Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Diversity of Experiences all over Japan Past Review

By (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Clark University - Worcester) - abroad from 02/04/2013 to 05/27/2013 with

Kansai Gaidai University: Hirakata - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to move outside my comfort zone, how to cook for myself better, general self-sufficiency, and how to navigate Japan without too much trouble.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

While two classes I had were very good, a third lecture class was a clear joke. I don't think they check on academic rigor very closely because there were many complaints in both the class I took and that professor's other class.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Please improve your wireless.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had some obnoxious neighbors who constantly partied. I felt bad about my country of origin because they were also American. The administration was very quick to react to complaints. I was bothered by the rules banning televisions in rooms and preventing us from using the rooms in the lounge for video games. It effectively meant a term without console games when it seemed unnecessary because of the limited tv usage. The wireless was terrible.

* Food:

As a vegan, I had to buy foodstuffs and cook myself, but there were a lot of restaurants and grocery stores near the dorms and campus.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

For the first part, there was a sort of bubble around the students. That was because the Japanese students at Kansai were still off (they don't coincide perfectly with a Western term structure). That was remedied quickly and Kansai made an effort to make a lot of inclusion attempts.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got the flu shortly after arriving but didn't feel the need to take medicine. I didn't have any other issues. The only recommended vaccine was encouraged if you spent a lot of time in rural areas.

* Safety:

Japan is very safe.

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? I spent maybe $100 a week and that was after buying a lot of food I didn't need like pistachios.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Save expensive trips for the end of your time abroad.

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

The two Japanese language courses were spoken primarily in Japanese even at low levels.

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? 103
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? Find a speaking partner.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • 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?
  • The opportunities in Japan
  • The friends I made there
  • The abundance of grocery stores
* What could be improved?
  • The wireless internet was terrible
  • There could be more quality control on classes
  • They didn't allow access to the kitchen for the first week
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Where to buy food to eat that didn't need much preparation.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

History and Ideology of the Japanese Warrior
Course Department:
Instructor: John Shultz
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was excellent. While not the most challenging, it did encourage critical thinking and synthesis of a wide period of Japanese history by focusing on warrior ethos throughout the ages. The individual topics were well organized and the intermittent trips to famous locations helped reinforce the lessons. The assessments came in the form of a couple papers, a project, and minor random quizes on the reading that took less than five minutes.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, and I got the class to count for a perspective I needed.
Course Name/Rating:

Cross-Cultural Psychology
Course Department:
Instructor: Pawle
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was terrible. The professor hasn't had a license to practice psychology for years (or the required schooling to stay updated) due to an exemption for staying in Japan. He taught Freud as though his model were still valid and covered a painfully tangential series of topics in his quest to cover how different cultures think. While he managed to get the point across, he did so terribly. I feel like he was teaching a philosophy class more than a psychology one and I feel dirty using it towards my psychology major. We were assessed with papers (with terrible topics that often accepted bullet-points) and tests (with unclear answer criteria).
Credit Transfer Issues: No.