Get out of your comfort zone and make your dream a reality Past Review
By Anna McCarty (University of Southern Indiana) - abroad from 03/13/2017 to 07/28/2017 with
ISEP Exchange: Mishima - Exchange Program at Nihon University - Mishima
I learned a lot about the Japanese and their culture. I learned about new skills and strengths I did know about or thought I didn't have. The experience was one I will remember and never regret.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
For my first time abroad the program was small enough and intimate enough where I was still out of my comfort zone but I was comfortable enough to function and enjoy my experience. |
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? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | At the beginning of the month make sure you know you have enough for the month. Budget weekly and try and decide what days you will cook, eat at a restaurant, or buy from school. The first month and a half is when you spend the most money so make sure you have enough funds for it. |
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 |
It was a smaller town I lived in so using the language was a must. The staff and teachers did their best not to talk to us in English so we could be completely emerged into the language. Made some things difficult but really helped my learning. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Imtermediate language course |
| 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? | Make friends who know the language you are studying and talk to them in that language. It is embarrassing and you mess up a lot at first but that is one of the best ways to get better at speaking. Also, make sure to watch and listen to a bunch of music and tv form that country. If you watch and listen to the language enough it will help you sound more natural. |
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 would have known about the two week break we had before classes started. If I would have know I could have planned for it better. |
