Past Review
By fiver0013 (Japanese Language and Literature., Tufts University) for
Columbia University: Kyoto - Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / KCJS
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Full-Year 2008 |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Japanese instruction is excellent. Frequency of classes, intensity, and surroundings assure that you learn 2-3x an equivalent Tufts course. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The KCJS office staff are all very attentive. Sometimes you feel as if they're a bit over staffed. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Private apartment about a 15 minute bike ride to KCJS. I enjoyed the commute immensely. The area was Karasuma-Nijo. <br /><br /> Right in the middle of the city. Could not be beat! |
| * Food: |
Japan is a great place to eat. Learn how to cook if you live in an apartment. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Friendship s with both US students from the program and Japanese students from Kyoto University blossom. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
Japan is easily the safest country in the world. You can be out on the streets of a red light district at 3am alone and feel perfectly safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
|
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-$150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Program gives you lunch/spending money about once a month. This takes care of many of your incidental weekday expenses. You're on your own when it comes to cash for your weekend activities. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Language instruction at KCJS is fantastic. The professors are some of the best I've ever encountered at Tufts, Middlebury College language program, or elsewhere. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | It's one of the top programs in Kyoto and in Japan. Make it your business to involve yourself in Kyoto University and the wider community, and you should have a great time. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Kyoto: The Past in the Present |
| Course Department: | KCJS 003? |
| Instructor: | Smith |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course was excellent in forcing you to go out and explore the city. The chief assignments were writing biweekly journal entries, and these required making an independent trips to cultural sites in Kyoto. Ex: Raku pottery museum, Mimizuka, Ebisu Shrine, important locations of the Shinsengumi, Buddhist graveyards etc... By pushing you to explore the city you received a education of Kyoto and Japan impossible in the US. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No issues. Fill out the appropriate forms in Webcenter early. |
