I am going into my freshman year of college and am trying to learn Japanese possibly to fluency over the next couple years. I am considering applying to the Middlebury summer program next summer but am also interested in the programs that have you study in Japan (like the gogonihon ones). I was wondering if anyone knew the pros and cons of either one or which one would be better overall.
Thanks in advance
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I think for a program like you’re talking about, the main benefit is the immersion aspect alongside your actual classes.
I can’t speak to Middlebury — I know a few people who went and said they got a lot out of it, tho I haven’t been myself — but from my understanding they do also provide that immersion environment. In my opinion though, there can be a benefit to doing an in-Japan program because then you also get the daily-life kind if interactions –with a host family potentially, with shopkeepers, at restaurants, all that sort of thing — and that can be useful.
It was a good fifteen years ago now, but I did the HIF ([Hokkaido International Foundation](https://www.hif.or.jp/en/summer/)) summer program and really enjoyed it. Hakodate is an awesome town, it’s nice to experience some of the non-Tokyo areas of Japan, we were able to go to Sapporo for a holiday weekend … Plus Hokkaido in summer is really great weather. Like a lot of places it looks like they’re still keeping their programs virtual, but it’s a good option for when it goes back to normal.