Past Review
By Ayanda M (Geographic Information Systems and Asian Studies, Indiana University of Pennsylvania) for
Nagoya Gakuin University: Nagoya - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes. There is no substitute for immersion. I think that life is about learning as much as you can about the places beyond our walls. Whether it is from the next state over the across the ocean, ther is so much information and knowledge to be gained. In this day and age with the opportunities we have at the collegiate level, there is little excuse for one to be ignorant about what is beyond our boarders. If it were financially feasible, I would suggest making a semester abroad, or winter session, mandatory. Being abroad moved me to do things that I wouldn't normally do. In the span of one month I climbed mount Fuji and mount Arashiyama where I fed macaques at a famous anthropological site. In spite of my travel anxieties and not always being able to communicate, I just went with it. I was in a location where I didn't have to worry very much about crime, and I was happy to take advantage of that. I wouldn't have done any of the things I did here in the States. Such a change of scene reset my energies, and I was able to accmplish more than I could have possibly ever done here. It is a real change of pace to be in a place where I am curious of everything.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Nagoya Gakuin University |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
| The term and year this program took place: | Summer 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned more in one semester at NGU than I learned in two years at IUP. Also helpful was the immersive experience. There is no substitute for practical application. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Kumagai-san and Shibata-san were effective at their jobs. They worked very long hours to make sure that our needs were met, and they kept up with us to make sure we were taking care of ourselves and finishing our homework. I had an issue with the other administrators, however. Every time that I would go to the office, I would be ignored. I even had an administrator ask me if I was a student at NGU when I went to request a Shinkansen (bullet train) discount form. It got the point where I wouldn't visit the office without the accompaniment of my RA Sachiho. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was unlike anything I had expected. I was more than satisfied with the amenities that we were given. We were provided a mattress cover and pillow upon arrival. There were also a couple of shelves and a desk. The bad had two drawers beneath it as well. The bathroom was divided into three spaces: the bathroom corridor contained the sink. At the end of the corridor was the toto (shower), separated with a folding glass door. Before the toto was a wesetern toilet, separated by a door. |
| * Food: |
The cafeteria food was good and not too expensive. My roommate and I did a lot of grocery shopping since we had a kitchen. The closest grocery store was about a two minute bike ride away. The larger store was about five mintues away. A popular place for food was Sushiro, a rotating sushi bar near Kanayama. A higher quality restaurant is Akua, which is located near the subway station. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made many trips by myself and with friends while in Japan, including two trips to Tokyo, two trips to Kansai, and a trip to Mt. Fuji. Being with people in the cities who were more accustomed to foreigners was nice. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The health offices seemed to be very active. I never got sick while I was there so I didn't use the services myself. There was a swine flu scare on my campus, and school was closed for an entire week. Aside from that, there were no other health concerns. The second night I was in Nagoya, my roommate got mugged. While muggings are rare throughout Japan, she was the one in ten-thousand. Aside from that one incident, I never felt unsafe at any point while in Japan. Everyone seemed pretty docile, or at the very least too tired to bother with committing crimes. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Again, practical application was the most helpful thing. It was much easier to talk to adults than it was to talk to students, though. They were more sympathetic to the fact that we were still learning some basic structures. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be patient and study hard. Make sure to travel around as much as possible. I experienced the quickest four months of my life, despite the heavy workload. Before you know it, the trip will be over! Take advantage of the train system, and if you need to get to Tokyo in an hour, a round trip ticket on the Shinkansen costs around $110-120 equivalent. Station staffers are very good at giving basic instructions should you choose to use the conventional train to get around. |
