Hello, my name is Irene, summer 2018 I did my first internship abroad in Kyoto, Japan. I was fortunate enough to receive the Freeman Stipend for Internships in Asia, easing the financial burden of the program fee. My project is a four-part video series documenting my experience interning and living in Japan for 8 weeks. The video series will showcase fragments of Japanese culture, lifestyle, and famous landmarks with the purpose of increasing exposure of Kyoto, Japan. My goal for the videos will be to alleviate any concerns and answer questions for people who don't think that an internship abroad is attainable for them. I hope to increase the understanding of Asian culture to encourage people to explore life beyond their borders.

Kyoto is the perfect dichotomy of traditional and modern Japan, your experience of the city changes as the sun goes down. Whether you're enjoying the sunlight or are out at night there is always a fun way to experience the beauty of Kyoto.

Day:
In the day the most common view throughout the weekdays is hundreds of people bustling to make their way to work in the morning and home in the afternoons. Train and subway stations are crowded and the overall pace of the environment is very fast. If you are interning or studying abroad you will mostly find yourself among people commuting to your workplace. As for tourist, the day is perfect for sightseeing, visiting temples and shrines and shopping. You can visit the Golden Pavilion in the northern part of Kyoto, hang out with some monkeys in Arashiyama, take a bike tour around the city, visit the Manga Museum, do some shopping in high-end fashion shops along Gion Shijo and walk around in a yukata.

Night:
Kyoto is known for its preservation of tradition which reflects the atmosphere of the day, however, night contrast and complements the traditional Kyoto atmosphere with flashing neon lights wherever you go. Kyoto is a great place to experience nightlife in Japan, you can enjoy the summer nights walking along popular streets eating Japanese street foods. You can also reserve a karaoke room, dance the night away in a dance club, go to an arcade view the city light from an observation deck or mountain and many nightly adventures. During the summer you can enjoy the nighttime Matsuri events where you will find hundreds of people, street vendors and feel like a local. Kyoto is much more than traditional sights, it is also a great place to experience nightlife with great music and fun atmosphere.

More information on the Freeman Stipend for Internships in Asia

Awards start at $2,000 for undergraduate and graduate students, award vary and depend on the duration, location and other financial support awarded to the recipient. The student who receives the help is required to a service- learning project the semester after they return.

Eligibility (for UT students):

Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Be enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin as a degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate student
Be in good academic and disciplinary standing during the entire application process and internship.
Planning to intern in one of the following countries: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, or Vietnam
Participating in an internship for at least six weeks.

свернуть