Tokyo Adventure!!!! Past Review
By A student (East Asain Languages and Literature, Japanese, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/18/2012 to 07/31/2013 with
Japan Women's University: Tokyo & Kawasaki City - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned a lot more about myself. Definitely worth while.
Review Photos
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. |
The courses that you will take will all be in Japanese, and that in itself is a major challenge. On the other hand, the teachers are very aware of the individual student's language ability, and they assign assignments/finals etc. accordingly. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living with a host family. Love them. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Tokyo is a large city. While the crime rate is (for the size of the city) relatively low, danger still exists as it does everywhere. As long as you're smart, Tokyo is a pretty safe place. |
| 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) |
Tokyo is a very expensive city. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 11500 Yen, lunch (sometimes dinner), commuting, cell phone, etc. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you have the option of walking vs taking the bus, do so. Also, since I'm living with a host family I personally didn't do this, but if you are living in dorms or a apartment, buying groceries and packing yourself a lunch instead of buying one at school can save you a ton. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Beginning Japanese Pt 2 |
| 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? | Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Speak as much as possible when studying. |
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? |
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? | That all of the classes would be in Japanese. (ha!) |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
