Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An incredibly fun, but difficult, immersion into Japanese language and culture Past Review

By (Plan II and Art History, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 07/03/2014 to 07/29/2014 with

CET Japan

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I improve dramatically at Japanese.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Extremely difficult with a lot of. Arterial packed into not much time. Spring or fall semester for CET would be less strenuous. I lost a lot of sleep and often prioritized work over health and exploration.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Pleasant and comfortable, but occasionally unhelpful with maintenance (ie didn't help out when we got a cockroach problem).

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The time limit of 2 months made it difficult to fully integrate, but I feel the program immersed me to the greatest possible extent given my language level and the amount of time I had in Japan.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Only to bargain hunt.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

It was always mandatory.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? JPN610D
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Speak as much as possible.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The people
* What could be improved?
  • Either less material for summer term, or more time to cover the material. Or both.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More Japanese.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!