Japan was expensive, but I could never put a value on the amazing experiences I had over there. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Workload was pretty light, though I felt that one last presentation was a little excessive right after the final exam. I do admit that the presentations themselves were pretty light as well. The quizzes primarily focused on vocab, and grammar wasn't covered until the midterm/final exams. Oral exams were also given the same day of the exams. It wasn't radically different from the Japanese classes I took at my home university. Perhaps it was because of the earthquake and it had affected my host school, but classes ended up being taught at the Olympic Center, which also houses the hostel I stayed for the duration of my program.

On-site administration of your program

All staff spoke Japanese/English; mix of Japanese and non-Japanese staff. Very helpful and professional. Program size is small, which is nice so that you're not always overlooked.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

If the program does decide to house future students in the hostel, you should be aware of a few things. One, the drying machines SUCK. Not only do they suck in quality (they never dry your clothes), but they also suck money from you too (100 yen every 10 minutes, and it's "recommended" that you run the dryer for 50 minutes). Sometimes the washers don't work either, and you're forced to take out clothes that are soaking wet. I was happy that our program set up a "dry room" for the residents to hang their clothes, despite the lack of space. I just wish that this was set up the week before we left for our homestay, so that at least I wouldn't have to bring wet/smelly clothes (though I was lucky that my host mom was happy to wash them for me). Also, there is no kitchen and no microwave. Our program provided us with one of those hot water machines, but I didn't want to eat instant yakisoba and ramen every day. So I was basically forced to eat out every day. However, our program did provide the students with meal tickets to use at Cafe Friends, though I felt that the selection over there was lacking. Juice boxes were small, and you really couldn't get anything that resembled breakfast, unless you didn't mind eating scones or tandoori chicken sandwiches for breakfast. I also had a 6-day homestay in Mobara (Chiba Prefecture, about 2 hours from Tokyo via bus), and my family was pretty accommodating. I mostly hung out with my host mom, since my host dad was working as an emergency paramedic and my brothers were out all day at school. Also, the area surrounding the Olympic Center is pretty safe, though Japan is pretty safe in general. Just don't go to Kabukichou or Roppongi at night unless you're with someone that knows their way around.

If you want to live cheaply, go to the Matsuya/Yoshinoya ticket restaurants. The meals run from 300-800 yen, and they're open 24 hours. However, it's not an ideal place to bring a huge group of friends since they're built so small, and it's probably not the most healthy food. There are also other places to eat if Japanese food is too exotic for your tastes. There are plenty of ramen shops, McDonalds, Denny's, KFC's, etc. Izakayas are pretty popular in Japan (basically a place to eat and drink); they serve small portions of food like yakitori, sushi, etc., but they're meant to be shared among a group of people, so one would typically order multiple small items. Be careful about the seating fees, because there was a time my friends had underpaid their portion so I was forced to chase after them for what they owed the day after, which is pretty embarrassing. Another tip: once the bill is handed to you, take the time to calculate how much each person should pay. The drinks can also add up quick too. There's plenty of curry places, ramen shops, and even Chinese/Korean food (especially if you go to Yokohama/Shinokubo, respectively) within the Tokyo area (though Yokohama is a bit distant). If you do find a cheap place to eat, try and stick around there. The Olympic Center does NOT have kitchens or microwaves, so you pretty much have to go shopping for convenience store food (which isn't nearly as bad as American convenience store food) or eat out.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We were able to pick two out of three "cultural outings" during our program, plus a few other events that we could sign up for. The ones I went to were the Avex Artist Academy in Harajuku (a training academy for one of the biggest record labels in Japan) and a tour around Akihabara. My first outing was fun; we got to learn how Japanese business models were like and we were divided into three groups to sing a different song (which was recorded and sent to us on a CD later in the program). The Akihabara tour felt pointless; all, if not, most of us had already gone to Akihabara on our own long before the trip was arranged, so I think it would've been better if they moved that tour sooner. Our program also offered opportunities to go to the Imperial Palace (which I accidentally slept through and missed the meeting time), the Ghibli Museum, and the National Theatre to see kabuki. Some of the girls we met at the beginning of the program also went out with us during our free time. We got to go out and eat, go to the park, and even go to Tokyo Disneyland.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Absolutely bring your own medicine. Dayquil, Tylenol, Benadryl, anything that you're susceptible to back home, bring the necessary medicine with you. It's harder to find over-the-counter medicine. Plus, Japanese medicine is usually weak because it's formulated so that the body can heal itself, as opposed to Western medicine that pinpoints and kills the illness as much as possible. I came down with a fever near the end of the program, and because I didn't stay in all day like I should've, my fever went into remission, and I consulted with an IES advisor to take me to the clinic. They do charge separately for the doctor's visit and the prescription. The closest clinic from the Olympic Center did have English-speaking staff, which was really helpful to me, even though the IES advisor was with me. However, I did need to send off all the paperwork to file the insurance claim with my study abroad health insurance, so unless you don't mind going through all that waiting and spending money just to be refunded, take your medicines and stay indoors.

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

We tested into our Japanese language class. The IES staff knew both Japanese and English, but since I was in the higher-tier Japanese class, I was restricted to speaking Japanese with my instructor (who understood English more than she spoke it).

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