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    Information for new students, current students and Canada-Japan Co-op alumni








    • Canada-Japan Co-op Program Student Experience Reports

    CJP 2005 Reports at a Glance

    Alvin Law

    The University of British Columbia
    4th Year Engineering Physics � Electrical Option
    Host Company: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR)
    CJP YEAR: 2005

    Overall Impression

    The Canada-Japan Co-op experience is definitely one of the best decisions I have made in my life. The initial cost and the whole thought of being away from family and friends for 7 months was originally a little overwhelming. But from day one, I have experienced nothing but kindness and acceptance.

    However, Canada-Japan Co-op is definitely not for everyone. It is for sure the best way, in my opinion to experience Japan but one has to accept Japan for what it is. It may have some quirks and is quite an expensive place to live in but in the right mindset, it will reward you left and right. It took a little getting used to but trying to think like a Japanese person was definitely one of the most interesting aspects of it. In addition to learning about another culture, you get to know a lot about yourself.

    I would like to continue studying the language and one day return to Japan for an extended period of time. I would also like to come back to do some more traveling as the entire upper half of Japan has yet to be explored. Another lasting impression that I will take back with me is trying to be a tourist in one's own country. I talked with many people about the sites that I had visited while interning in Japan and the most common answer was that they had never been there before. The ones who had visited Canada raved about its beauty while I often thought it was somewhat boring country. I definitely grew to appreciate my home country while being away from it.

    All in all, I couldn't have had a more enjoyable seven months meeting new people, many of who I will try hard to keep in contact with, and experiencing living in a foreign country. Working with humanoid robots was definitely something that I thought was not possible in the middle of an undergraduate degree and am exceptionally grateful to have had the opportunity to experience. Thank you to everyone who helped make my trip so memorable.

    Read the Alvin's Full Report

    Shannon Long

    University of Alberta
    Electrical Engineering
    Host Company: Yamatake Corporation
    CJP YEAR: 2005

    Recommendations for Undecided Future Interns

    From my experiences, I would no doubt recommend an internship in Japan to anyone who is interested. It is truly a rare opportunity to experience Japan in such depth � both its rich culture and its exciting industries.

    Because Japan is such a contrast to Canada, culture shock is likely - but I think that the best advice to follow is Ono-sensei's advice: To keep an open mind, to be respectful of others, to enjoy everything while you can (because time will no doubt go by very fast), and most of all, to be yourself.

    Living in Japan, personal growth is inevitable. However, there are so many different pathways to take, and it is different for everyone. The 'best' way to experience Japan is to pursue what you want to experience � be it travels, traditional culture, everyday life, or meeting new people.

    About working in Japan, my advice would have to be the same - to be yourself, respectful, and to learn as much as you can. Perhaps most importantly though - especially to a foreign internship student working in Japan - is to not be easily discouraged.

    Read the Shannon's Full Report

    Steven Luu

    Simon Fraser University
    Faculty of Applied Science, Computing Science Program
    Host Company: NTT � Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    CJP YEAR: 2005

    A Word on Culture

    There is so much to see and do Tokyo that it would be hard to get bored of living in the city. There are many musical events, clubs, shopping districts, restaurants, izakayas and everything else you can imagine a metropolis city to have. During my free time and holidays, I went traveling, attended musical festivals in Tokyo, played sports and all of the other things Tokyoites would do. One of the reasons why I chose to participate in this Canada-Japan Co-op program was to have the chance to travel within Japan. I didn't travel as much as some of the other students but I did my fair share and it was definitely a great experience. I ended up visiting Kamakura, Yokohama, Hakone, Nikko, Nagoya, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Kobe, Amanohashidate, and Naruto. I also joined three of the company clubs: tennis, basketball, and Kyudo.

    Kyudo is the traditional Japanese art of archery and it was insightful to learn about the spiritual sport. The main goal of Kyudo is not in hitting the targets as much as it is to improve your mental strength. While practicing Kyudo, one should not think of anything and the bow becomes a part of the body. This type of mentality extends from Zen Buddhism which can also be seen in other aspects of Japanese culture such as traditional tea ceremonies.

    Read the Steven's Full Report

    ©2006 The Canada-Japan Co-op Program