I am very glad I went to Nagoya. October 09, 2026
By Tobias H (Mount Holyoke College) - abroad from 05/31/2026 to 08/01/2026 with
IES Abroad: Nagoya Direct Enrollment Summer – Language & Culture
I started a new martial art, learned through experience the practicalities of travel and keeping oneself fed, and also about charisma. It was certainly worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
My teachers were kind, but I don't feel that I was pushed very hard. The class load was light, as was that of homework; which is really quite fitting for summer. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our field trips were fun, and the on-site staff brought all the program participants together regularly. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms were quite clean, if a little plain, and most of what we needed (besides food, detergent, and other consumables) was provided. |
| * Food: |
If you're coming in from abroad, Japanese food prices are low, especially in grocery stores. It was quite easy to cook my own food the whole summer. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My Japanese dormmates were welcoming, but I am somewhat shy by nature, so I didn't make any close friendships. I started taking jiujitsu classes at a local school, and those were really a highlight of my day. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't get injured or sick, so I don't have much to say on this. |
| * Safety: |
Nagoya is quite a safe city. I could walk in the dark in a fairly central district and not think too much about it. |
| 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? | under $225; most of my spending was tourism-related |
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 |
We were required to take Japanese classes, but I didn't feel we were encouraged to use it on our field trips. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | 120 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | I wish I had known the extent to which almost everything will be so interesting and you will have to restrain yourself from trying to do everything all the time. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
