Past Review

By (Architecture., The University of Texas at Austin) for

University of Texas - Austin: Traveling - Architecture in Japan Maymester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This trip was amazing. I would definitely do it again (once my bank account recovers).

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Our guide while in Japan, Megumi Sugihara, was simply wonderful. She was friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and tons of fun.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Kyoto: Palaceside Hotel, double occupancy. This one gets a A-. Nice place, but having to share a tiny hotel room was kind of a pain. Comfortable bed and pillow, fridge, internet. Naoshima: Yurts on the beach. This one gets a A+, despite some drawbacks. Although bathroom and showers were a five minute walk away, and the yurts had 3-4 people, they were roomy, the beds were comfortable and the location was beautiful. Kanazawa: Single occupancy hotel. A+. Good bed & pillow. Fridge. Internet. Tokyo: Korean Young Men's Christian Association, single rooms. This place gets a D. The bed was uncomfortable, there was no way to keep food fresh, and it smelled bad. There was no easy way to wash our clothes - there was one washer for the whole place and it was always tied up and didn't work very well. It did have internet. <br /><br />

* Food:

In Tokyo, we had no way to keep food fresh so ended up having to eat out often.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? No.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • N/A
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Intro to Non-Western Aesthetic Experience

Course Department: UGS 119
Instructor: David Heymann
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was intimately tied to the locations we visited and the locations were chosen to demonstrate a very broad range of Japanese architectural expression. The professor was extremely knowledgable and well prepared.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.