Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Unforgettable February 07, 2024

By (Psychology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/22/2023 to 11/30/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Tokyo

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained how to navigate a foreign place on my own.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

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?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not need to seek out health care while abroad but from my friends that did, were satisfied with it.

* Safety:

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

The Middlebury program allowed me to have a secure structure and support while giving me the opportunity to explore Japan on my own.

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)

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? Keep all your money in your savings and transfer over when needed

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

People native to Japan always wanted to practice English.

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 203
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • Support
  • Exploration
  • New Experiences
* What could be improved?
  • Clearer communication
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wished I knew how to navigate the train/bus system before going.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Readings in Medieval Japanese
Course Department: History
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Cultural Portfolio: Exploration
Course Department: Japanese
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Japanese
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Cultural Portfolio: Reflection
Course Department: Japanese
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Community Engagement

Course Department: Japanese
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Japanese
Comments: The professor was unclear about what was expected of my community work and was not flexible.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Japanese 4
Course Department: Japanese
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Japanese
Comments: The class was very informative but was taught slowly. The teachers were extremely sweet.
Credit Transfer Issues: