Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Japan...Nihon?...にほん...日本! Past Review

By (Architecture., Boston Architectural College) - abroad from 06/24/2013 to 08/15/2013 with

KCP International Japanese Language School: Tokyo - Intensive Japanese Language Immersion

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I guess I would say the obvious one Japanese. I also learned a lot in becoming independent and budgeting money. No matter what I was doing I loved every minute of it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in the Kasai dorm, which in relation to Kasai 2 dorm seemed rather nicer. The dorm is about a 20 minute walk from Kasai station and about an hour to school.

* Food:

I never ate at the dorm cafeteria due to the hours, but there is an amazing Indian placed called Caravan right by the dorm that is amazing!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

No matter where you were you had to use your skills even if it was just the basics.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Never had to go to the doctor or anything like that, but a lot of the people in the American program seemed to acquire a cough and losing of their voice (Myself included).

* Safety:

I never once felt unsafe, even really late at night.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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 was spending roughly $100 dollars per week, that included going out on occasion. Some weeks were slightly more due to exploration on the weekend.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Maybe $50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? 100 Yen shop is going to be your best friend you can get everything their except for food, they even are good place to check out for souvenirs.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We weren't allowed to use English in class, granted we did some if we were really confused and would ask another student.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had been self studying with Genki
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? For practice get together with friends from class and try to talk to each other, also ask a lot of questions to further understand sentence structure. Most importantly go out and use the skills you learn in class!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Teachers
  • Location of school
  • Friends
* What could be improved?
  • Some classroom structure
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Other than Japanese I would say the fact that there is an ATM (the green one) that Americans can withdraw money from at Otemachi Station down the hallway by all the food. It's so convenient!

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.