Gabe Baskin

Gabe Baskin participated in the 2024 CLS Japanese Program hosted by Okayama University in Okayama, Japan. He has traveled to over 50 countries, including working in Japan, Ireland, and the Virgin Islands. Gabe is interested in pursuing a career in food policy, education, and cultural diplomacy. He received his BA in sociology from Emory University and his Master’s in public policy from the University of Michigan.

Why Japanese?

I never imagined I’d be conversational in Japanese. I never thought I'd even learn the language. Yet, a call from the Japanese consulate changed both my language learning journey and my life. The consulate informed me that I was accepted into a government-run English teaching program in Japan and gave me 24 hours to accept the offer. I took a leap of faith and moved to Japan without knowing the language or anyone there. While living in Japan, thanks to the kind locals, the immersive experience, and a persistent mindset, I taught myself basic Japanese. After returning from Japan to begin my master's program, I knew immediately I wanted to continue improving my language skills and return to my second home. When I learned about CLS, its immersive education, rigorous academics, and emphasis on holistic language learning through cultural exchange, I eagerly applied.

A Favorite Idiom

いただきます (itadakimasu) is a humble way of receiving something. Notably, people say it before eating a meal. It shows appreciation for whoever cooked the meal and for the food itself. It always makes me think more about what I eat and, more generally, about Japanese culture. During CLS, we had many insightful discussions (in Japanese, of course!) about food, including comparing and contrasting school lunch systems, the rising popularity of vegetarianism in the U.S., and regional food differences in Japan.

Career Goals

I hope to continue working as a federal employee and eventually shift towards food policy and international exchange policy fields. I would love to work with Japanese partners, whether in Japan or here in the U.S., facilitated by my Japanese language abilities and cultural knowledge.

CLS’s Impact

CLS reaffirmed my interest in living and working in Japan again and made that goal feel more attainable. Leading into the program, I felt like I had hit a plateau in my language learning; achieving advanced proficiency felt impossible. But the huge language growth I reached due to CLS helped open doors and made fluency feel achievable. More generally, CLS gave me a confidence boost. Giving big presentations, writing detailed reports, or interviewing people for class or work no longer seemed so daunting, knowing I did all that in a foreign language during CLS!