I wish for others to have a great experience like I did. Past Review
By Najjiyya (Peddie School) - abroad from 06/30/2018 to 07/31/2018 with
The Experiment: Japan: Anime and Manga
Gained great new friends, more firsthand knowledge of a culture I'd witnessed partially through Television and manga (Japanese comic books). It was totally worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
We attended classes at a college that specializes in manga and anime and the art behind them. Due to time constraints, we couldn't go too into depth when it came to one subject. Instead got a taste of different aspects of the manga/anime world: drawing proportionate bodies/faces, poses, perspective, inking manga pages, how to draw kimono and ninja attire, how to sculpt figurines, and even how to voice act. We also had language lessons to prepare us for the homestay, but since it's just enough to ask/respond to simple questions, it never hurts to learn more in one's free time beforehand and during the trip. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
When exploring on our own, we always walked in groups of 3 or more. During homestay, it was safe enough for me to walk by myself around the neighborhood and further still. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would like to go other places, like Italy for cooking and Spain because I've been studying Spanish for years compared to the meager amount of months I'd spent on Japanese. But I also would love to return to Japan someday, especially with my best buds! |
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) |
We were provided with money for meals and activities, and brought our own as well. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | For three meals a day, spent about 2200 yen, plus 1000+ yen for activities |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't feel pressured to buy something you think you might not see ever again, because chances are, you will, at another store, for a better price. Not always the case, but it happened often. |
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 |
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| 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? | Easy Japanese phrases I could use while on the go-- so not that hard. |
| 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? | Reading Tae Kim's Guide to Japanese, and language apps like Mango, which you can use your library card for access; and an English to Japanese dictionary for the phone (I recommend Takoboto) |
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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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? | You're going to need a lot of water. And sturdy shoes. And fans. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
