Cross Culture Institute

Assessment

In the early 2000 when I was assigned as Country Representative for Australian Business Volunteer, Australian NGO funded by AusAid, met Prof. Edward T. Hogan – McQuarrie University Lecturer, and started working together with him. My deep understanding on Japanese Culture (I was awarded scholarships by AOTS – Japanese government, to study in Japan) and Mr. Hogan‘s experiences on how the Chinese do their businesses were interested by PT. Telkom (Training Division). We then spoke on Cross Culture topics in various occasions, different locations in country and overseas for years.

Starting 2010 I established Cross Culture Institute. This organization has the mission that because we live in this era of globalization where cultural differences are often crashed that caused losing opportunities and chances.

Cross cultural intelligent is the ability of people for business people, diplomats and student to recognize, understand and correctly respond to people, incidents or situations where misunderstandings might arise due to cultural differences.

There are four Ls of cultural competence. Be able to look and listen, learn, and live with the people you are working with. You need to be aware of the cultural differences, be able to absorb them, and apply them in every decision you make.

There’s a famous Indonesia proverb, which I’m sure you are all aware of serves as an example of cultural awareness. When pointing a finger at someone, remember 3 fingers are pointing at you. It’s a proverb I’m fond of for many reasons. But it also doubles up as a mirror.

When we visit other countries and cultures, we are always putting up a mirror and trying to see ourselves in it. Often we blame others when the problem is in ourselves.

Why is cultural competence important? Considering others from your own point of view does nothing to build respect, or trust. Without respect and trust how can you do business with each other? More importantly, how can you keep doing business with each other?

What Do we work?

1. In-house training A ~ Z on Cross Culture for all segments (from student to top managers)
2. Seminar and Practical on Cross Culture

One Day Seminar in your country and 3 Nights and 4 Days Practice in Japan (living together with Japanese families).

3. International Program Snow Camp on end of March in Nagano Prefecture, Summer Camp in Japan, Shanghai and in Indonesia on every July, etc
4. Cross Culture Program/Home Stay Program, in Japan, Korea, USA, Mexico, Indonesia anytime

Our Program with HIPPO

Overseas Home Stay Program for Family Exchange

The Family Exchange is a 1~2 weeks home stay program for individuals and families with children. Since 1981 the program has expanded to include exchanges with over 20 countries worldwide. Approximately 400 members go overseas annually to initiate friendship

Overseas Home Stay Program for Youth Exchange

The Youth Exchange is a home stay program during the spring and summer ranging one week to one month, and is catered to youth from the age 10 up till university students. Early year, up to 650 children participate in an unforgettable experience in another country.

Transnational Home Stay in Japan

The Hippo Transnational Home Stay Program has welcomed more than 5000 people from over 120 different countries to participate in Lex Home Stay In Japan. The participants are exchange student, company trainees, families and youth from our partner organizations all over the world, and have the chance to immerse themselves in Japanese culture while taking part in our various Hippo activities.

Lex Internship to Japan

The Lex Internship to Japan brings participants to Japan for an extraordinary experience at none other than the LEX HIPPO Office in Tokyo! Participants get to be at the hub of Hippo activities and can look forward to an exciting experience of multilingualism at our internationally-oriented office. From running events, to participating in workshops, to acting as liaisons, intern can be sure that there will be a dull day at the office.

Academic Year Long High School Exchange

The Academic Year Long High School Exchange has over 20 years of history and continues to expand every year. The program not only sends Japanese students abroad, but also accept high school students from around the world to study in Japan. Approximately 120 Japanese students leave to study in places ranging from the US, to France, to Thailand, to Indonesia, where they stay with host families and absorb the daily rhythms of their host cultures. This year is also saw 24 students from 8 different countries coming to Japan for a year. The exchange truly is a unique opportunity for growth.

Hippo Asian Project – Asian Multilingual Youth Nature Camp

To promote multilingual friendships in Asia, the Hippo Asian Project was launched with two Youth Camps under its wing. The Asian Multilingual Youth Camp in Shanghai and the Asian Multilingual Camp in Thailand are geared toward secondary school Student and Youth from China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, and all over Asia. Each year, participants enjoy making new friends from different countries and sharing heir languages, all while taking part in a variety of outdoors activities. These youth get to enjoy the beauty of nature while gaining a broader perspective the world and developing new friendships.

World Internship Project (WIP)

The WIP is an exiting opportunity providing adult of all ages with a life-changing exchange experience in another country. WIP interns spend 1-12 months volunteering with LEX in Japan, Korea, the US, or Mexico, or with our various partner organisations in up to 40 different countries around the world. Interns will have the opportunity to live with host family and absorb the rhythms of daily life. The program is open to qualified adults, ages 18 and up.

Multilingual Snow & Nature Camp

The Snow and Nature Camps, held annually in Japan in March and August respectively, provide the perfect chance to enjoy Hippo’s multilingual activities in the beauty of nature. The Snow Camp take participants to snowy landscape of Nagano Prefecture in March, where participant get to play in a winter wonderland before retreating to traditional minshuku, traditional Japanese inns, at night. The Nature Camp, also held in Nagano, is awash in flora and fauna and full of exiting outdoor activities. Open to people around the world, here camps are truly multilingual, multilingual experience!

Testimonies

Indonesian To Japan

 1. March 25, 2020~April 3^rd, 2020 Cross Culture Mission to participate Snow Camp        Program in Nagano and Home Stay (Victory School-Bekasi)

2.More than 40 Campus People: Rectors, Professors, lecturer and Academic Staff from The Association of Computer Universities (APTIKOM) in whole Indonesia, April 2018. Home Stay Program.

3. Victory School Bekasi, International School, March 2018 (Snow Camp and Home Stay) – This school participates every year since 2010. Home Stay, Snow Camp and Land Tour.

4. BSD BCA Employees, March 2018. Home Stay Program

5. ITB Student, 2017, Home Stay Program

6. Photographer Club, 2016, Home Stay Program

 

Japanese To Indonesia

1. December 27, 2019~January 1^st, 2020,  Japanese 14 Families stayed in Bukit Tinggi, West Sumatera
2. December 25, 2018, 25 families to Malang, East Java
3. December 25, 2017, 20 Families to Jakara, Bogor, Bandung and Bekasi
4. Summer Nature Camp in Lembur Pancawati Bogor
5. December, 2016, Home Stay and Cultural Mision 16 Families in Jogyakarta
6. December 2015, 20 Families in Bandung, Jakarta, Tangerang and Bekasi

Note

Cross Culture Institute has been pair partnership with Hippo Family Club Japan. Hippo Family Club is a Japanese NGO that 22K members seriously learn foreign languages as well as cultures. Personally I am also Hippo Family Club Representative for Indonesia.

What Is Hippo

Hippo Family Club offers natural multilingual language acquisition activities under the theme of “human language.” Members of all ages, from babies to senior citizens, comprise over 7,000 language clubs (known as “families”) located throughout Japan. There, members utilise original Hippo multilingual CDs, dance to world music, and play games. All members, from adults to children, families to single members, enjoy gathering together.

In this vein, Hippo cultivates environment where many languages can be heard and all cultures and languages can be treated with fairness and respect. The purpose of Hippo Family Club is to foster human beings with minds open to diversity.