Semester in Paradise!! Past Review
By Abigale Connor (University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth) - abroad from 09/03/2018 to 12/23/2018 with
CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Kyoto - Semester in Japan
I learned independence! Before, I could never dream of speaking to locals in a language that I barely had a grasp on or getting on a plane to Hokkaido from Osaka by myself when I'm already in an unfamiliar country, but CIS and living internationally as a whole gave me the courage to do things I never imagined that I could do before.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
3 hours of Japanese class every day (in Japanese!), plus other classes on top of it!! The classes are super intensive, and you could fall behind easily if you missed class even one time. However, it payed off tremendously, as I learned about 2 years worth of the basics of the language within 3 months. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The language barrier was an issue at first at KUFS, but I was soon able to reach out for help whenever I needed it- the staff and teachers were all super friendly and accommodating. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved the mirco apartments that we were given! They tiny but cozy and had everything I needed, and were a short walking distance from the school, trains, and anything we really needed, including food, malls, and conbini. :) |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
CIS did the very most to integrate us into the local culture by giving us opportunities to go on excursions, dinners, and cultural experiences that I would have never had the chance to do otherwise. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I was shocked at how safe Kyoto was! I could walk around by myself at night and not feel afraid, as a young and foreign female traveller. The area is super cozy and quaint, and it really felt like another home to me. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I've always been a traveler at heart, and being able to experience Japan was a dream come true. I really loved every aspect of the country, from the convenience, to the transportation and especially the food, and I'd love to go back and continue to learn the language!! |
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) |
Food was much cheaper than I expected. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save as much as you can in the period before you go abroad- open a separate savings account while you save and put money exclusively for your semester there so you have a travel fund. ;-) |
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 |
My classes were near exclusively in Japanese, so I had to pick up the language while I was abroad to communicate to teachers, other students, and locals. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish III in High School. |
| 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? | Use quizlet for vocabulary! |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
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? | How much Japanese would be used in the classes! I was a little thrown off at first at how my teachers near exclusively spoke in Japanese to us, but it just encouraged me to learn the language even more. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
