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[bonuspoint]

From The Exchange Student Survival Kit:

"For most exchange students, the preparation stage is an exciting time... Yet in the midst of all this excitement, you may also be nervous about the upcoming experience. How will you make friends in this new place? How will you be able to manage in the school while struggling in a foreign language? You may

Comments

[moldypotatochip]

I went to Japan for the first time in 2006 for a summer semester abroad. It was my first real experience out of the country, my first big journey by myself. I think I was more excited than anything else.

I came back to Japan in 2007 and I've been living here for 2 years now. It's challenging living here. But I think the point at which I really started enjoying it was when I stopped counting down the days to when I was going "home". What is really good is to look at wherever you happen to live as your home. Maybe it's not a permanent home, but Japan WILL be your home, so please make the best of every day you spend here. There will be times when you're homesick, but try to keep in mind that you're going to be able to go home eventually, but maybe you won't have another chance at Japan (who really knows where your life will take you). I hope that you can put your fears aside and become comfortable with a few things around you.

Don't be too worried about mistakes. They're natural. I make mistakes enough in my own culture >__<... I definitely make them in Japan.

[bonuspoint]

I'm def gonna keep your advice in mind. It's all true.

What program did you go with in summer 2006? I went that same summer in HS with YFU.

[moldypotatochip]

I went to Nihon University AKA Nichidai (through my university, WMU). Nichidai's study abroad program is total foreigner isolation in a little building separate from all regular students other than a few volunteers :( but the Japanese courses were intense and I improved a lot, so I'm glad I did it.