A Year Abroad

We are just two college students going on a once in a lifetime adventure. Stick around to hear about our experiences, achievements, struggles, and maybe a little first hand advice as we go through our one year study abroad at J.F. Oberlin University in Japan. Background by David Lanham.

[chuckandallisonabroad]

Orientation Week 3 (Sept. 16 – 19)

Sept. 16

Student ID cards became available on this day, but they can be picked up at any time. This is pretty much just a free day.

Sept. 17

This is really the only day in this week that has an orientation. First thing in the morning, we had to go to a medical check-up at the health center on campus. It isn’t much of anything. They just get your height and weight, and they take an x-ray of your chest. It does cost a little money though, so don’t forget that! Afterwards, there is an anti-crime and immigration orientation. We just learned about laws in Japan, and we had to read about some scenarios and discuss what we would do in the situation. It was a somewhat pointless orientation. All of what was common sense, so you’re good if you have that.

Sept. 18

Another free day!

Sept. 19

This is the first day of classes. In most classes, you will just go over the syllabus and do introductions. It was a very relaxed day, but it was a little boring. Chuck and I have classes all day on Fridays, so we were quite bored with everything by the end of the day.

So it's all over! Time to focus on classes and enjoying life in Japan. More posts coming soon. Again, we are very sorry for the delay in posts. We have been incredibly busy. Hopefully, we will get some posts out soon showing just how much we have been doing since we got here.

Farewell for now~

- Allison & Chuck

[chuckandallisonabroad]

Orientation Week 2 (Sept. 8 – 12)

Sept. 8

On this day, we all gathered in a big room to fill out all of the official papers for our residence registration, national health insurance, etc. For me, it was very stressful because it was everyone in our program but very few people there to help out with questions and confusion. Don’t be worried though! It really isn’t too difficult. Just follow the examples provided. Before you leave, they check everything to make sure it is correct, so it’s okay even if you did make a mistake.

Sept. 9

Placement test announcements are posted online on this day. Thankfully, Chuck and I were placed in the same class, and it was the exact level we wanted to be in! There is also a second chance to sign up for a phone if you were unsure at the first phone orientation. You can also pick up your phone if you applied at the last meeting; however, they won’t let you get the phone until you have been officially registered with the city, so Chuck and I were not able to pick ours up on this day. Also, there is an optional registration consultation if you have any questions or concerns about registering for classes.

Sept. 10 / Sept. 11

I did not mention this earlier, but at one of the first orientations, we were sorted into groups A, B, C, D, E, and F. I mention that here because they take everyone to the foreign registration office in Sagamihara on either the 10th or 11th depending on the group you are in. I went on the 10th, and Chuck went on the 11th. Registration is very simple. Once you get there, you submit the forms you filled out on the 8th. They call each person up individually to confirm the information and to obtain a few other details, but they are very nice and try to speak very simple Japanese, so don’t be worried or scared. After registration, you can go on an optional tour of Machida with your group. I didn’t go because I had already gone to Machida a lot, but I regret not being able to bond with the other students, so I strongly recommend staying for the tour.

Sept. 12

There is only one orientation on this day. It is an evacuation and safety drill orientation. It isn’t scary or anything like that. They just go over what you should do in case of emergency (earthquake, fire, etc.). The videos are very outdated, so they can be a little comical at times, but they give helpful information. Just be sure to pay attention to everything. In the evening, there is a big welcome party for all of the students. It’s a great chance to meet more people in the program and other Japanese students, but don’t expect it to be any kind of crazy party. There’s some food (none that were veg-friendly from what I say) and drinks, some of the Japanese students talked about different clubs and upcoming events, and everyone had to play some goofy little games. Like I said before, though, it is a good opportunity to make new friends.

Another week down! Four days of freedom before the next orientation. Yay! Next post - Orientation Week 3

- Allison & Chuck

[chuckandallisonabroad]

Orientation Week 1 (Sept. 2 – 5)

Sept. 2

As mentioned in our previous post, our plane landed on Sept. 2nd, and we were quickly taken to our hotel where we would spend the night. Day 1 in Japan complete. The only words I think could properly describe it would be blurry and surreal.

Sept. 3

Everyone in the program was shuffled onto buses around 9AM to ride across Tokyo to Oberlin University. It was roughly a 2 hour ride, but it was amazing to see so much of Tokyo. That was the first time it really hit us that we were actually here. Once we arrived at the university, we all gathered at Sakura Café to eat a Japanese style lunch. Thankfully, they had both vegetarian and vegan options, so I (Allison) was actually able to eat! Yay! After lunch, we attended two orientations. The first was just a general introduction to the program. They went over our schedules and other basic information. The second was for the dormitories. Before this orientation, all of the students were separated into groups for dorm 1 and dorm 2. Unfortunately, Chuck and I did not get placed into the same dorm, so we were on our own for the rest of the day. At my dorm orientation, they just went over rules, introduced RAs, and had a Q&A session. The PowerPoint they had was helpful, but I didn’t get much out of the speaking because it was only in Japanese. Chuck, on the other hand, had someone translating at his orientation, and I am very jealous of that. Afterwards, we were taken to our respective dorms where our luggage was waiting, given our keys, and shown to our rooms. (We will make a separate post showing the rooms and how we have decorated them! ^_^)

Sept. 4

More orientations! Prepare for a lot of those. The first orientation on this day was a survival and academic orientation. This one basically just gave us pointers on how to survive daily life at a Japanese university, how they do things at Oberlin (classes, grading, etc.), and other related information. Then, we had an internet orientation which showed us how to connect to campus Wi-Fi and how to access and use e-Campus, Moodle, and Oberlin Gmail. There was also a library orientation, but it was optional, so we decided not to attend. Afterwards, there was a campus tour. Pay attention and ask any questions if you have them, but don’t feel too stressed about remembering where things are because this is just the first of many campus tours you will be forced to go on.

Sept. 5

Placement test day! Chuck says that it isn’t a big deal and just to relax and try your best. I definitely agree with him, but if you are anything like me, you will be incredibly freaked out no matter what. Looking back, it really wasn’t too bad. There are a few different portions (grammar, reading, writing, etc.), and there is an interview. The interview was the worst for me because listening comprehension and speaking are my weakest areas, but the professors that did our interviews were incredibly kind and helpful. Just try to stay calm. The questions they ask are not very difficult at all. After the placement test, there is a phone orientation. A couple Japanese phone carriers gave presentations showing what offers they have for students. You can go with a pre-paid plan through Softbank or a contract plan through AU. Chuck and I chose to go with AU. For what we needed with a phone, it was a much better deal and far less of a hassle. They also offer a great deal on a pocket Wi-Fi device if you are not interested in purchasing a phone.

So that's it for orientation week 1! It was very busy and a little information overload, but overall not too bad at all. Next post - Orientation Week 2!

- Allison & Chuck

[chuckandallisonabroad]

First, let me apologize on our behalf for being so late in our posts. We have been in Japan for 3 weeks now, and I can honestly say we have had 1 whole free day during which we chose to sleep for once.

Now back to regularly scheduled posting.

Getting to Japan was a relatively easy process. We arrived at the airport, got in line to check our luggage, and went on our way. Both Allison and I did pre check-in online using Delta’s website, and because we used our own luggage scales to make sure our luggage was under weight, our bags were whisked through to the plane. Our flight from MEM to ATL went smooth, and after exchanging some money, we boarded our plane from ATL to NRT.

I was in first class, so I got the top star treatment; drinks were served before and after takeoff, we had a choice of a Japanese or western menu, and each course was promptly served with a complementary wine or sake, all perfectly instagrammable thanks to the inflight Wi-Fi.

Allison, on the other hand, flew in economy comfort. This was her first time ever really flying somewhere, and while she thoroughly enjoyed the ride and the view, she was very much unimpressed with everything else. From how she has described it, the food was absolutely terrible. Allison requested a special vegetarian meal, and apparently Delta believes that means rice and greasy, overcooked, unseasoned vegetables. The beautiful view really did make up for any negative experience she had, though.

The main thing to worry about on your flight is the entrance paperwork they hand you near the beginning of your flight. It just asks some basic questions of how much money you are carrying, are you carrying any controlled substances, how long are you staying, and how many oz. of liquids like perfume or cologne are you carrying. With these forms, DO NOT STRESS OUT. The main information you need to know is where you are staying, why you are entering, and for how long. The other questions just need to be done to your best estimate. The main thing they want to know is if any of the listed items were bought duty free. If they were, you may be charged import fees.

When the plane landed, it was a simple task to get our luggage and head through customs. Immigration is a breeze. Just get your picture taken, turn in papers, and move along. When we got to the main corridor of the terminal, we were greeted by Oberlin students who had come to collect us at the airport. This, however, is where the first annoyance of this trip occurred. We were rushed to a meeting spot and told we had ten minutes before we had to leave. This took Allison and me both aback because we both had traveler’s check to exchange and I had ordered a pocket Wi-Fi that was waiting for me at the airport post office. The reason this was annoying was because the hotel bus they wanted us to catch comes every 30 minutes, and we were not the last people arriving that day. Why couldn't we just do what we needed to do and catch the next bus? That was never answered. They told us we could collect the Wi-Fi only if it would take less than 10 minutes, but we would have to come back to exchange money some other time. I would just like to add that from the Oberlin campus to Narita Airport is about a 3 hour train ride that costs nearly $20. Needless to say, we didn't and still haven’t exchanged all our checks yet.

We stayed the night at Narita View Hotel. Upon arrival, our luggage was marked with either yellow or red tape; these represent which dorm you were randomly placed in. Sadly and inconveniently, Allison and I were each placed in separate dorms. At 8AM the next morning, we met, had breakfast, and hopped on the bus to begin our trek to the Oberlin campus.

Next time we will talk about orientation week 1!

- Chuck

[chuckandallisonabroad]

Time to Pack!

My name is Allison, and for my first solo post, I will be discussing packing. I’m leaving in a week, and I am just now getting my things together. Word of advice: DON’T BE LIKE ME! This is my first time packing for a plane ride and for this long of a trip, and it is driving me crazy. My biggest challenge is that I have A LOT of clothes, and it isn’t very easy for me to say goodbye to many of them for an entire year. How could I possibly know what I will wear that far into the future!? My goal is to pack practical while keeping fashion in mind. I know I will buy many unique pieces there, so it is important that I pack the essentials first.

As I said before, this is my first time packing in this quantity, and I have discovered that packing cubes and vacuum bags are my best friends. I am using the Eagle Creek packing cubes and those Ziploc vacuum bags. Be sure to shop around for good deals with these items, or they can end up being pretty expensive. I also recommend buying them early and doing some test packing to see if you need to buy more or not. In addition to those things, I am using a lot of other little bags to separate and organize non-clothing items. At times I feel like I’m organizing things TOO much, but I’m pretty sure that just means I’m doing it right, and I won’t have nearly as much stress when I have to unpack after I reach my destination.

So, let the packing begin!

To begin, I basically took over the largest floor space available in my house and started sorting all of my things into piles of varying degrees of need and want.

After I knew what I wanted to bring, I started sorting things into the vacuum bags and placing them with the suitcase they would be packed in. This is suitcase #1. It contained my skirts, dresses, and shoes. Yes, I really did fit all of that in there!

Here I show you how I used the packing cubes. Underwear, socks, tights, etc. are small yet important things that would likely get lost among all of the other things if simply thrown anywhere in the suitcase. With the packing cubes, they become easily accessible, and it was much easier to shove as many as possible in a very tiny space.

I consider myself very lucky that one of my suitcases had all of these little storage pouches perfect for toiletries. Even then, I still felt it was important to sort things into individual bags inside the zipper pouches. This picture was taken when I was just testing out some different organization. I had added many more things in more pouches by the time I was finished.

So basically that is it for my packing post. To save time and space on this post, I didn’t post pictures of everything. I simply wanted to provide a decent overview of how I am packing and the miracle of organization. I likely ended up packing too much, but the important thing is that I brought everything I needed without being overweight! :D

Packing can be really hard and stressful, but there are many things you can do to make it easier on yourself. Make lists, pack early, and be incredibly familiar with the luggage guidelines for your airline, home country, and visiting country. I only did two of those things, and I was still feeling panicked about my packing the morning of my flight. So stay calm, don't procrastinate, and good luck!

- Allison

^^^ My packing mascot, Kiwi

[chuckandallisonabroad]

The time for travel approaches!

Well, Allison and I leave for our year abroad in less than a week. Besides the inability to sleep, a sense of urgency has hit Allison, as she has yet to pack her luggage. This was supposed to be her entry to write, but let’s just say she is not in the mindset to write or generally function right now.

  We bought our plane tickets a week after we turned in our applications, sight unseen, not knowing if we would even be accepted into the program. We took a chance and figured we would be accepted. Our tickets were purchased in late February/early March. We looked at many airlines and ticket options, but we settled with an airline we trust, Delta Airlines. For semester students, a round-trip ticket is easy to find; however, since we were yearlong students, we had two options: buy a one-way ticket or find somewhere that still sells open-ended tickets. First off, every airline we contacted, Delta, American, ANA, and JAL, said that they do not offer open ended tickets. Apparently it is a very 90’s concept. Whether that is true or not, we have yet to determine. For all we really know, they could have just told us that to force us into a quick sale. The only place we found that did sell open-ended tickets was a travel agency, and the ticket was over $5,000. So we gave up on pursuing them and just bought a one-way ticket.

  Allison paid around $1,100 base price and then a little extra for economy comfort and trip insurance, this insured that if she had a valid reason for canceling her trip, medical, death of family, political unrest, her trip could be refunded. Her grand total was about $1,500.

  I’m a little different. On international flights, I fly first or business class. My family ends up flying international a lot, so I have been given this advice many times: When possible, fly first. If you do fly economy, pray for a free upgrade. I did a custom itinerary and selected all my connecting flights to be economy comfort with Allison and then had my long-haul flight as “Business Elite”. My total was just under $3,600. If I had made my itinerary all first or business, my total would have been over $5000, so little changes can make a big difference.

  We cannot say much on purchasing airline tickets. Chances are your ticket will be the most expensive part of your trip, but without it, you have no way to have your life changing time abroad. Every airline is different, and prices fluctuate wildly depending on when you buy. We have heard that for trips to Asia, book 9 to 10 months in advance. If you miss this mark, book 3 to 4 months before your departure. Our advice, just buy a ticket you are comfortable with directly from the airline. By booking directly with an airline, you cut out a third party booking site that, during a dispute or any other customer service issue, can cause unnecessary confusion. Try and book a flight with as few layovers as possible. Admittedly, less layovers means a higher price ticket, but it also gives you a less stressful travel experience and cuts down on the chances of your luggage being lost. Lastly, be prepared for your itinerary to change. Allison and my flights changed 3 times since booking our original flight. We were even separated a couple of times. All that you can do is monitor your itinerary and call customer service if the new flight will not work for you.

  Recap:

Pick a trusted airline

Buy early

Fewer layovers

Monitor your itinerary

Put all tray tables into their upright position and prepare for takeoff.

  As soon as Allison gets some composure, she will post a lovely packing guide.

  Until then,

~Chuck

[chuckandallisonabroad]

The Application Process

In late May, after months of anxiously waiting, Allison and I finally got our notices of acceptance from Oberlin University. The excitement we felt made all the effort put into our applications worth it. However, looking back, we wish we could have been a little more prepared and organized for the whole process. It could have saved us a lot of time being stressed out. Here are a few tips for when you begin your application process:

Make a list of at least 5 people, preferably professors, to get letters of recommendation from. This way, when you need a letter, you do not have to panic over whom it will come from. We ended up needing 7 letters of recommendation, 3 for our actual application and 4 for various scholarships.

Prepare a budget for your entire stay. Categories like tuition, housing, and travel should be concrete numbers, but things like living expenses, food, and leisure can be general estimates. Our university and scholarship applications wanted a copy of a budget to make sure we understood the total cost of our trip.

Write a good statement of purpose. This is a short essay saying why you want to and deserve to participate in the program. These normally should not be more than 1000 words. Plus, you can edit it down or add more and use the same one for scholarships, too.

Make sure you have a valid passport and that it does not expire during your time abroad. While you’re at it, make about 6 extra passport photos. Also, don't forget to check the photo requirements of the country you will be visiting. Japan, for example, requires a 2in x 2in photo for your visa and a 3cm x 4cm photo for your alien registration card.

Check to see if your application requires a health examination. If so, make appointments early and make sure your physician is approved by the study abroad program. We had to have an M.D. fill ours out. Make sure on any health form you are honest and disclose all health ailments. If you are caught lying on it, you can be dropped from the program, lose your visa, and be charged with falsifying official documents.

Get at least 3 copies of your official transcript and your proof of attendance. The application’s copies must be official, but it varies by scholarship if they want official copies or not, so better to be safe than sorry.

Print out at least 4 copies of each form. You will mess up on an official form. It cannot be avoided. 

If there is any question on a form, especially anything relating to visas, email your study abroad office and/or the study abroad program’s coordinator. 

Prepare all your documents at least a week and a half before their deadline. Waiting until the last minute is the best way to mess you up. By preparing early, you will have time to correct any mistakes or get new copies of forms.

By following even half of these tips, we feel you will have a much easier time then we did. We wish you the best of luck with your applications.

~Chuck and Allison

[chuckandallisonabroad]

Thinking About Studying Abroad?

So, safe to say there are hundreds if not thousands of study abroad program choices out there. Some are school sponsored, some are with partner universities or colleges, and some are private programs, but each one has unique qualities that differentiate it from all the rest. The big question is: With all these choices how can people figure out which program is the best fit for them? Here are 4 simple steps that may help you when planning your own study abroad.

Step 1: Know your needs.

What do you need to gain from studying abroad? Are you doing it for school credits? Having the adventure of a lifetime? To party? To explore? Answering this can really help hash out the programs that just will not work for you. For us, we wanted to have and adventure while getting some credits so we would not be in college FOREVER! So, since both of us are working on two majors, we decided to get our foreign language major, in Japanese, out of the way through some study abroad. *Note: If your goal is credits or some sort of hours for school, check that your school will transfer credits from a private program and not just from partnered or sponsored programs if you find a private program you are interested in.

Step 2: What country?

After figuring out what you need to get out of your program, the next step is figuring out where you want to go. Do you have a craving for the romance of Europe? Is the majesty of Asia calling to you? Do you want to explore the tropical wonders of Central or South America? Maybe, it could be a simple matter of convenience. Allison and I both have a Japanese language major we are working on, so it only made sense when we chose Japan as our target country. Not that we are complaining, we both love the language, culture, and history of Japan.

Step 3: Private, Partnered, or Sponsored?

 We should probably explain what we mean when we say Private, Partnered, or Sponsored programs. *Note: These are our definitions. Not everyone uses these terms, but the definitions do explain the general classification of the programs out there. First, Private Program- these are programs that are not affiliated with your home institution. These can be programs offered by companies that specialize in exchange or study abroad programs, or by unaffiliated universities or colleges. Next, Partnered Programs- these are programs that are offered through your home institution; where you participate in an affiliated university, college, or company’s program. Your home institution will probably be more knowledgeable of these programs and be able to assist you with them, in comparison to private. Partnered programs will normally have credits that will transfer with little difficulty. Also, your home institution can provide support to you during your time abroad. Lastly, Sponsored programs- these programs are led by your home institution and often count as a class. Most of the time, these are faculty led, so there is always an appointed chaperone with you. Also, these tend to have a set itinerary and are shorter in length. Since they tend to count as a class, credit transfer is not a problem. Often Scholarships can be applied to partner and sponsored programs. We chose a partnered program because it suited our educational and financial needs best.

Step 4: Pick the program.

So, you have figured out why, where, and what type. Now it is time for which. At this stage, research is the key. Knowing what each program offers and then narrowing it down by your own personal preference and needs is, in our opinion, the best way to do this. We needed Japanese language credits, so that narrowed down the list a little, most programs offer some foreign language classes as part of their curriculum, but we wanted something intensive and immersive. Plus, we did not want to argue with our university’s credit transfer office to try to get a private program’s credits to transfer, so, as mentioned above, we picked school partnered. From there, it was just personal preference. We wanted to be near the action, we are college students, but also not in the heart of a massive city. In classes we are only taught standard Japanese, so going to somewhere like Osaka, where a different dialect is spoken was a little too much of a challenge. My Osaka-ben is a little rusty, I barely can understand a simple sentence, so no. We narrowed it down to a university in Kantō. We also wanted to study abroad for an entire year instead of just a semester. I wanted to be near my family in case something happened and Allison had friends nearby, so, in the end, J.F. Oberlin University was the perfect fit for us.

A little extra advice:

Along with all this, talk to people you know who have done study abroad, talk to your study abroad office, or a professor in the department of what you want to study while abroad. Doing this can get you all sorts of information like program specifics, scholarship opportunities, or just advice from a knowledgeable source. Even if you decide against the programs they suggest, at least you know to ignore these when researching your other options.

With this, the best of luck in beginning your own study abroad journey. We hope that maybe this helps you even a little. 

~Chuck and Allison