Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fantastic 4 months in Nanzan Past Review

By (International Relations, Mount Holyoke College) - abroad from 08/29/2015 to 12/17/2015 with

IES Abroad: Nagoya Direct Enrollment - Nanzan University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I improved my language abilities greatly during staying with host family and studying in Nanzan and passed N1 level in Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Field trips were great, and dinners provided were just beyond my expectation! The courses provided by Nanzan were satisfying that Japanese Traditional Art was offered, which I took Ikebana (The Flower Arrangement) and it was amazing! Language courses were pretty intensive but helpful if you truly want to improve your Japanese. Teachers were humorous,kind, and always love to help students when they have problems. IES staffs in Nagoya also helped me a lot. Host family was very friendly and I got a lot of care and love from them. Living with host family will be a good choice if you want to have more chances to practice spoken Japanese. Love 4 months with IES, Nanzan and Nagoya! Sincerely hope to stay for 1 year in Nagoya rather than 1 semester.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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? $100

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 300 level Japanese
How many hours per day did you use the language?

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

  • Local Students
  • International Students
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?
  • Language Courses
  • Food
  • Field Trip
* What could be improved?
  • None
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More information about the university

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.