One of the greatest experiences of my life Past Review
By David F (Business and International Global Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 03/25/2014 to 07/13/2014 with
IES Abroad: Tokyo - Language & Culture
This experience was absolutely worthwhile. I went into this experience as the only one from my university. I really needed to get out of my comfort zone, meet new people, and explore a new place, and this program proved that I could do it. The people on my program were some of the most amazing people I have ever met, and I can honestly say I became really good friends with almost all of them by the end. But one of the main things that made my program really great was getting to meet Japanese students. All of them were extremely friendly, and made us feel really welcomed as we were adjusting. Getting to go to a new city was in and of itself amazing, but it was the people and culture that truly defined the experience. I learned invaluable skills for city living, as well as how to live on a budget. Being immersed in such a culturally rich and distinct city, as well as working an internship and a small job while there allowed me to see Tokyo as a local does. It was absolutely worthwhile
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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. |
The academics werent as rigorous as Brandeis, but I learned as much if not more. I only took courses pertinent to IES but every teacher had a vested interest into our class, and there was tons of out-of-classroom learning. All professors were extremely approachable and their lectures were made better by the fact that each professor backed up their presentations with numerous years in the field |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Not sure what other people are saying about IES, but they had everything organized when I was there. Lee-san and Shin-san were extremely helpful and approachable, and Ishikawa-san was fantastic! IES also gave us just the right amount of freedom. They had tons of cultural events and were a constant help, yet they also gave us ample time to explore the city on our own. In many ways they were a resource rather than a babysitter, and personally, that was something I really liked. My only complaint was that I wish I knew that we were in Chiba rather than in Tokyo proper. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms were really nice, as was the dorm manager. The only complaint I have is that I wish they could have notified us of all our utility charges beforehand. |
| * Food: |
Food at the dorm was not that good, but it was included with the cost of the dormitory. Luckily, we ate out often, and the food in the city was really good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By far my favorite part of this program was meeting Japanese students in addition to my American friends. This was all thanks to IES's E-Pal program, a really great program that pairs IES students up with Japanese students from the University. Our E-pals became some of our best friends on campus, and we hung out with them almost every day. Through them, we got to learn about Japanese student life, see some awesome local sites, and eat amazing food in picnics and restaurants. I honestly felt like I lived as a member of Japanese society rather than an outsider looking in, and I couldn't have been happier with my experience. I would recommend IES Tokyo to anyone based on the E-Pal program alone. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I only had one issue with health and it was dealt with pretty well. I would have liked to visit a hospital, but the people in the clinic I was taken to were nice, and the cost of my medicine was cheap. |
| * Safety: |
Tokyo is one of the safest cities on the planet. I never ran into any issues where I was ever scared or lost. |
| 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) |
I spent a good amount of money on the trip, and ate many of my meals out. Contrary to what people may tell you, Tokyo is not that expensive. Food in the city was extremely cheap, and it's possible to get dinner anywhere in the city for under $10 and lunch for under $5. Budget out money beforehand, as there are many hidden costs and dormitory fees you will need to cover. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | around $150 to $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you want to save money while here, don't eat out as much. Eat dinner either with your host family or dormitory, and you can find really cheap food at the supermarkets. Stock up on fish for $2, Eggs and a 3-pack of ramen for $1, 2L green teas for $1.50 and chicken for $4, and you can live on around $10-$15 a week. I did this for around 1 1/2 weeks and worked very well. Lawson 100 yen stores are your best friend, and they have many cheap food and goods for budget-conscious students. You can also travel for very cheap in Southeast Asia, as many airlines, like Peach and AirAsia offer cheap or reduced-price fares |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
They didn't really encourage the use of the language, but I ended up using it a lot anyways to get around and talk to friends. My formal language didn't improve that much, but I learned a ton of awesome casual words and phrases. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Japn 30a |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Try to practice Japanese with many of the people you meet, and always elect to speak it in English. Carry around a notebook with you to write down phrases you learn (your Japanese friends will teach you alot of fun casual things to say!) A notebook is also useful for writing down unknown kanji to look up later. Always practice new words with friends. They are very eager to teach you! |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | For one, I wish they had told us that the program was not actually in Tokyo before we signed up. I also would have liked a heads-up on all the hidden costs for textbooks, utilities, and dorm fees. I know that these are usual costs, but it would have been nice if they had told us. |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
