Hayden Hubbard, Class of 2019.
There’s really no place like AIU. On my way to northern, rural Japan, I’m not sure what I expected, but it was nothing like what I found―a diverse student body, a great group of friends and awesome surroundings. Probably one of my most rewarding experiences was as a tutor at the AAC, the Academic Achievement Center. As I tutored my students in English academic writing and reading, I also had the opportunity to learn about a vast array of different topics, from peer pressure in academia to fashion in Shinjuku. Working with the other AIU tutors, seeing the students learn, and watching their writing and confidence improve were the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. As I taught, I realized that it was something I wanted to pursue, not only as a one-time experience but as a career. Tutoring Japanese students was something I only could have done at AIU, as was visiting local schools, talking with Japanese students, trekking across Akita’s mountains or watching the Kamakura festival in Akita City. My time at AIU was full of one-time-only experiences that I wouldn’t trade for anything. And because of this, I’m now pursuing teaching English in Japan with JET in the fall of 2019.
