Tips for Living Past Review
By Nicole H (Japanese Language, University of the Pacific) - abroad from 09/09/2011 to 08/09/2012 with
Reitaku University: Chiba - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I really got to know the language, I got a great experience and met a lot of great people. I can say that I have friends in Japan and that I am one step closer to reaching my goals.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was fun and a great experience. I love Japan and the language and the culture. Unfortunately, I felt that my Japanese teacher was not all that great. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were always willing to help |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived on campus in the dorms, an experience I had never had before. I liked the independence, and the ability to go anywhere I wanted. I had problems with a few smaller things. The kitchen was always messy and the showers were often broken. And the worst thing was that there was a time we had to get back to the dorm or we would be locked out. Three times meant we could get kicked out of the dorms. I felt this was ridiculous because it feels like a prison and we are all adults there. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Japan never allows you to fully integrate into their society. The word Gaijin (later turned into the more politically correct Gaikokujin) literally means outsider, which was a bad thing in ancient Japan. This means that from the get go all foreigners are outsiders and can never be properly accepted. But barring that, they were not aggressive towards me, and not all of them expressed their distaste. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Never used it. |
| * Safety: |
Japan is a really safe country. There are rarely any murders or robberies, especially in the smaller more rural areas. If there were to be death it is usually self-inflicted. Just watch out for the occasional voyeurs and men who ejaculate in public. And when you report this stuff do not expect anything to be done about it. They will probably tell you vaguely that it will be okay, but they do not do anything. If you press them, they tell you they will. Nothing happens. |
| 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) |
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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * 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? | 20-100 dollars per week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There are places that you can go to eat for cheap. There is a place called Kappa Sushi that serves all sushi for 105 yen unless otherwise stated. You get full easily. Convenience stores are cheapish, it depends on what you get. Lawson's Oden (served only in winter) is delicious and good for you and cheap. Rice balls are cheap! Go to food markets and look for the food that is discounted and you can get a lot of food to cook at home for cheap. I lived off of a 100 dollar budged a week, so a 400 dollar budged for one month. For the first few months I lived off a 100 dollar budget per month. One of my friends lived off of a 25 dollar budget per month. It really depends on what you like to eat, where you go, and if you are willing to get the real discounted food to live day by day. |
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 |
It is my major. |
| 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 Intermediate |
| 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? | Speak all the time. Tell them you want to be corrected. Don't be scared. Just talk. It won't be easy at first. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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? | Nothing. I was well prepared. |
