About Us
🇯🇵 What is AoYama Japanese Camp?
AoYama Japanese Camp (AYJC) is a Japanese language immersion company that aims to provide students of Japanese with opportunities to use language skills in real-life situations. Throughout our programs, students participate in culturally-focused activities; while practicing communicating in Japanese.
AYJC allows students to interact with native and fluent speakers as if they were visiting Japan. It is a chance for them to practice their oral and aural language skills, whilst learning through doing. AYJC incursions and camps are also a terrific ways for students to prepare for future student exchange programs, school trips to Japan or upper secondary language speaking exams.
🇯🇵 Why hold Japanese immersion workshops?
AYJC was born out of COVID lockdowns and travel restrictions, aiming to provide immersive language experiences during a time when international travel was not possible. In 2024, we at AYJC still strive to bring students opportunities to use the language they have learned in the classroom in practical, stimulating and engaging ways.
Students are encouraged to use their language skills and to experience the joy of communicating in a second language. By interacting with fluent speakers in culturally authentic environments, we hope students will make like-minded friends and be inspired to continue their studies beyond the classroom!
🇯🇵 How are the incursions organised?
Teachers consult AYJC's Workshop Calendar to confirm availability and then complete a Workshop Inquiry Form. We will then contact you within 5 business days to with the next steps to secure your booking.
🇯🇵 Who physically runs the incursions?
Workshop staff are either Japanese native speakers or trained DoE-Accredited secondary Japanese language teachers. All staff have up-to-date Working With Children Checks. A teacher from the booking school is required to supervise students and provide support with any difficult behaviour.
If there is any stage where students need to switch to English or require emergency support, they can approach any of our friendly staff.
🇯🇵 A little history...
A Japanese language teacher and former student exchange coordinator, Jessica Honda has a deep understanding of intercultural relationships between Australia and Japan. She was a high school and university student exchange participant; living and working between the two countries for over a decade.
Jessica has a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education, majoring in Japanese Studies from Macquarie University. During her time at university, she was the director of the J@M (Macquarie University’s Japanese cultural club) for 2 years, volunteered at the Japanese Tanken Centre and worked with inbound student exchange organisations; helping short term Japanese exchange students experience life as local Australian school students.
While on a semester exchange at Tokyo’s Sophia University (上智大学), Jessica volunteered extensively for the International Student Club. It was here that she was able to meet students from all over the world which helped her learn the importance of intercultural perspectives and understanding in our ever-globalising world.
Graduating in 2013, Jessica worked in NSW DET schools for a year, then was accepted onto the JET Programme and placed in Nagasaki City, on Kyushu Island in 2014. From 2014-2019 Jessica resided in Japan, teaching a diverse range of learners at a variety of levels; from EFL classes at preschool, primary school, high school and university in Shizuoka, Nagasaki and Fukuoka, to ESL and Japanese ‘Monbukagakusho’ curriculum subjects at an English immersion school in Dazaifu.
During her time on the JET Programme, Jessica wrote for and directed the ‘Nagazasshi’; Nagasaki’s English free paper, for two years. The aim of the paper was to promote cross cultural understanding and encourage expats to explore the local area. This led to opportunities for her to work with local tourism boards ‘Discover Nagasaki’ and ‘Keirinkai’, as well as assist as an interpreter for the BBC series ‘Hurricane Man.’
Since returning to Australia, Jessica has taught Japanese at primary school and high school, and worked with a local student exchange organisation. Throughout her experience in the international student exchange industry, she helped prepare students from overseas for Australian life, as well as promote, interview and prepare Australian students for life aboard.
Come 2020 and the global COVID-19 pandemic shook the world. Students who had been eagerly waiting for their international exchange programs were suddenly told that their programs were unable to go ahead as planned. This inspired Jessica to create AoYama Japanese Camp; to give students of Japanese the chance to enter into their very own ‘Japanese bubble’ and experience Japanese language and culture without leaving Australia.
Today, Jessica continues to work as a Japanese language teacher, as well as organise, promote and facilitate AYJC’s programs. If you would like to get in touch with Jessica personally, please send her an email at info@ayjc.com.au.