Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Summer in Tokyo: festivals, friends, and furigana Past Review

By (Walla Walla University) - abroad from 06/23/2018 to 08/15/2018 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
While I had traveled abroad before, I had never lived in one foreign place for that long (eight weeks) before. By being there for an extended amount of time, I think I was able to experience the culture in a more authentic way than if I was just visiting for a week.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This program was extremely rigorous in terms of the amount of material learned each day and the amount of homework assigned. However, the support resources were also very useful. There were English support sessions offered for each level, as well as people available to ask questions related to living in Japan at the front desk each day.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I thought the program was very organized.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My room was clean and had air-conditioning, which was the most important part to me. I definitely had to get used to sleeping on a futon mattress and the train commute, but it's all part of the experience.

* Food:

I didn't receive meals through this program, although some in other dorms did.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was very happy with the location of my dorm as it was in an area with a lot of families and close to a train station. Although we were outside of Tokyo, we were able to experience the culture fully.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The people at KCP were very helpful when I came down with a cold during my stay. I talked to one of the office workers after class, and he walked me down to the local pharmacy and helped explain my symptoms to the pharmacist and get medicine. He also helped explain to my sensei the next day when I lost my voice and had to keep a mask on so I didn't get others sick.

* Safety:

I felt very safe throughout my trip there. I didn't stay out too late most of the nights, but I felt completely comfortable taking the train home alone at night when necessary. I did have a run-in with a chikan (train pervert) on one of the busy morning-commute trains, so just make sure you know what to do/say if that happens. If you catch the person in the act, there workers at the train stations you can report them to.

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

I really enjoyed my time at KCP. While the program is intense, the language skills you develop by hearing exclusively Japanese for a few hours each day is amazing.

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 would say that you can live cheaply if necessary. There are conbini's everywhere in Tokyo, and you can get onigiri (riceballs) for about $1 each. That being said, restaurants can be expensive, so make sure you have a budget or limit yourself if you want to go out with friends. I was able to keep costs to about $100 each week with minimal effort. I cooked for myself maybe twice per week, and went to restaurants with friends about twice per week. The rest of my meals were from the conbini which, to be fair, is decent food anyway.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would definitely check out the conbini's and try the food there. There were also plenty of udon places where you could get a whole bowl of udon and tempura for under $7, so be on the lookout. You can also show your student ID at some places near KCP, and some will give you a discount. You can ask KCP for more information on which places will do that.

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

KCP only allows you to use Japanese in the classroom, which kind of forces you to think in Japanese, at least while you're in class. It's definitely immersive.

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? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I took one year of Japanese in high school, but that was a few years ago.
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? KCP uses Minna no Nihongo for their textbooks. You receive them when you get there, so I would say definitely know your hiragana and katakana before going. Once you know that, start learning some vocabulary and practice listening.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* 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?
  • My favorite thing about the program was the people I was able to meet. Because KCP is for international students, there weren't Japanese students in our classes with us. However, I was able to meet Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese students through my classes, who I will keep in touch with.
  • Because I was staying in a dormitory, I was with a few other Americans. However, I was also able to meet and talk with some of the Japanese students also staying in the same dormitory, which was fun. It was interesting to get to talk with them and see how live as a Japanese student near Tokyo was like.
* What could be improved?
  • Sometime explanations for things could be vague. Because the classes are taught in Japanese, they tried to use only Japanese as much as possible, even in explanations of things that you need to know, such as an event that's coming up. However, you can always talk with one of the office people or your sensei if you have a question about something.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Read the grammar notes before class. Because KCP teaches the classes exclusively in Japanese, you may not understand a new concept right away if you're hearing it for the first time. You go over a new chapter about once every two days, so you do have a day to read over something if you were confused. However, it's best if you read over the grammar notes (the only materials printed in English that are given to you. These explain in detail new vocabulary words, grammatical details, and new sentence structures.) ahead of time so you're not confused the whole day if you don't understand what a picture is conveying. You're not allowed to use them in class, so make sure you read ahead, or check during the break between class sessions.

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 Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.