Tokyo: WTF Past Review
By Jake E (Classical Studies, Trinity University) for
CIEE: Tokyo - Arts and Sciences
I learned a lot about Japan, but the main benefit was the reaffirmation of what is important for me to have in my life back home. For me personally, I came to realize the importance of family and a solid foundation on which to enjoy life rather than getting caught up in the rat race that is Tokyo.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Sophia University |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Again, if it hadn't been for the one course (Japanese Lit 2 with Angela Yiu), the rating would have been far less complimentary. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful - not to mention informative. They introduced me to a lot of opportunities and experiences that I wouldn't have found on my own. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My family was in the middle of an internal crisis of sorts and it made for a rather awkward and uncomfortable experience within the household. The other disadvantage was the location of the house, as it was about an hour outside of downtown Tokyo which had a drastically negative effect on my ability to experience the nightlife without missing my last train home. |
| * Food: |
Next to the shopping and exploration, the food was the best part! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima were wonderful aside from the fact that you had to travel with 50 plus other people. My personal (individual) travels were much more illuminating. I was able to see Nikko, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, and Nagasaki during my semester. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Tokyo is the last place to be concerned with bodily harm or illness. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about $15 equivalent on lunch everyday plus an extra $5 for sports drinks for classes. However, I have a weak spot for shopping and indulged in a lot of poor spending habits including (but not limited to) spending over $3,000 solely on clothing. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Books were really expensive, but they have copies of most text books in the library - enough even to refer to them constantly without having to spend the money to buy your own personal copies. That should free up enough money to be able to eat out as you wish, enjoy cocktails as you wish, buy clothes as you wish, etc. |
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? |
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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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You had better be adventurous and comfortable on your own. Engaging people on a one to one level offered the most rewarding insights into Japanese culture and the nature of travel itself. |
