Hi guys!
I’m a Finnish student who will be spending a semester at the University of Tokyo undergraduate exchange program in spring 2023. This is going to be my first time ever in Japan.
I’d like to hear from you about your experiences as exchange students (expats welcome to chime in also) in Japan. If there are any people who have done an exchange at Todai specificially, I would be delighted to hear about it!
Any opinions on what kind of accommodation (uni dorms or private sector) I should be looking at would also help out. My classes will most likely focus on Hongo and Komaba campuses based on course descriptions.
So basically I’d like to hear everything you have to say about how to make most out of my stay in Japan and Todai, for the 5 month semester. E.g. what kind of things to look out for and prepare for, how to make friends, dating, how to meet both local and internationals, what kind of extracurricular activities I should look out for, how is social life for Todai undergrads and anything else that comes to mind based on your experiences and knowledge :). I’d love to build a network in Japan as I will work as a management consultant in the future and would be able to be staffed on projects in Asia if I wanted to.
From what I’ve understood, the Covid-19 precautions are still a lot more strict in Japan vs. the Nordics?
Also, I know only very basic Japanese (600 kanji, bare basic grammar) and while I’m sure I will improve, my main language for study and socializing will be English.
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Thanks a lot!