Even though the camp is only a few days long, they are action packed. We have a variety of activities, and they are all focused on improving your English.
Over the 3 days, you'll have lots of opportunities to chat with Nic-sensei and learn with a native English speaker. In addition, you'll be able to practice English communication with your other classmates. Of course, all while enjoying the beauty of Tanegashima!
There are a few things that you need to bring with you before coming. Remember, a more detailed list can be found in the ‘before you go’ section. Here are the most important though ( in my opinion ;) )!
Afternoon Arrival - You’ll arrive around lunch. So, we’ll have some food and drink ready for you, because what’s better than eating and drinking? English practice will start right away, but don’t worry, we will be starting off slow, and this will be your first opportunity to learn. This boot camp is all about immersion in English, so all of your materials will be in English. I’ll have English translations of all the menu, so you will be reading and making your food order with one of your teachers, all in English!
Once you’re ‘fed and watered’ as we say in English (ask me about the meaning of this phrase during the camp!), it’s time to check into your accommodation. And, that means it’s another chance to practice some practical English. The check-in procedure will be done in English! As a reminder, there will always be Japanese staff on hand if you need to clarify everything!
The goal of the camp is to learn English and have fun, so don’t worry. We will always give you the information you need in Japanese as well if it’s really important!
After the check-in procedure is finished, we’ll have a few activities to get to know each other, and for you to learn more about Nic-sensei. These will be fun, and designed so that everyone can practice English and meet their fellow campers!
These activities will be done outside, weather and light permitting.
After our activities, it will be time for a big welcome party! After all of our learning and travelling to the island, I’m sure you will be hungry! But, you will have to use your English once more. Use English when ordering and getting to know your fellow campers. Even if you’re shy, don’t worry! You will have lots of chances to use English in a low-stress environment. Don’t worry, Nic-sensei is a bit shy too, but he has some fun activities to lighten the mood.
The party will end with show and tell, and then it’s off to bed, to rest up for an action-packed day 2!
Since weather is so variable on Yakushima, this camp is designed to be very flexible. So, the itineraries for Day 2 and Day 3 are interchangeable. We have one day of outdoor activities, and one day of indoor activities. So, we will have our ‘outdoor day’ on either Day 2 or Day 3, depending on which day has better weather.
Outdoor day will actually see you as the teacher!
Yakushima is a World Heritage Site renowned for its nature. And, I’ve heard it was the inspiration for many a Ghibli movie. So, you will be teaching me about the world of Ghibli, as we go for a walk in the park. You and your fellow students will need to retell a Ghibli movie, while we’re there. It will be like visiting Ghibli Park, but even better because it will be in English!
During the day, we will either have lunches prepared for you by a local restaurant, or we will visit a local restaurant for an authentic meal. Either way, you know there will be English involved!
After a long day in the forest, our nighttime activities will be more relaxed! We will have a few activities to focus our learning though, so don’t worry.
Remember that Day 2 and Day 3 are interchangeable. But, one of them will be an ‘outdoor day’ as mentioned above. For our ‘indoor day’, don’t worry, because there are still lots of chances to have fun.
Even though we are ‘indoors’, our accommodation has plenty of space to move and learn, so we will have a range of activities to stay busy and learn English. In fact, you can even call it our ‘competition’ day. Campers will be put on a team with a teacher, and together, you will work on a series of challenges. The winning team will get a prize, but everyone will learn English!
To finish the day, we will have a fun cooking lesson with Lisa! This was a huge hit during our first Tanegashima Boot Camp, so we are bringing it back to Yakushima. Don’t worry if you don’t have much cooking experience either, like me. Lisa is a pro, and we will be cooking some German and Canadian favourites!
It’s time to say goodbye, but that’s not something to be sad about! We will make your final day special, with some early morning activities and review lessons before your departure.
You will also give a short presentation to your fellow campers as a final project. Don’t worry though. You will be amazed. After 4 days of English, the presentation will be no problem with your new English skills!
Of course, we will have an extra special breakfast as well!
Don’t forget that there are review lessons online after the camp, and more opportunities to learn again at the next Boot Camp. Return survivors are always welcome and rewarded!
With this rare boot camp style learning experience, we hope you gain some knowledge at least required to have the most fun! To achieve this, we cam up with programs where you can gain some knowledge before joining our camp. It's free contents so don't hesitate to sign up even if you are still unsure whether to join!