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Study abroad thread Anonymous
Ever done it or are currently planning to do it? Where'd you go? How was your program?

Post any tips/experiences if you have any. I'm thinking about doing a semester abroad next fall, and my biggest fear is that when I get there I'll have problems with enrolling or finances or some shit and I'd have to call my parents on a pay phone sobbing because I'd be 500,000 miles away with nobody to help me.

Pic related, it's the program that I'll probably be using.
>> Lambchop's Death Legion !d7bMXbKy6Q
I'm an engineer major so my options are severely severely limited ;_;
>> Anonymous
Fuck yeah Erasmus
Going to Italy next year
>> Anonymous
I just did a summer short term (1 month) through a University partnership with Keiwa College in Niigata Japan. Best month of my life, although the American weeaboo on the trip really pissed me off. Was cool being the first from our Uni to do that though, and now Keiwa students are coming to one of our campuses for a month in the summer.

As far as tips, as long as you are in a civilized society you are not going to die. That sounds wierd but thats what people are really afraid of, not being able to get any help and its simply not true. Somebody will help you with what you need, and if they don't understand you they'll find someone who does or you can figure out how to communicate through other means. Enjoy every little adventure, even getting food at the convience store for me was an adventure. Try something new at every opportunity. Make tons of friends, you'll be the mysterious person from overseas, should be easy to meet friends.

Other than that I dunno, like I said, I was short term, wish I could have done longer but travelling abroad never applied to my major anyway. Just have fun, be brave, be adventurous.
>> Anonymous
I went on ISEP international-to-international (because I'm not american) to Kansai Gaidai in Japan. Worked great, and since I'd basically paid for housing and food up front, there were no finance issues. Overall, it was excellent value for money, and the contact people at the host university were extremely responsive. As in, someone showed up late in the evening at the hospital to translate what the doctor was saying and help us fill the forms, etc. when my wife was sick.

I guess how smoothly things work out at the host university really depends on where you're going, but if you're going via ISEP there should be at least one person you can always go to when you're in trouble.
>> Anonymous
>>82533
Gah yea. I want to do a semester abroad but I don't think I'd be able to take classes in my major so it'd be a bit of waste. I dunno, maybe a summer term abroad? Are there any Japanese students around then? Seemed pretty expensive also...
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Man the fuck up.
>> o rly? Anonymous
>>82513
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/11/2008112314556313439.html
>> Anonymous
>>82714
Japanese schools work on a different schedule than American schools so when I was there in the first half of summer college was in session normally. I'm not even sure when their summer break is but I'm certain it wasn't while I was there. As far as cost, well I was at a private school so my normal tuition was fairly pricey. Studying abroad wasn't that much more than what tuition would have been for a Summer A semester at home with full course load. As long at the trip takes care of at least some of your required credits I say its worth it. I polished off the last of my open credits with it.
>> Anonymous
>>82845
Ah, thanks for the encouragement anon. I'll look into it some more. Just curious, did you hangout with Japanese students or foreigners more often?
>> Anonymous
>>82861
Both, the first day it was just with the other 'mericans, but once we got into classes and met people it was always a mixed group. Most of the time when it was just Americans it was the Friday field trips we got dragged away on. Pretty much for the entire month I was out late hanging out, partying, seeing movies, just completely busy every night. I'm not exactly mister popular back home but I know how to be social, and I felt like a goddamn rockstar in Japan. It helped we were in Niigata, so very far away from the tourism on the East coast. Probably the only Americans within 100 miles. It was insanely fun and I made great friends both American and Japanese, and Chinese, and Thai, there were other study abroad students at the college.

Best attitude to have is to just aim to make friends and have fun with them. Put yourself in a "no holding back" mindset before you get there and go with it, worked out great for me. Its far easier to friend girls there in my opinion, many guys seem to have some attitude problem I could never quite figure out, but we did meet some awesome guys, it may just be a maturity thing.

Anyway, I recommend it to anyone, Japan was a great place to visit, I'm hoping to go back and do some more touristy crap next year and maybe meet up with some old friends.