Past Review
By Matthew G (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., SUNY - Binghamton) for
Kansai Gaidai University: Hirakata - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I had a great time in Japan, and experienced some wonderful moments. I learned a lot not only about Japan, but about world cultures and globalization. To be sure, not everything can be perfect in a 4 month span of time. My host family turned out to be a dud. But I made lots of friends from Japan, America, and all over the world. I love America too much to live in Japan, but being able to study abroad in the country was an unforgettable experience
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The English language afternoon classes are somewhat easy, with only 2 days a week for each class. They don't demand a whole lot of papers and the exams were either easy or only a little challenging. The Japanese morning courses were intense, with frequent quizzes, small classes, and a lot of material to cover. It felt like a high school AP language class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Me and some friends agreed that the administration is too willing to keep the status quo, and won't address issues without frequent complaints. Aside from that, they were very helpful in introducing us to the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a medium sized apartment complex. The apartment was a typical Japanese layout, with a foyer, Western and Japanese style bedrooms, and an all-in-one Living room/Kitchen/Dining room <br /><br /> I was not satisfied at all with my host family. The children were shy around me, the father kept to himself, and most conversation between me and the mother were things I did wrong and what my schedule was. They treated me as a roommate and did little to engage in conversation. However, I was still expected to abide by the same rules as the children for the sake of fairness. Although we went out several times for dinner and karaoke, these did not feel unique or special. My friends in homestay all talked about what fun they were having with their families, but I had nothing to compare. |
| * Food: |
There were many kinds of foods I tried, and many that I will miss. I found that Japanese food is somewhat limited in variety, but foriegn food is always available. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made a lot of friends in Kansai Gaidai who I hope to stay in touch with. The region had plenty to see and do. I felt a little detached from the social circle in my homestay program, though. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Japan is very safe from both crime and disease. If anything, they over-reacted when cases of H1N1 were confirmed |
| 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? | I lived a very light lifestyle and thus, a tight budget. I spent about 2000-2500 yen a week for cafeteria and convenience store food. Transportation adds up fast, but 3000 yen for round-trip will get you pretty far. Being a very consumer-driven society, Japan has lots of neat gadgets, clothing, and knick-knacks to buy. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I was hoping my family would assist me in buying a bicycle and cell phone, but those expenses fell squarely on me. I also had to pay fare on our family "outings". Cheap used bicycles start at 6000 yen for fixed gear "mama bikes" The cell phone will cost minimum 10,000 yen for the phone, phone card for 4 months, and other expenses, but unlimited texting is a plus. |
Language
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I learned a lot of casual forms and slang, most of my Japanese friends thought I'd gotten much better, but I felt I was still slow and hesitant |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Considering Japan's socially conservative culture, you have to be proactive in your interactions. Sometimes, you have to go out and find or make your own fun. You might find it difficult to communicate your wants and needs without sounding rude, and you won't always be able to tell when someone is trying to accommodate your Western culture, ie: You're trying to do something Japanese for their sake while they try to do something Western for your sake. Most Japanese are very understanding of the cultural differences but you should always make an effort to play by their rules. Play up on the positive images of foreigners, and you'll make lots of friends. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Spoken Japanese 4 |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Abo |
| Instruction Language: | Japanese |
| Comments: | This was definitely my favorite class. Abo-sensei is a great instructor, always encouraging and has a sense of humor. Forgiving almost to a fault. The course requires a lot of participation and focus, because 50 minutes a day is hardly enough in her class. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Contemporary Japanese Economics and Business |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Campbell |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | My favorite English-language course, Campbell is always enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the subject. Classes were well organized I feel I always learned something after leaving. The group presentations felt tacked on, though. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
