Past Review

By (HISTORY., Wellesley College) for

Associated Kyoto Program: Kyoto - Doshisha University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
ABSOLUTELY. It was a valuable opportunity to spend time abroad in a region that I've studied academically, and a great way to get a better sense of what I want to do post-Wellesley, as well as provide focus for my last year. It was a very different experience from a year at Wellesley, which I really appreciated.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: Doshisha University
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There was a great variety of quality of classes. Japanese classes were all excellent, and the professors awesome. I particularly appreciated the emphasis on speaking fluency, which was more effective for me than Japanese classes at Wellesley. Electives were a very mixed bag. I found that professors based in Japan tended to be less demanding than professors from American universities, and less personally invested in teaching. There was definitely less work in the program than at Wellesley, which was nice, because it gave time to explore more opportunities.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The AKP Office staff were all so awesome, and were really good about reaching out to us and helping us in any way we needed. I didn't have many issues that needed addressing, but I know that they did a lot for several friends of mine. They were always good for advice, including everything from clubs to join to where to get a good haircut.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

With the Kitayama family, in Fushimi-ku (between the Takeda and Fushimi subway stops) <br /><br /> Had a great family, and was in a great location -- about 30-40 mins away from school, and I got a subway pass (paid for by AKP) that covered almost the whole main subway line. I lived on a highway, so it was sometimes a little loud, but I got used to it really quickly and it wasn't an issue. I felt like my host family made a real effort to include me, and were great about helping me out/answering any questions I had.

* Food:

JAPANESE FOOD IS SO GOOD. My host family made incredibly delicious food, and I ate at home a lot. There are lots of good/fairly cheap restaurants all over the city, especially if you wander into back alleys and find small shops. Also lots of food in the Teramachi area.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

AKP trips to Tokyo and Iwate! Also, trips with friends to Hiroshima, Okinawa, Hokkaido, and Seoul! Visiting places around Kyoto, especially by bike. I also did taiko with my host mom, and kyudo (Japanese archery) at a dojo near Doshisha.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

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? Maybe Y15000 a week? We had a freeman grant, which meant lots of free money...which meant that everyone spent more freely/went on more trips than they would have otherwise. But plan to spend some serious cash -- especially given the exchange rate, Japan is a bit expensive (especially clothing)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cell phones are EXPENSIVE. I would recommend getting a pre-paid phone, it makes the phone itself much cheaper (Softbank is good -- they don't have a cancellation fee, so it makes it a little cheaper at the end of the year)

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Take advantage of Kyoto, which has SO MANY things to do and see. But I really recommend taking the Japanese classes seriously, because it'll help you both in Japan and your Japanese in the long run

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Minorities and Immigration in Japan

Course Department: n/a
Instructor: McDougall
Instruction Language: English
Comments: EXCELLENT! It was particularly interesting because it covered topics that many Japanese students/people in general know very little about. The professor had an incredible depth of knowledge, which I really appreciated. His lecture style was at times a little dry, but otherwise I really enjoyed the class. I felt that it not only taught me a great deal, but opened up various avenues of exploration that I'm hoping to investigate on my own (via independent study, or in graduate work)
Credit Transfer Issues: Nope.