A Home Away From Home Past Review
By Daniel W (Art History; Japanese, Pennsylvania State University - University Park) for
IES Abroad: Nagoya Direct Enrollment - Nanzan University
I had studied Japanese for years, starting in Junior High School. I had always wanted to visit Japan and it took 6 years to finally do so. It may just be me, but I was familiar enough with the culture, food, etc, that I didn't really go through the culture shock. In fact, the more I learned and experienced the life there, the more I agreed and felt at home with Japan. I also made a great decision choosing to live in Nagoya Koryu Kaikan. The people there come from all over the world, and they inevitably became my best friends and family and even now I miss them terribly. I miss everything about Japan. The food, the temples and shrines, the people, the subways, and everything in between. I'm glad I waited so long to visit because I feel as though it changed my life forever. It broke my heart to leave, but I know it was for the best to finish my education in America. I now consider Japan my real home and plan to go back once I complete my B.A.'s. I'll very likely move to Japan and work there as a teacher in the near future.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
All the courses besides Intensive Japanese were very easy, with hardly any work load whatsoever. The Intensive courses however, made specifically for foreign students, was very challenging. If you have a good grade in mind, I would suggest going for the course below the one scored into. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
IES was very kind and helpful during the program. The students had the opportunity to go to many different cities, where we had complete exposure to the culture and customs of the respective area. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
It is very difficult to find cheap non-Japanese food in Japan. It took a bit of time adjusting, but when I got used to it, I began to realize that Japanese food, as well as it's portion size, is much healthier than what I was used to in America. The only real con I would include is that the price of pizza is horribly expensive. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Kyoto and Nara were perhaps some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I was able to buy a ticket to Tokyo as well, which although is very modern, is very clean and a really fun city to go see. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
There were instances in which there were stabbings and sexual assault in some more obscure parts of Nagoya, but otherwise it's very safe, especially compared to America. All students got healthcare, but I never got horribly sick and never had to use it. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I lived in a dormitory, where plenty of Japanese students lived along the internationals. I spoke Japanese daily, and very often. People speak much less English in Nagoya than they do in Tokyo for example, and I'm glad to have had that opportunity to improve my language skills. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Students who hold equal interest in traditional and modern Japan should go on this program. You will see plenty of cultural things, and Nagoya has plenty to do without being overwhelming. I also recommend choosing the dorm over homestay as you will be far less likely to have personal issues. Besides, the people there are the greatest and I will never forget them as a family. |
