A Dream Come True Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The class was lecture based but all lectures were done at sight of a historical monument, a museum, or in a public place (like the train station). There were daily readings and we had to do a weekly movie review. Overall, the movies and readings were interesting and fun. The movie reviews were reasonable and were graded based on competition not correctness. People with the best movie reviews were rewarded extra points. There were three big projects ( a short story, movie script, and essay). All three were given reasonable time to work on and we're not too difficult but did require a good grasp of the subject. The projects were meant to be fun so a lot of them were creative projects, which I enjoyed. I also liked that after a lecture we were given ample time to explore the area around us.

On-site administration of your program

Our guide, Niaya, was very nice and helpful. She also was very patient with our group. She helped me read my fortune at the temples, and we learned about her life in Tokyo. Her partner Mai was also very nice and patient. I remember she also helped one of our classmates when she got injured and even went with her to the hospital. Mai was also very kind because she filled in for our teacher, who got sick during out trip.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The employees were very nice. They helped me understand how to work the washing machine. The apartment we stayed in Shibuya was small but comfortable. I am also grateful there was a lock that only allowed those who had the code to get in. One time a guy was trying to get in and he seemed suspicious but thankfully he wasn't able too. Some people's rooms were too small like one of my classmates. I also wished more of our classmates lived on the same floor. I was lucky to live on a floor with most of my classmates but some of my friends were living with other people not in our program. One of my friends complained about these people being a bit creepy towards him and also partying so much. I did like the location a lot since we were near the station, various convenience stores, and good restaurants. We were also near the famous Shibuya crossing but thankfully not too close that it was overly crowded.

Food was delicious here! It wasn't as badly priced as I thought it would be. I appreciated that most restaurants were open late and that the convenience stores had delicious food. We were only given two meals as a program since most of the time we were allowed to choose were we ate. I like that method better because then the group could break into smaller groups and choose somewhere to eat. I also liked that we could explore the eateries around Japan. I liked the welcome and farewell dinner a lot. Both allowed us to socialize since the atmosphere and food was focused for big groups like okonomiyaki. Both were in good locations and had a friendly atmosphere.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Since I am Japanese, I got mistaken as a local a few times especially since before the trip I tried to dress like the locals. A few times I was spoken to in Japanese, and I was embarrassed because I didn't understand what they were saying but I was also flattered that I looked like a local. The people in Japan for the most part were very hospitable and kind. One store lady gave my friend some free stickers that she was looking at. People in Japan are very polite but of course there are a few people that were kind of fed up with me. I did face the language barrier a few times especially when I tried finding a good karaoke place for my friends and I. I also had a hard time ordering a bento at the train station one time but from those moments I knew I was truly studying abroad. They are part of going to a foreign country. I thankfully had a pretty easy time getting around Japan and knew key phrases such as how to call a waiter's attention. I also learned how to use the subway system so I was able to navigate and get off at the right station. Thankfully, we also were able to use google map.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Our professor and a classmate were the only ones who had health issues but both had the resources to get better. Our hosts were also very accommodating and kind to my classmate when she got sick. As I said earlier, Mai, our guide, also took care of my classmate when she was sick and took her to the hospital and stayed with her the whole time. The healthcare in Japan is as advanced as back home so I wasn't too worried about health. I was concerned about my food allergies but most foods in Japan were safe of sunflower seeds so I also did fine.

Japan is one of the safest places I've ever been to. My friends and I felt safe enough to walk around at night. Overall, our group had no issues safety wise. I would definitely recommend Japan for solo traveling.

I loved my program! It has always been my dream to go to Japan so I was so grateful to go and fulfill this dream. I made amazing friends that I'm still close with. We actually plan to go back to Japan together because our time abroad was amazing. This was also my first time traveling without my family and my first time in Asia so I learned how to be independent in another country. I also learned so much about my heritage culture and experienced things I've only seen in TV in real life. I loved our guides and our curriculum. The curriculum allowed us to explore Japan and give us time to have our own adventures. Our guides were so friendly and welcoming. I was afraid I would be by myself a lot of the time but I was so happy I found amazing friends in on this trip who have a lot in common with me. My times with my friends and the memories we made are some of the best in my life. Going abroad to Japan was one of the best decisions I made and honestly the best way to learn MMW.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I would say may be a 1-3? It just depended on what I did that week. If I only was buying the necessities, it might be a bit easier. Japan food isn't too badly priced and commute isn't bad either. However, buying gifts for friends and family was expensive. It was also pricy buying clothing at times. It also cost money to go up Tokyo Tower and other attractions.

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• Apartment

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• Local Students
• Americans
• Other

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• Local Students

• My friends
• Excursions
• Living in Shibuya

• Our housing
• More time to explore in certain areas
• Do activities on itinerary (some were cut sadly)

The Academic or Linguist