"I would definitely recommend watching as much television as possible, (helps with listening to Japanese) especially if you like anything to do with food. Japanese people are extremely obsessed with food. I swear any time of the day there will be some channels talking about food. Be it be the top 100 Ramen countdown, or cooking shows, or cooking contests. . . Also, Japanese dramas are extremely interesting to get hooked on. They happen every day of the week, each day is a new drama so one particular drama would have one episode every Monday at for example 9pm on TBS. There are usually around 10 episodes and the big stars in Japan appear in them. Because I don't have time to watch all of them, I pick one or two with my favorite stars in it and try to tune it every week." Kelly Hwang, University of California, San Diego, Sophia University, Fall 2002

"My advice to future students studying in Japan is mainly this: know what you want and what you are looking for. If you go to Japan hoping to learn kendo and wanting to be close friends with your homestay family, that will happen, as long as you try. When one part of the plan doesn't work out, try to fix it, but don't forget that one year, even in Japan, is too short a time to walk away unfulfilled. Many people I knew were 'satisfied' with their host family, but didn't put time into them, or switch if they were unhappy because it seemed too difficult. Your experience is never as you plan it, but factors like the activities you choose and the people with whom you surround yourself have been the most key important aspects of my experience." Lauren Miller, Middlebury College, Associated Kyoto Program, Fall 2002

"First, try to go into the homestay with as few expectations as possible. This certainly would have saved me a lot of mental anguish. Second, get out of Japan and explore! Take advantage of being in Asia and experience some of the amazing places nearby. It makes sense financially too, as domestic Japanese travel is often prohibitively expensive." Paul Roquet, Pomona College, Associated Kyoto Program, Fall 2001

"First, it is up to you to make your time worthwhile and exciting. Go out, meet people, join a club, travel around, be positive and open. Second, everyone gets a little homesick now and then, but do not freak out. Instead, stay calm, write emails, and most, importantly, go over in your head the reasons why you like Japan and why you came in the first place. Really put forth an honest effort to learn Japanese, because knowing the language will help you acquire a deeper understanding of Japan and it will also make everything a lot easier." Erika Robertson, University of Michigan, Kansai Gaidai, Fall 1999

"During the first month or so that I lived with my host family in Toyota-shi, I was close to tears everyday. The food didn't agree with me. I missed my boyfriend. My family watched TV that I couldn't understand. I lived for the next day of school when I could see my American friends. If I could give advice to future students who go abroad, I would encourage them to expect a period of adjustment and to try not to get too discouraged. I had never before had problems adjusting to a different environment, so the feeling of not quite catching onto things was a hard one for me to accept. Thankfully, things did get better." Jocelyn Campanaro, George Washington University, Nanzan University, Fall 2002

"I discovered that a lot of the difficulties I thought I'd encounter while living abroad could be solved simply by accepting a different way of doing things. Sometimes this was easier said than done, such as in mid-January when the only room of the house that was heated was the one we were in, or when it took your jeans four days to dry because most Japanese don't use clothes dryers, but I got used to it and got over it." Krista Ristinen, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Nagoya University, Spring 2001

"Undoubtedly the greatest learning experience came not from the Waseda classrooms but in my daily interactions with the Japanese. If I had to give one tip on how to get the most out of my program, it would be to maximize your interactions with Japanese and make as many friends as possible. Just going to Karaoke, or a bar or a 24-hour restaurant can provide you with a lesson in Japanese that no classroom can provide. However this is not to say that the classroom has no part, just get the most you can out of class and use it on the street!" Paul Michaelian, California State University, Long Beach, Waseda, Fall 1999

"I went to movies in Japanese, went to sporting events, and did all sorts of things my language ability was not high enough for, but that's how you get better. Just get yourself out there, and try not to worry about the money!" Andrew Malandrino, Georgetown University, International Christian University, Spring 2000

"My advice to other students desiring to study abroad in Japan would be to stay flexible. A hundred small crises may threaten your sanity or patience, but try my personal mantra when encountering any change in plans: 'I am a willow. I can bend.'" Katherine Anne Legare, Middle Tennessee State University, Kansai Gaidai, Fall 2002

"If I have one piece of advice about studying abroad in Japan it is to travel. While traveling you encounter and have to interact with people you normally would not. Rather than seeing Japan as a monolithic whole, you get to see the variations between regions." Owen Anderson, Macalester College, IES Nagoya, Spring 2002

"To make Japan a more pleasant stay, the most useful advice I can give is be open-minded! Of course there are a lot of differences between Japan and your home country. Many times these differences are better, and than many times they're not so. But it's important to keep an open-mind and be accepting of all the differences, good and bad. I knew a lot of people who stayed in the same program as me who were so hung-up about the bad things about Japan and complained all the time about it. As a result, they didn't have a good a time as they were expecting and the people around them were affected as well. Acknowledge the differences, and learn to move on. Also, for those who want to go to Japan to improve their Japanese, one advice I can offer is to use as much Japanese wherever and whenever possible. I among many other first-timers to Japan found it was very difficult at first to actually speak the language. Learning and using Japanese in a college class is a lot different from using it in a Japanese-speaking society. But I found if you try and make the effort to speak, you will naturally get better and it will become much easier to speak. I know the temptation is there just to speak English, but no one makes any progress just by speaking in English all the time." Fordel Lee, North Carolina State University, Nagoya University, Fall 2001

"Advice I'd give to students planning on studying in Japan is to review your Japanese before you come so when you take the placement tests you're placed at an appropriate level. I'd also recommend bringing a lot of money. Japan is very expensive, and it isn't always easy using credit cards from home or getting money sent from the US. In order to ease the stress of managing money, I would bring as much as you can afford, and if possible, even more than you expect to spend. Most estimates are around $3,000-$4,000 for a semester. I spent around $3,300, and never really restricted myself from taking trips or purchasing things." Breanne Hanson, St. Olaf College. Kansai Gaidai, Fall 1999

"My best advice to future students going to Japan would be that they should go to Japan with an open mind and view the culture and way of life in Japan not as wrong compared to their own home culture, but just different. And different is a good thing because that is what makes each country unique." Krista Brown, University of Wisconsin at Eau Clair, Kansai Gaidai, Fall 2001

"Someone told me that the homestay family is just like any other family. They have issues, likes, dislikes, preconceptions, misconceptions, and they're human. If you really want to become a part of the family, you have to be flexible and do your best to live as they do." Rajon T. Gilmore, University of Pittsburgh, Japan Center for Michigan Universities, Spring 2001

"My honest advice for other students going to Japan is to study the language as much as possible. Ideally, I think the most useful study would be conversation practice with a native speaker. Understanding others was the key that made my year in Japan turn from a pretty good time into the most wonderful time of my life. Don't stress out, have fun, enjoy it; you'll miss it when you're finished. I know that I do." Meredith Attaway, Kalamazoo College, Waseda University, Fall 2001

"Finally, I think one piece of advice that would be helpful to students who are going to Japan is to be willing to look at things from many different angles. Nothing is absolutely a certain way-- it is a matter of perspective. Challenge your views, ask lots of whys to others and self, be sensitive to the experience that is shaping your identity . . . and bring lots of money (Japan IS expensive)!" Joyce Ma-lung Chen, Tufts University, Waseda University, Spring 2000

"Make an effort to make friends, especially Japanese friends. Push yourself to improve your language skills, especially outside of class by watching television, trying to read the words around you, etc. Seek out cultural things you can experience: see Kabuki, visit a temple, pound mochi on New Year's, go to Karaoke, take a bath in an onsen, etc. Travel to other parts of Japan if you can afford to--it's not as expensive as you might think, and personally, I found traveling within Japan to be a very rewarding experience. Have patience with yourself." Linda S. Ely, Cornell University, International Christian University, Fall 2000

"Do not say 'no' to any opportunities to go places or try new things. If you have easy access to the Internet, try not to get addicted to email and instant messaging. It seemed that the students who answered emails and used Instant Messenger daily missed their friends and family the most, and had a more difficult time getting adjusted to life in Japan. Although at times it may be overwhelming just realize that your time is short and you will really miss it when you are home again." Jade Steele, Pennsylvania State University, IES Tokyo, Fall 2001

"Finally, it's very important to make friends with some Japanese students who can help you in your studies. It had been said to me that one should be weary of the Japanese student who in their effort to learn our language will in your presence use nothing but English. I must say that I found this to be completely untrue. The Japanese students that I made friends with were more than willing to help me learn Japanese." Todd Tumaneng, North Central College, Kanda University of International Studies, Fall 2001