Leaving Home, Finding Home in Kyoto Past Review
By Cecille d (Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures, Barnard College) for
Columbia University: Kyoto - Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / KCJS
My future plans definitely, without a doubt, include returning to Japan.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Langauge instruction was AMAZING, just like at Columbia only, if possible, more in-depth. Other classes were so-so. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration could be frustrating sometimes, but when my friends and I were involved in a difficult situation, everyone was extremely helpful and supportive. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I felt like a family member; I was 15 minutes away from school by bike, 40 from nightlife/shopping; it was wonderful. |
| * Food: |
SO AMAZING THAT I GAINED 15 POUNDS |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
annual trip to Okayama! but they're getting rid of it sadly.... went to Kobe and Osaka with friends; went to Tokyo on fall break. travel if you can; so worth it. the luminarie in December in Kobe was magical. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Extremely safe environment; just be careful with all-you-can-drink places........ |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | between $50-200+, depending on if I went shopping/travelling |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It's a cash society, which I actually found very helpful as I always knew exactly how much I was spending and how much I had left. I have much more trouble managing money in New York. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Third Year II |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Definitely live with a host family. You can skate by on English but I don't recommend it. It's best if you use Japanese to conduct your day-to-day life. We spoke English with our friends in the program, which was kind of disappointing--we weren't supposed to, but a difference in level made it difficult to maintain. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The positive things I gained from this experience far outweighed the flaws and day-to-day grievances. Appreciate every day as much as you can, and I don't like saying corny things like that--before you know it it'll be over and one day you'll give anything to be back. |
