Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Japanese instruction was very well organized and very, very stellar. I learned a lot in a very short amount of time, and the teachers had amazing lesson plans and teaching styles. The elective classes were taught in English, and the quality of professors varied widely. I enjoyed 2/3 of my elective classes.

On-site administration of your program

The program is very well organized, but the level of bureaucracy was sometimes frustrating. There were many, many forms to fill out at multiple locations with multiple offices. The program could be streamlined a lot better. Many of us were running around confused until someone who had already gone through the process explained it to us. But that is my only complaint! You knew that when you asked them to do something and they said they would do it, it would get done.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing international students is kind of a madhouse. Our seminar house (dorm) housed the "party" people as well as many quiet people, and they didn't mesh very well. Housing was very safe though from outsiders, well furnished, and brand new. We were provided new linens every 10 days, if we wanted to take them. Cookware was provided, but in moderate to poor condition. Our personal plates, utensils, etc. were in good condition. The host father and mother had very little interaction with the students, and it was a little strange. But they were very nice people. Neighborhood was very safe. The bus stop is conveniently located right next to our seminar house, so transportation was easy. A nice, big bike rack was also there for us to use. Laundry facilities were in good shape, but the washers and dryers did their jobs terribly. They were awful.

I love the food at the cafeteria. It's cheap and delicious. If OSU could adopt their food, I would be in heaven. I also encourage future students to eat at Sandooru in Makino (ask extension students about "baachan's"). If you're a vegetarian, you're going to have a very, very tough time finding food in Japan. If you're a vegan, you should consider a different country to study in.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved the Fushimi Inari festival in Kyoto! The temples in Kyoto are many and amazing. The program-led tour of Kiyomizudera temple was just phenomenal. Made many friends and happy memories, and it was at the start of the semester. The social experiences but on by the RA's were usually lackluster and disappointing, especially the tug-of-war sports festival. I hated it. Food events were fine though. I encourage you to sign up for many of the cultural programs put on by the Japanese students from KG, the so-called "Experience Japan!" programs. You can sign up for them at the CIE office. I made lifelong friends from those events!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Japan is about as safe as you can get. I never felt threatened. I did not get sick or have any healthcare problems while in Japan. Apparently STDs are a problem in Japan, and they're very sexually conservative, but it wasn't a problem for me at all.

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

I can hold regular conversations now, speak informally, and have a much easier time reading kanji and kana characters quickly. My advice is to use what you learn OUTSIDE of the classroom the day you learn it. It's the best kind of reinforcement. Make Japanese friends (many of them!) and also use your language with store tellers, kind elderly people, and just anyone that takes an interest in you.

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• Dorm

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• International Students
• Americans