I’m a university student in the USA and I’m considering applying for a study abroad program (One semester at Sophia University). I’m on the fence about this for a couple reasons, mainly being..
1. I’ve never quite lived away from home before (most I’ve gone without going home is a month at my university dorm) so I’m unsure of how well I’d adapt to being by myself, especially in a foreign country
2. I don’t really know Japanese very well and I’m white. Would it be difficult to go around? I’ve heard a lot of Japanese people strongly dislike foreigners, is this true? Would it impact me strongly?
3. How beneficial studying abroad really is, particularly for this program. I’m a psych major if that helps.
So if anybody has any advice or can share their experiences studying abroad I’d really like to hear your experiences!
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**Experiences studying abroad?**
I’m a university student in the USA and I’m considering applying for a study abroad program (One semester at Sophia University). I’m on the fence about this for a couple reasons, mainly being..
1. I’ve never quite lived away from home before (most I’ve gone without going home is a month at my university dorm) so I’m unsure of how well I’d adapt to being by myself, especially in a foreign country
2. I don’t really know Japanese very well and I’m white. Would it be difficult to go around? I’ve heard a lot of Japanese people strongly dislike foreigners, is this true? Would it impact me strongly?
3. How beneficial studying abroad really is, particularly for this program. I’m a psych major if that helps.
So if anybody has any advice or can share their experiences studying abroad I’d really like to hear your experiences!
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Speaking as a student going for a semester abroad in about – *checks watch* – two weeks, I think you should do it just for the hell of it. Assuming the financials are there, of course.
Re: living away from home – You’ll have to do it some day. The brilliant thing about moving to a new country is that you’re forced to adapt whether you think you can or not. You’re still young and in school, so you have the safety net of the school and your family. You won’t always have that!
Re: knowing japanese – Tokyo is a pretty english-friendly place. For my program, no Japanese is required. Sophia University is nearly smack dab in the center of Tokyo so you shouldn’t have much issue with navigation. You’ll come to learn what you need to. It’s not a terribly difficult language once you get the hang of it.
Re: benefits – Super beneficial for personal growth. You’ll come to understand a culture entirely different from your own and meet people way outside your bubble. And I would assume for psychology, being tolerant of different cultures could be good too. All in all, it would broaden your horizons which is never a bad thing.
Believe me I am scared shitless to leave. I’ve never been outside of the USA before, let alone Asia. But its a really unique opportunity. Remember you have the rest of your life to work – when are you ever gonna be early 20’s and in Tokyo ever again?
I’m currently in the middle of a year exchange in Yokohama from the UK and I haven’t returned home once since it’s way too expensive.
1. This is entirely dependant on you as a person. If you feel like you have to return home every so often, then you’ll probably get home sick which will sour your experience. But if you can stick it out you will have an experience like no other.
2. In Tokyo, you can get by with 0 knowledge of Japanese almost everything has English attached to its Japanese counterpart. If you go to a restaurant you can even ask for English menus depending on how big the place is. Obviously if you go somewhere remote and small, chances are they won’t have English menus or even speak any English. But since you’re only just considering applying for a semester abroad I’m assuming you won’t be coming over for at least 6 months which is plenty of time to learn the basics. Learn hiragana, katakana little things like thank you, excuse me, sorry, can I have one of these etc.
As for the dislike of foreigners I guess it’s mostly subjective as long as you are respectful you’ll be fine.
3. It will look good on a resume but that’s about it, the level of learning won’t be the best because usually the classes taught in English are basic in order to help the Japanese students improve their English. For me it’s basically been a free 6 months to make new friends, have new experiences, learn a new language and travel Japan with friends I’ve made here.
If you have any more specific questions feel free to message me.
One semester is going to fly by. In terms of academics and your adult lifespan you’ll one day realize just how little time this actually is.
Especially once you’ve stepped into a career and see just how quickly time passes without nothing happening outside of your daily grind.
You having the opportunity to go is something most people wouldn’t never realize as an option. Take advantage of this chance to do something different.
Japan is the least scary country to travel to on top of being one of the easiest countries to visit without knowing any of the language.
World experience will only help you in the long run.
Do it. Even if it gives you nothing academically, there’s zero negatives.
Grab yourself a journal and start filling it with phrases. Duo lingo yourself some free lessons before you go. Watch some YouTube videos designed for short term tourists on train systems and useful phrases.
You’ll know more than enough Japanese to get around.
You got this.
Please do it. I didn’t study abroad in Japan when I had the chance because I was afraid and second guessed it, and it is by far the biggest mistake I have ever made. Not a single day goes by without me regretting it. From everything that I’ve seen and heard, it’s bound to be the best experience of your life.
I needed someone to tell me this back then. Go. You got this.
On mobile so not sure how this is going to be format-wise.
Studying abroad is an experience that I recommend for everyone.
You may get homesick, but it is only for 6 months, so I think you will be fine. Studying abroad as your first time moving overseas is the best really, because you have so much support.
Japanese people mostly love foreigners, so you will be fine. You might get a few weird looks from okd people here and there, but even less likely in tokyo haha. As for the language, you can study a bit before you come, but immersion is the best way to improve language skills! You will be fine not knowing Japanese in tokyo , though.
I first came to Japan on exchange at 17. It was a life changing experience. I think someone else said the only benefit is that it looks good on a resume, this is not true. People tend to overlook a lot that you learn studying abroad, which can be true of any program not just specific ones:
Independence, self-sufficiency, personal growth, adaptability, problem solving skills, intercultural communication skills, Japanese language skills, and that is just the beginning.
It is normal to be scared, everyone is at first. But it is the experience of a lifetime, and you will likely regret it if you dont. So do it. Take the plunge, and come to Japan. You are in school, and have a lot of support. You will be fine.
Do it. Say ‘yes’ to invitations to events etc here, even if you’re unsure (as long as it’s safe/legal). Surround yourself with people and opportunities. Visit random places. You will have so many enjoyable memories, possibly a few cringe moments (just remember to laugh, these happen even in your home country), and will realize one semester is not long enough.
Even if it’s not fully aligned with your career, the experiences and connections you make will shape how you approach things.
→ I did two one-year exchange programs during uni years (Kobe, Tokyo).
→ Moved here within 4 months of graduation, and been here since.