Thinking Back on Japan Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

You direct enroll at International Christian University (ICU) and the courses there are not as intense as the courses I'm used to at Wellesley College. For the Japanese Program, however, I was satisfied. You have the option of taking intensive courses, and they do well teaching you. The focus in higher levels is on written/academic Japanese. The Japanese Language Program department also has a program of Conversation Partners, so that you can meet with a Japanese student outside to practice conversational Japanese. It's a language exchange, so usually half the time will be spent speaking in English and half in Japanese.

On-site administration of your program

The Middlebury Program Director is on-campus and makes herself available to you if you ever need her. She's a great resource and will go out of her way to set you up with you need. She tends to be a little disorganized, but it's overlookable.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a dorm on campus that was 80% Japanese and 20% International. Most of my disatisfication comes from my own mismanagement so, while the dorm wasn't perfect, I could have done better. The downsides of dorm life are cleaning responsibilities and monthly dorm meetings. The upsides are getting to live directly with Japanese students (you'll always have a Japanese roommate). If you want to make the most out of your dorm experience, the first couple of weeks you live there are key. Really try to integrate yourself and get to know the people around you from the start. It's a lot harder to do later in the year.

I ate entirely in the dining hall on campus. The staff is great and amazing and the food is decent, although the selection tends to be repeated. THEY OFFER VEGETARIAN MEALS. This is rare in Japan, so I put it in all caps. You'll need to be flexible because the vegetarian option sometimes is sold out by dinner, but if they know you're vegetarian and you eat there often, they're definitely willing to work with you. To note on dining hall hours: They are closed for breakfast and dinner on the weekends, and over long breaks. All dorms have nice kitchens and communal dishes, so this isn't a big deal. Grocery shopping is available at "Gourmet City" about a ten minute bike ride away, and closer at convenience stores.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You can definitely be more integrated than I was, if you try. If you're focusing just on Japanese language learning, most of your class time will be spent with other foreigners, and it's very easy to have just international friends in that case. However, there are international clubs on campus that aim to help you make Japanese friends. Specifically, there is "Hub" and "I-Week." Also, if you make a point of getting to know your Japanese dorm mates, that would also help. Join a club, and stick with it. This is a great way to make Japanese friends. However, the window of opportunity for joining clubs is small, so make sure to get the contact info you need at the beginning of the semester. If you decide to join a club later in the year but need help finding contact info, get in touch with the International Educational Exchange (IEE) Office on campus. Get a bike early. ICU is in the suburbs of Tokyo and on a big campus so most students bike wherever they need to go. Not having a bike means you might not be able to participate in some events or social gatherings that go off campus. There are bike shops near to campus, either Asahi or Don Quixote, where you can find affordable bikes if your dorm doesn't have bikes on hard from last year's international students.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't need medical attention while I was abroad, so I have no comment on using healthcare. Both the Japanese government and Middlebury require that you get health care, so you will be doubly insured for you year abroad. If you do need medical care, the Middlebury program director will help you out. If you get a cold, which is likely, ask your Japanese roommate to help you find some medicine. Also, you should definitely wear a face mask if you're noticeably sick and leaving the dorm. For girls, a note. Tampons tend to be expensive in Japan, so if you feel strongly about using tampons instead of pads, it'd be worth it to bring a couple of boxes with you.

Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and even biking home from the train station after midnight, I never felt uncomfortable. This doesn't mean you can afford to be an idiot, but it does offer a sense of security. Japan does have a bad track record when it comes to recognizing sexual assault, so you need to be very proactive should something of that nature happen to you during your stay. Don't wait and get help immediately. Does this mean there is a likelihood of something of that sort happening? No. Japan's still really safe, and I don't know anyone during my time there who had a problem with this. I just want to give you a head's up.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I never had any issues. Wellesley provided a generous stipend and I didn't go out much. Food can get expensive if you eat a lot of fruit, but other than that it's cool.

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

Middlebury has a language pledge to encourage you to only use the host language.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Direct Enrollment at ICU
• Intensive Japanese Courses
• Internship Experience Offered

• Language Pledge (it prevents you from taking English language courses aimed at foreigners wanting to learn about Japan)

The Academic or Linguist