I also tried surfing and I was so excited to stand on the board and catch a wave!
＊ This beautiful night sky picture was taken from the local family’s home where I stayed while participating in this program. >>>>>>>>>>
SEI: I basically just chilled on the weekends, but I sometimes hung out with all the teachers from the Kids Program and had a lot of fun.
<<<<<<<< It was a really memorable time to ride a hose with this view!
Q4：How was your homestay experience?
YUKI: I stayed in the Aina Haina area, on the southeast coast of Oahu. My host family has a huge house with 8 rooms! It was a really big house. I had dinner at 7:00pm with my host family every day. I could learn general and casual English there.
Q5. Please share your general feedback on this program
YUKI: I had a great experience with the kids in this program. I enjoyed the Hawaiian nature and visiting tourist spots, even though it was challenging for me at time. I will be back to Hawaii before iI start my full-time job!
SEI: It was a very good experience. I was worried I might disturb the classes because of my excitement in communicating with the kids a lot. I had a great relationship with the students, but I am very pleased to have built a great work relationship with all the teachers in the program.
Although it’s important to learn English with a textbook and school materials, it’s also very useful to practice English outside of the classroom in the real world.
Through our English Immersion Work Experience program, we want to give volunteers the opportunity to use their language skills in the real world, where they can learn to communicate in a work environment, even if it’s for a short time.
We also hope that volunteers can use this experience as a stepping stone for their future, and that they make good use of their official Letter of Completion.
We are very proud of the work and progress achieved by YUKI and SEI during their time with us. They made themselves a part of the Palms family and we wish them all the very best!
BIG MAHALO!
Winter English Immersion Work Experience Homestay Program
Application period： September ~ October, 2024
Interview： October by ZOOM in English
Program Period: January and February, 2025
・A real-life work experience in a native English environment with the feeling of Aloha.
・Homestay Experience with exposure to Hawaiian culture and lifestyle.
・A free HOLO card which volunteers can use to ride The Bus.
・A letter of completion from the school principal.
・Online Private lessons: Two 60-minute lessons.
・Round trip airport transportation.・Eligible to receive Kama’aina discount.
＊ Volunteers are responsible for their own flight tickets.
＊Homestay accommodation is arranged by Hawaii Palms, but volunteers are responsible for covering their accommodation fee.
Please contact us to register or for more information.
WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU HERE IN SUNNY WAIKIKI.
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
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