Studying Abroad at Oberlin Past Review
By Kylee S (International Relations And Global Studies, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 04/02/2012 to 07/27/2012 with
J. F. Oberlin University: Tokyo - Reconnaissance Japan Program
I learned so much about myself and my own culture and well as Japan from studying abroad! I'm definitely glad I went, I wouldn't trade it for the world!
Review Photos
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 classes are not hard, as is the stereotype with Japanese universities. The Japanese classes are pretty terrible. Most people were placed in too low a level and the textbook is more of a workbook. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I was okay, they provided orientation in english and everything. I had already been there for 2 weeks though so I didn't really need much of it. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing (dorm) was very nice and convenient, but also really expensive. It was right by the train station which is a blessing and a curse. Very convenient and safe but occasionally loud, you get used to it. |
| * Food: |
I love Japanese food, it's great. It's not provided at the dorm but there are lots of restaurants around when you don't want to cook. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was pretty integrated, the dorm has study abroad students as well as Japanese students and the town is small so almost no one speaks english. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never used the health system. But, Ut doesn;'t tell you that Japan requires you to buy extra insurance when you get there. If you're staying for less time than a year let them know and they can reduce the cost to the appropriate amount of time. |
| * Safety: |
Japan is generally very safe and the dorms are right by the station with a police box in between so you're pretty safe on that front. Groping did had to a couple girls I knew though so make sure you're careful when in crowed areas (aka packed trains, mosh pits celebrating a sports win in Shibuya). |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
Oberlin is one of the more expensive programs since it's near Tokyo and everything is more expensive. I lived on around $100-$150 a week living frugally, I only did window shopping and didn't buy much other than food. That's not including the dorm which was around $900 a month, extremely expensive. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | No |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you're traveling in Japan look into overnight buses if you think you can handle it. They only speak Japanese so be sure that you're comfortable enough to be able to handle that. And also that you'll be able to sleep enough to make it through the next day! Willer Express has deals where you can get 5 day passes for less than a 1-way shinkansen tickets and you can use it any 5 separate days in 2 months! There's also a Japanese walmart called Seiyu, there's one in Machida and it's a lot cheaper than many other stores for essential food items and imports. If your want to travel to Ensohima/Kamakura or Hakone/Mt. Fuji there are discount train passes from Machida which is 2 stations away from the dorm on the Yokohama line that are great deals! |
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 |
We used Japanese in language classes and with Japanese friends but other than the classes there wasn't much encouragement. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | JPN 320K |
| 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? | Make lots of Japanese friends is really your only way to get drastic improvement. Joining clubs and hanging out with other study abroad students who don't speak english, where your common language is Japanese are also good ways to practice. |
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 wish I had known about the health insurance thing! |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Japanese Literatue |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Lisa Li |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | I highly recommend taking a class with Lisa, she is AMAZING! I really miss her already! She's funny and engaging and she basically gives a participation grade. If you put in the work and go to class you'll get a good grade. You won't regret taking her class! |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
