Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Magical Past Review

By (Anthropology., Pitzer College) - abroad from 04/01/2014 to 07/14/2014 with

Kwansei Gakuin University: Nishinomiya - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I improved my Japanese greatly and learned more about Japanese culture than I ever thought I would. I wished I had spent less time in a classroom and more time out exploring and meeting new people. In the future I would like to return to Japan and get that sort of experience.

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.

Intensive language track is a lot of work, but the work is not very challenging or stimulating.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program that runs study abroad for the school are very imposing over the student's life. This would be understandable if it were restricted to academic matters, but the school is controlling over student's personal lives as well, and plays an aggressive role in managing the student's personal matters however they please. These people made the lives of myself and my fellow study abroad peers very difficult, and provided several obstacles for us to overcome.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The homestay family was great, and very hospitable. I had an excellent relationship with my host parents.

* Food:

Half the reason I came here in the first place, excellent food everywhere you go.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

As a foreigner you never fully integrate into Japanese culture. This made it hard at times for me to understand why or how things worked the way they did while I was in Japan.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The health system is great and the doctors know what they are doing, but my specific hospital did not have a single English speaker who could translate the medical terminology for me. I spent 3 weeks at a local hospital for a serious case of pneumonia and was told it was "against the law" for me to leave the hospital without my host university's approval. This was later proven to be untrue, but even after receiving the doctor's permission to be discharged after 2 weeks, the school sent representatives to the hospital to convince me to stay another week, and even went as far as to call the doctor and instruct him not to let me go. By far the worst experience of my life.

* Safety:

Japan is extremely safe.

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)

Japan is relatively expensive and it is very tempting to spend money. At my best I was living off around $100 week (not including accommodation fees), and some weeks I was spending as much as $300, usually due to travel.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? See above
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Resist the temptation and keep track of your finances.

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

You basically have to in the Kansai region.

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? Japanese Level 1B
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? Do a homestay and talk to strangers.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Food
  • People
  • Travel
* What could be improved?
  • CIEC (study abroad people at host university)
  • More vacation time
  • A slower intensive program
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You spend a lot of time in class.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.