Japan: socially amazing, but academically lacking Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

workload: light. grading system: relies heavily on multiple choice and single word fill-in-the-black so doesn't actually test a students comprehension of the material. Attendance is sometimes factored heavily into the final grade, while lack of participation or sleeping in class was not even considered a problem. teaching methods: mainly lecture based. In the japanese language class, minor errors unrelated to comprehension of the material, such as spelling, are weighted the same as inability to use specific grammar structures. This discouraged a lot of students from being more creative or using more complex phrases on tests. Class registration: very rigid. Though it is it a simple navigation of deadlines, there are small windows of opportunities to make you final decision and once a deadline is passed, the college is completely unwilling to make changes to a student's schedule.

On-site administration of your program

The host university has very strict policies when it comes to signing up for courses. CIEE does a good job in warning students to follow these policies and openly admits that they cannot go outside the set policies for scheduling. CIEE has a reimbursement program that covers roundtrip travel to activities you do around the area. There's a semester cap as well as a maximum amount that can be claimed for a single activity. Another major strength is that CIEE funds a commuter pass to be used on your route to campus. Possibly one of CIEE's weaknesses has to do with housing arrangement. I haven't had any problems with my host family, but I hear stories from other students about their bad experiences with their families. Either CIEE isn't emphasizing what kind of behavior host families are expecting from the students, students are unable to readjust to living with a family experiencing the independence of dorm life, or the selection process for host families isn't as inclusive as it should be. Though there are some horror stories, there are also students who have had happy experiences with their host families.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

CIEE took care of all the housing arrangements. Students are placed all around Tokyo and some have a relatively short commute to campus (25 minutes) while others have to factor in an 1 - 1.5 hour travel commute into the city. My host family has hosted students before so I didn't need to buy any additional items. Previous students have left behind books and other things for the next student to use. Because they have hosted students before, they're probably used to hearing broken Japanese and are patient. They've treated me very well since I arrived and are genuinely concerned about how I'm enjoying my life abroad. I will probably miss my host family the most when I leave Japan.

At home: I enjoy the meals my host mom prepares for dinner. I'm not a very picky eater and have enjoyed home cooked Japanese food. Host families will try to work around foods that you don't like, but they might feel a little insulted or think that you're difficult to cook for. Advice: Unless there is a medical reason, don't be a picky eater. For most students, their time in Japan is limited while there will be plenty of opportunities to eat the foods they're used to. There's very little to lose when trying a new dish, so try new things that you can't get in your home country. Getting used to the abundance of rice or noodle based dishes is something that some people in my program have found difficult. A lot of the guys in the program complained about the ratio between rice/noodles and meat. The Japanese typically don't eat a lot of meat at every meal, so their complaints went unanswered. One thing that I noticed is that foods I didn't really care to much for at the beginning of the semester, have either become something that I like to eat, or something that really doesn't bother me anymore

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The most memorable cultural event I did while in Japan was my trip to the Kansai region of Japan. I spent several days visiting the many historical sites in Kyoto and traveled to some of the surrounding areas. CIEE organizes a weekend trip to either Hiroshima/Miyajima or Kyoto depending on which semester you attend. Also, every 2 weeks or so, CIEE arranges cultural activities that students can participate in. I've been to a taiko class, a bike tour around Tokyo Bay, and other students have participated in a soba making class, gone to a Noh and Kyogen performance, and went to an elementary school.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Despite the constant crowds of people, Japan is relatively safe. People tend to respect your belongings. An example would be once in the computer lab, my bag was resting on the ground next to the neighboring chair. Two girls approached the chair and lingered until I moved my bag so that it was clearly out of the way of the chair. I didn't need to see a doctor or get sick during the semester, but I'm aware that CIEE explains how to acquire health insurance for study abroad, and will direct students to clinics.

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

Language classes moved very slowly and the book used this semester, didn't explain grammar points very well. I mainly used Japanese at home with my host family and in other places outside the university. On campus, japanese students were fairly proficient in English and wanted to use English when talking with native English speakers.

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• Hotel
• Hostel
• Host Family

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• Host Family
• International Students

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