If I could do it again, I would do it in a heart beat! Past Review
By Rathapon Satjapot (Middlebury College) - abroad from 03/07/2018 to 07/07/2018 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Tokyo
I satisfy my curiosity about Japan since I was a kid. It was worthwhile!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses were rigorous, but in all fairness it is because of the language barrier. The language classes were phenomenal. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators for the program were also professors for the cultural courses. Without them, the experience wouldn't be enriching |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I have mixed feelings because the dorm was great, but the dorm only had American students. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt that I was making strong connections with the students because of my participation in the club. However, one semester was too short |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The safest I felt ever. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I love it, Middlebury has done a great job providing us an experience we could never get if we just traveled to Japan. |
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) |
This would be difficult for students without a stable income. Students have to pay on average 15 dollars a day for meals. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | At least 100 dollars |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Do not impulse buy |
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 |
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| 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? | Japanese Language School in Middlebury |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Keep watching the shows in Japanese |
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? | 10+ |
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 knew that one semester was not enough |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of the Middle East |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Japanese |
| Comments: | There was so much information. I really wish that there were in class group discussions, but because it was a lecture that wasn't possible. It was hard to participate because no one wanted to talk. This is not the teachers fault, it is the problem that comes with such a huge class. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Students must face the language pledge which is a huge hindrance of what classes you can take. Sometimes you can't take classes that are for your major because it is in English. |
