Kansai Gaidai Gave Me the Time of My Life Past Review
By Jasmine G (PSYCHOLOGY., Valparaiso University) for
Kansai Gaidai University: Hirakata - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I have become much more confident in my abilities and overall sense of self. Studying at Kansai Gaidai has changed me for the better. I am 100% satisfied with my experience and cannot wait to go back to Japan. I have decided to put off graduate school for a year in order to participate in JET because of my experiences. As cliche as it sounds, I feel like I finally know and like myself.
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 workload was kind of heavy and it made it a little difficult to travel during breaks. Thankfully there was plenty to do in the Kansai area. I was able to go to Kyushu during spring break (I'd planned on going to Tokyo, but the earthquake made it inappropriate). I feel like the scheduling of exams could have been arranged in a way that would have made it easier to travel. However, I still had the best four months of my life during my stay. I feel that my Japanese language skills have flourished since my semester at Kansai Gaidai. My language professors were wonderful teachers who truly cared about their students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program arranged a tour with our speaking partners in Kyoto during our first week at orientation. I met some great friends there and got to see some beautiful shrines and temples, as well as experience for the first time being stared at and photographed by random people (which was awkward, but a good taste of what was to come later). I also got to have my first taste of real sushi. It was a great experience and I hope they continue this part of the program for a long time. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Japan was the absolute safest place I have ever been to in my life despite the earthquake. I never once felt unsafe. I cannot say that about my hometown. The scariest thing might have been bicycling, but we were warned during orientation about bicycle safety. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | approximately $100 on average, but sometimes more than that |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I wish I had been informed about needing traveler's insurance for the first 30 days of the program since my parents' insurance did not cover international expenses. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced Japanese (my fifth semester in total, but far from fluency) |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I used Japanese every single day in daily activities, language classes, and with my Japanese friends. Most people at Kansai Gaidai can speak English to at least some extent, however, I preferred to use Japanese since it was easier to get my point across. |
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?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The CIE is like a rare zoo, and you are the rarest of all animals (especially if you are blonde or have blue or green eyes). Don't be afraid to talk to the random Japanese students who will come up to talk to you. They want to practice their English and will be happy to let you practice your Japanese no matter how good you are. Try all food no matter how weird it looks, odds are it will be delicious--especially unagi, do not miss that. Travel whenever you can, even if only to Osaka or Kyoto, and try not to corrupt the freshman too much. Make sure to take the reading and writing course because the afternoon classes can get boring and cumbersome, plus the reading skills will help you in daily life. |
