Teaching and Traveling in Japan Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The Teaching English in Japan course was fast-paced but more than worth it. The weeks are busy with traveling, for both the teaching course and the culture course, along with class lectures. I did not feel that this pace was overwhelming, however. Busy yes, but enjoyable! the only exception was near the end of the program when we traveled to Tokyo and Hiroshima. It was a long week of almost non-stop traveling, and we were pretty exhausted afterward. But of course, going to Hiroshima and Miyajima was definitely worth it!

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorm rooms were very spacious for a Japanese apartment. Two per dorm, you share a good sized kitchen (with kitchen tools included) and a bathroom. and have your own private room. The rooms have a desk, a comfy bed, and plenty of built-in storage.

There is a decent amount of food options nearby, and even more the closer to the station you go. Everyone's favorite is Coco's, which is attached to the academic building! It's a sit-down family style restaurant, with a drink bar, soup bar, and seasonal options. Plus, students get a discount! Also nearby is Club Harie, a chain bakery, and Tsurutsuru, a more traditional Japanese restaurant. The dorm kitchen is stocked with tools, so cooking at home is easy too! There are two local grocery stores nearby to buy ingredients at. And of course, there is the convenience store down the street, where you can get reasonably priced, and tasty food and snacks.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

JCMU acts as a community center for Hikone, as well as a campus. There are English centered events every week, which is a great way to meet the locals. Language students can get a conversation partner to practice Japanese, which is also a great way to learn about local specialties and fun places in the city.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The stereotype that Japan is super safe is true from what I've seen. However, don't make this drop your guard since crimes like theft still happen and being a foreigner can make you a target for these crimes.

The lectures and experiences on the Teaching English in Japan program were invaluable to me, and I'm sure if I did it again I would learn even more!

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

How easily you are able to live on your budget depends on a lot: where your money is coming from, your own personal spending habits. For me, I had my tuition and spending money covered by scholarships and financial aid. I was able to afford a couple of larger trips to big cities, and weekly fun activities like karaoke. The program kept me busy, so I ate out more than I usually do, but not every day.

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• Dorm

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• Americans

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• Americans

• Observations
• Lectures
• Traveling

• More time to rest between trips

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer