JWU - Not for the extrovert Past Review
By Erika T (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/14/2011 to 04/04/2012 with
Japan Women's University: Tokyo & Kawasaki City - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It was worthwhile. I've learned that being independent doesn't necessarily mean that you can exist without social interaction. And as much as an 'easy A' in academics might seem nice, it gets quite boring after a while.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Waseda University School of International Liberal Studies |
| 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. |
Academics were pretty easy, overall. You have to study, of course, to get good at a language. But tests and homework were very easy. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were all very sweet and excited. The only issue I had was that the new head of the program at the end of my stay there didn't speak any English, which was a little disconcerting. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
A really fantastic experience. My host mom acted just like my real mom and was also very concerned about me eating healthy and made sure I was okay when I was sick. She introduced me to her friends and in general was very sweet. I also didn't have a curfew. |
| * Food: |
I don't think that I'm that great at foreign foods and it was a little difficult for me because I don't eat beef or pork. But, I loved udon and their snacks and my host mom's cooking. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I didn't feel very integrated. I was always the outsider, though my host mom did her best to teach me all of the cultural ins and outs. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Really well. Both my teachers and my host mom made sure that I was well taken care of, especially during bigger health emergencies (like when I got an eel bone stuck in my throat.) |
| * Safety: |
If you use your common sense, you will be very safe in Japan. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Extremely easy. Not at all a problem. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Way too much. I'm almost ashamed - because it's totally my fault. I spent probably close to $200 a week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It's tempting to shop a lot and buy randomly expensive things just because you can. Don't. |
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 |
Because we were in Japan, obviously I had to use the language - especially since I lived with a host family. That being said, our teachers were a little too lenient with us using English among ourselves (in the classroom). |
| 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? | JPN 202 |
| 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? | Try to find something that requires you to use the language outside of school. Get involved socially and try not to be too self-conscious. Find music or movies or anything that really interests you. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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? | Having a study partner is maybe best. As much as I disliked the idea of going to a program with mostly American students, the social aspect might have been a better idea for me. I was afraid of using too much English but not having another person to talk to also meant that I wasn't using very much Japanese either. |
