Amazing Internship in Japan - Learning by Teaching Past Review
By A student (Humanities, Brigham Young University) - abroad from 05/14/2012 to 07/27/2012 with
Japan Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
I learned a lot about Japan and a lot about living abroad. I learned a lot about the Japanese culture and whether I liked teaching English in a foreign country. It was a very worthwhile experience.
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. |
I learned a lot by living in the country rather than the classes I took. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
We did not have much supervision. However, the Japanese woman who gave us what little help we had was wonderful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The family was very nice and meals were delicious. We just came during a busy summer for them so we weren't able to speak to them as much as we wanted. |
| * Food: |
The food was amazing! Of course there were things I didn't like, but most things were delicious and it was fun to try new things. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was definitely a foreigner, but my family said I was Japanese-like. The culture is definitely different than America though. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no health issues so I have no idea how health issues are addressed. |
| * Safety: |
Japan is very safe. Just have some common sense and you will be fine. |
| 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) |
We were given a stipend that covered our costs, but living in Japan is expensive. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There is always a range of money you can spend. You should split your costs into needs and wants and from there decide what to spend on. |
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 |
We were teaching English, but living with families that only spoke Japanese. I ended up focusing more on the teaching English aspect, but it could go either way. You could speak as much or as little Japanese as you want. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Japanese 301 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish I knew more about packing and had brought more presents. I wish I had better known how to improve my language skills. |
