Sugoi! Past Review
By Alanna Rizzotti (University of Hartford) - abroad from 06/18/2016 to 05/31/2016 with
Kansai Gaidai University: Hirakata - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
How to respect the spaces of others, especially with people who have different cultural values than you.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Unfortunately, when a male student was making me feel uncomfortable, the school's admin team did not know how to properly handle the situation. They even implied that it was my fault or that I was being irrational in my discomfort. Fortunately, I spoke to another team member and the agreed the behavior of the student was inappropriate and the school's reaction was less than desired. He said that he will work on improving how the school handles sexual harassment cases in the future. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family! They were friendly, helpful, spoke excellent English, and we're definitely going to keep in touch. |
| * Food: |
I already loved Japanese food, but this experience encouraged me to branch out even further. Who knew that fried squid was so oishii? |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Japanese is difficult, but even people who spoke little English helped me out if they thought I was lost or confused. I also made a ton of Japanese friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
It's Japan. What can I say? |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Kansai Gaidai is a great place for Americans because there are lots of Americans there, along with a mix of European, Japanese, other Asian Hispanic and Latino, and even some African students. English is the main language and there are people from many different races. |
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) |
I spent maybe $18 tops on lunch per week, and had $50 for leisure per week. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $15-25 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Stick to tiny little restaurants and ramen shops. I can assure you that it's cheap and divinely delicious. |
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? | None |
| 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? | 0 |
| 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? | Make Japanese friends. Also, you have to learn the actual word before you can learn the kanji for it. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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?
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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? | You will spend much more time on homework at KGU than you will at UHart. Don't slack off. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
