A Dream Turned Reality Past Review
By Brittney Lillard (Park University) - abroad from 04/07/2018 to 06/23/2018 with
KCP International Japanese Language School: Tokyo - Intensive Japanese Language Immersion
I gained a lot of independence, which was a big reason for my desire to study abroad. I also gained a good foundation of the Japanese language to continue studying at home and some amazing memories and experiences that I'll never forget. It was definitely worthwhile!
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 program is really intense, which is a great challenge! The KCP program models after Japanese schools, so it is a great experience for those that want to experience a Japanese school life experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Mike from the U.S. KCP staff is super enthusiastic about the program and will get you feeling excited about it too! He really tries to help answer any questions or ease nerves you may feel about the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was in a homestay and it was the absolute best experience of my life. I had the absolute sweetest host mother who would have tea time with my nightly after dinner and during study time would bring me in tea/coffee and snacks. I HIGHLY recommend doing the homestay option, as long as you can keep an open mind with food options. |
| * Food: |
The food was amazing as expected from Japan! Sometimes I went to themed cafes in Japan which was great fun, but my host mother's cooking was so good! It was a lot of food, so come home with an empty stomach! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated into the culture, and I think the homestay really helped with this. My peers who were in the dorms did not have as much exposure to Japanese culture and language on a daily basis compared to the homestay students, so I highly recommend homestay for this purpose. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
This is one of the few things I wasn't satisfied with, but to no fault of the program. I had to get a prescription and it ended up being really expensive, because I was notified that my international insurance I was made to purchase would not work. I'm still really confused why I had to buy insurance that doesn't work. There was another prescription I needed but I ended up just toughing it out and not getting it, because it was far too expensive compared to the U.S. |
| * Safety: |
I often walked home late at night (when it is dark), and I didn't feel it was unsafe at all. You feel very safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program is really good, especially if you know some previous Japanese. I would definitely choose the program again, but would study more Japanese prior to going, as I feel I would have got even more from it if I had some foundation to build upon. |
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) |
In a homestay, you get at least 2 meals a day, although if I was home during lunch, my host mother would make me lunch too, so I didn't really need to spend on food. Most of my funds went towards souvenirs or if I wanted to go somewhere special. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50-$100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Take advantage of food from the konbini (convenience store), you can get really cheap options and it can save you a lot of money compared going to a sit down restaurant. KCP has a student lounge you can heat your food and eat in. |
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 |
The program is very intensive and encourages you to use Japanese in your daily life and during class. It is encouraged and expected that you do not use English during class and only speak in Japanese. |
| 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? | I had never taken Japanese before. |
| 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? | I would definitely recommend knowing at the very least Hiragana and Katakana, and if possible some basic vocabulary. |
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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| 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? | I really wish I would have known more Japanese going into the program. I had very short notice (about a month) that I was doing the program, due to some complications with my home university, so I only had time to learn Hiragana and Katakana, and I struggled quite a bit and I don't think I absorbed as much as my friends who had taken Japanese prior. |
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.' |
