A good time in Japan Past Review
By Marcell B (Economics., Tufts University) for
Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in Japan
If nothing else, I learned to be open minded. But mostly I just enjoyed myself, so it was definitely worth my time.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned a lot, the only issue is that I couldn't take classes in my major. But I knew that ahead of time, so it wasn't a problem. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were very helpful in making sure we were safe and sound. We got everything we were supposed to get in a timely fashion. There were a few things that I think we could have been provided with, but it wasn't a problem. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was a good location, safe, clean, and convenient. The only issue is that Japanes students didn't live nearby and it was more difficult to communicate with them. |
| * Food: |
The dining hall did not have much variety, and food tended to be expensive everywhere else. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By the end of the year I was involved in an group that organized and "international festival." It was a great experience, my Japanese improved greatly while I was there, and I made some really good friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Safety is simply not a problem. Healthcare wasn't a problem, but generally speaking the food is unhealthy. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent roughly the equivalent of 150USD on all my expenses (including rent) each week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I was very frugal, so I never had problems. We received a lot of money. It shouldn't be a problem. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 4 semesters. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The only issue was that the students living in the dormitories were all international, so they spoke English. Thus I didn't get the intensity I may have wanted. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Make sure you really have an open mind. Many of my friends who went who thought they had an open mind and lack or prejudice - once actually faced with the foreign culture - said they hated it. Be sure you're really ready for things to be out of your comfort zone and even counter intuitive. If you can do that, it's a lot of fun. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Experiences in Japanese culture |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Prof. Okazawa |
| Instruction Language: | Japanese/English |
| Comments: | It was great, I'd recommend it to anyone. You learn a lot, and you take a good look into some traditional arts. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I was told it would transfer automatically and it hasn't yet. |
