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No. 3523
>>3522Haha same! My school doesn't allow students to go to Meiji for the fall semester only since it would end about 3 weeks into the beginning of our Spring semester, so I have to do the entire academic year. ; - ; I'll be so lonely for a semester boo hoo
I went to visit Tokyo for a week before I came back to the U.S. and ah man, weeb dreams do come true. Public transportation had never ever been so easy and lovely in my entire life.
No. 3529
>>3527Hmm, maybe just skip going to Korea for schooling, and just do a teaching program over there instead? Like Gepik or Interac!
What would you like to study over there though? Or is it just because you want the experience of studying abroad?
No. 3534
>>3531I know the writing system is tons easier than Japanese (oh man kanji, i hate kanji), but I think pronunciation might be a bit harder (it is for me at least!).
I think Gepik and Interac are easier to get into, and also probably treat their employees better. I hear JET isn't all too great nowadays and it's extremely difficult to get in without a bazillion degrees and tons of teaching experience to back you up unfortunately.
Maybe you could also look into doing a summer/winter program!
No. 3537
>>3534I'll definitely look into those, thanks!
and Korean is harder to pronounce for me as well, unfortunately :\, I'm not even sure why lol
No. 3542
>>3540Thanks for the encouragement. I spend about 5 hours a week just self studying, but I guess I need to study more, idk I'm just fucking stupid. Also I'm taking a college level course so it seems pretty fast paced to me? We're only two months in and have already memorized over 200 characters. It's super daunting to know that you need to know about 6,000 just to get by in everyday life.
I don't know where to make friends though, is there a penpal website or something like that for people of other countries?
I'm so lucky that my campus provides almost free scholarships to China as long as you can pass the language tests.
No. 3543
>>3538For me, it absolutely did! I did a homestay, so while everything just seemed like a jumbled mess at first, it sort of does… "click" after a while? Like, I can't tell you what a sentence means, but I can clearly hear each word and they don't sound as muddled as they did when I first went abroad. But
>>3540 is absolutely right too! Don't be afraid of your language skills at all. Here in the states, I still fear using Japanese with the international students bc I dont wanna look like an idiot, but while I was in Japan, I used whatever I knew to get my point across and everything was fine and I literally didn't give a shit if I sounded like an idiot. In reality, no one really cares is what I found. A lot of the students in my school are very supportive, and I bet yours will be too!
>>3541Oh boy, let me tell you, I'm freaking out about trying to afford paying for my next study abroad. tbh, my first one wasn't very expensive for a study abroad. It was also a shitty school and in bumfuck so that made it cheaper ofc… I sure hope stuff works out for you anon! If you don't mind me asking, could you elaborate on the financial requirement? Do you need to prove that you have enough to financially support yourself in the country or something?
No. 3553
>>3550Maybe try finding a program where you can just prove your English ability w a TOEFL test?
>>3552I'd love to hear your experiences! As an IR major, it would've been a lot smarter for me to go abroad to Europe but lol my inner weeb couldn't resist the opportunity…
No. 3564
>>3556A lot of the videos I've seen concerning Korea always feature these types of questions
It's weird, I'm asexual (whether people believe thats a thing or not, I don't become sexually attracted to people) but I feel like people think anyone who isn't Korean and interested in going to Korea for work or studying is in it to get laid. I just want to go because its one of the farthest places I can go to (i'm American) and travel to other Asian countries, Australia and Europe much easier as opposed to if I was in North America.
No. 3570
>>3568Thank god, I am sick of cup ramens.
>>3569Looks decent. Though it's public elementary or middle school. I hope uni cafeterias are decent because the place where I am studying has a shit cafeteria. I try to cook at home but mostly don't have time during weekdays.
No. 3587
>>3567I thought my university had pretty decent food! Then again, I'm not very picky and there are only about a handle of foods on this face of this Earth that I think are absolute shit and disgusting lol. We had stuff like udon, ramen, curry, etc that were about 200yen-300yen, some stuff like onigiri going for about 80 yen and stuff. The most expensive thing were the 2 lunch special sets that changed everyday, which included a small jelly dessert, a big bowl of whatever was the main dish, and a side dish (most salad i think) which was about 480yen. The lunch special doesn't sound like much but its suuuper filing for me. Regardless of what I got I was nice and full at the end of it!
My school also had a conbini inside of it, where we could buy the bentos you can buy at any conbini. Neither of them were bad really. I lived out my shitty anime dream and brought a homemade bento everyday tho after the first few weeks of class lol.
No. 173304
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Sorry for reviving this thread from the dead, but i am currently considering wether to study aboard or not and i'm kinda on the edge.
I've mostly been eyeing univeristies in korea and japan (mostly korea, since i know a bit of the language), but before applying i talked with a friend that basically told me that if you study in asia your degree is paperwight back in europe. Is this true? Because i am not wlling to drop a bunch of money into an university it if then i have to study back here anyway.
I'm also kinda scared about the fact that i had to repeat a year of high school because of an illness, and then study via distance courses. I graduated with the second highest score in my class, but i'm scared that i might get rejected everywhere for studying via distance instead of being present in a school center for anything other than exams. Will this influence a lot for an international student or will my grades be counted the same as any other student?
My country is a shit-hole, so leaving for a few years and studying somewhere completly different than here is my dream but i am afraid i fucked up my chances by not attenting a physical school kek.
No. 173324
>>173304I heard (somewhere) about a woman who studied medicine in China, then came back to The Homeland and nobody wanted to hire her. She was puzzled because there is a need for doctors here but somehow she's not wanted.
Anyway, in my experience, most people who leave to study abroad don't return.
To get back to your questions, I think you need a JLPT certificate (N2 at least maybe?) to apply to Japan. I haven't checked, but I don't think you can just go to Japan and study somewhere in English.
I have no idea about Korea.
Do you have a diploma? You should be fine if you do. I imagine they (any university) would just want to look at your grades; if they set up an interview maybe they'd ask you stuff about your grades/school and you could tell them about your illness then. I don't know if you'd need to write a Personal Statement (or Motivational Letter, whatever you wanna call it), I'd imagine so, but usually that's your key to entering.
Hope this helps
No. 173405
>>173304I study in Korea anon, you just need good language abilities and have a lot of money saved if you want to make something of yourself. They would take a fucking monkey in if they paid enough money. I have a russian friend with shit Korean, but she got in a pretty good school on her first try.However "Speak some of the language" doesnt really cut it unless you are going into an all-English program, which a lot of employers actually look down on because it basically shows that you studied for 4+ years and still cant speak Korean well enough to take a class. Plus, university in Korea is all about networking and who you know, and not knowing enough Korean will really really hurt you. Homework/essays/etc. are all in Korean, but some professors will literally give foreign students decent grades when their Korean is basic because they feel bad for them (source:russian friend)
Ive learned that 96% of people who say they can "speak some of the language" have a harder time communicating. Go to language school for a few years and learn to speak Korean, and see if you actually like it there. Getting your degree here is usually a decision made by people who know they are going to spend a very large chunk of their life in Korea. You dont even have to pay for school. Stay for a tourist visa and see how it is. Have you been to Korea? It really wasnt how i imagined living here would be. I like living here, but its not an easy life sometimes
No. 173428
>>173324Ahh so it seems my friend was not bluffing about being just a paper. Well, i did think of staying wherever i was going, but with all the "as a foreigner the best you can inspire to be is a model or youtuber in asia bullshit" spewed around i was kinda iffy about the issue, eventho i know you might be able to get a good job if you are good.
Ah, i didn't know you need the JLPT certificate, so thanks for telling me! My japanese has gone to the level of a 13 year old weeb at best after dropping it a while ago kek so i think i'll either study super hard or put going to japan aside.
I've been eyeing language schools in japan that last like a year (so enough to get a feel of if i'll like it there before dropping the k's in uni), but i'm not sure if the cost is worth it as opposed to studying back here and trying directly for uni.
I do have a diploma actually, so thank you for your advice, i'll definetly look more into it!
>>173405Woah, thanks this has been really helpful and answered most of my questions about studying in SK. I am currently studying the language and trying to reach "can hold a conversation with anyone easily" level before applying, because eventhough i have an acquiantance who graduated a top university in korea without speaking a lick of the language, i'd still feel stupid not speaking a lanaguage of a country i might live a lot of years in kek.
Since you live over there (or so it seems) what would you say were the things that surprised you the most after moving there that no one would catch from the outside?
Most of my experience of univeristy in Korea has been from this girl i used to know on tumblr who went there and basically complained all day about how a shithole it was (men are extra gross, everyone is a superficial asshole, old people being assholes…etc etc etc), so i don't expect much from it, but i'm intigued by it.
I am currently thinking of going a few weeks/months to either country depending what seems best finacially and whatnot, just to get an air/feel of how it would be to live there because eventhough i don't mind surprises i'd reather not get in a bigger shithole that the one i currently live in.
No. 173547
>>173304>>173304
>but before applying i talked with a friend that basically told me that if you study in asia your degree is paperwight back in europeThis is true. I'm majoring in Korean studies in my home country and my professor had to do another M.A in europe after he got an M.A from Seoul National University because no university in Europe would acknowledge his degree.
If SNU isn't good enough, I doubt any other university is.
No. 174105
>>173916I can only answer for Korea, but I think it's because the methods and quality of teaching at South Korean Universities is at a subpar standard compared to Europe.
In Korea you take a class, listen to whatever the professor says (don't question anything), and then your exam is a multiple-choice test.
In most European countries getting a degree (especially an M.A) requires a lot of critical thinking, writing a lot of academic papers using proper methodology and all in all requires independent, adult thoughts and ideas.
No. 174153
>>174105I see. Is it like that to get an MA in Korea? I've been told that in Japan uni is a bit of a joke after the entrance exams and the majority of people wouldn't even think of going to grad school.
A junior prof at my uni (Canada) confided in me once that there is a huge problem with the Chinese students buying essays/paying people to write essays for them. At the time I assumed it was because of a language barrier (writing uni level papers must be very difficult for ESL students) but I guess they're just not used to having to do that.
No. 174176
>>174153Getting an M.A and a B.A is more or less the same in SK.
Memorize your reading and do a multiple choice test as an exam. It's stupid as fuck, tbh.
If Japan is like that, It's the same as in Korea, most people don't bother getting an M.A. All Korean professors I've met did their M.A and Ph.D in other countries than Korea.
Doing a semester or two abroad isn't bad though, just don't do your whole degree there.
No. 174308
>>174176Yeah, since people bust ass to do well in high school/college entrance exams, after that they just do whatever. My mom's Japanese and she told me that people thought she was a bit weird for being as serious as she was about her college studies, and it wasn't that hard. Even just going to lectures everyday was weird at that time.
Anyway, thanks for the info anon.
No. 178163
>>177951>>178127Different anon, I have family and have visited Germany several times growing up but did not seriously learn German until college, so I'm OK at it but terrible at speaking because of my nerves.
Unless you are moving someplace rural, you shouldn't have a hard time language-wise because most people are moderately proficient in English.
I would suggest to learn whatever place you'll be going, including the public transit because there's more options than the midwest but it's also more complicated imo.
Also something that you might encounter is the inconvenience of stores, because grocery stores aren't open as long as they are in the US, including restricted hours/closed on Sundays and holidays.
Good luck anon, I'm jealous because I'm about to graduate with no current prospects and an internship abroad sounds cool!
No. 178224
>>178183>>178174Yeah, get your USD into Euro and prepare to carry more coins.
I used trams/trains/subways very often in Germany, and like the other anon said you can actually enter in where you want to go on google maps and it has a public transit option that tells you how to get there using bus/etc. iirc they have passes you can get that covers bus/tram/subway if your trip has multiple stops.
No. 178490
>>178489My college has a programme that allows you to apply through the Freemover programme (on your own), but you need to fund it yourself, or you could pick one of their partner schools.
My advice is to do some research, maybe stay home and fix those grades first.
No. 184358
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I know this is a dead thread, but I didn't want to make another one specifically for the questions that I have.
I'm a freshman in college and my small university has a study abroad program. I am interested in studying abroad in Korea, and to do this, I would have to study the language there full-time. I could get 8 credits for this, and I'm highly interested in learning the language. There are two scholarships for studying the language, one is $8k and the other $20k. But this goal raises many questions for me and my mother. I thought to ask here because I've seen many anons talking about living abroad, and this is the most responsive place I could think of where I could get answers asap. I don't plan on attending this fall, I'm thinking Spring 2018 so that I can have time to save for a ticket, passport, and extra money etc (if I have to).
I have food allergies (anaphylaxis) and it's already difficult for my family to obtain epipens for me. This is my mother's main concern if I do go abroad.
>Do they have epipens?
>What is in place of health insurance? (she doesn't think her health insurance would work in sk)
>Will I be allowed to bring my own medicine or have my mother send me medicine?
>How are emergency situations handled?
I'm sure there were more good questions my mother brought up, but I can't remember right now because my head is killing me. The only other thing I can think to ask is if there's a black girl who's had the Korean Magic Perm on relaxed hair. I know the price of this is upwards of $200 but I would be willing to spend this amount of money on something that could be quite beneficial to me. I tried searching on YouTube about this, but the only black girls getting this hair treatment have natural hair.
BLOG
It may not seem like it but I'm fucking psyched. I've never been on a plane let alone abroad. I've never been anywhere by myself! My boyfriend is in the army and might get deployed sometime soon in the future, and he said he would visit me.
No. 184381
>>184358Everywhere has epipens. I'm sure they even have epipens in Zimbabwe. They're just not called epipens, since those are, y'know, a brand name.
I hate Americans.
No. 184411
>>184381I know this is late, but I'm pretty sure most universities don't allow study abroad senior year unless it is for the 1st semester or winter break. If you want to go for 1 year, then it's best to go earlier.
>>184358>Do they have epipens?I'd assume so, but it's best to contact the place you will be staying to double check
>What is in place of health insurance? If you are going to school there, you can usually just use the school clinic. Also, you'll probably be forced to buy international insurance when you go, so you'd show your insurance card (international insurance is cheap, especially for students).
>Will I be allowed to bring my own medicine or have my mother send me medicine?You can bring your own medicine with a doctor's note (if bringing a few months). Your insurance will probably only cover up to 3-6 months, so you might need your mom to pick up the medicine and send to you by mail. You can also get the prescription abroad (most medicine is available in other countries, maybe a different brand at times but same stuff for the most part).
>How are emergency situations handled?Depends on the emergency. I never lived in Korea, but I needed the ambulance in Hong Kong and it was free.
>Korean Magic PermCan't believe I never heard of this!!
>>Anyone know how this compares to Brazilian keratin treatments??>>178979>>I hate Americans.Fuck off anon.
No. 184603
>>184420Lmao I know I know, I was sheltered in my youth. I've never traveled this far either. Road trips were to the state over and by car. She's used to using her experiences to guide me, but this one is beyond her. Additionally, I never think about things deeply; I always think superficially.
Anyway, I'm more worried about medicine because people say that in Korea and Japan it's more diluted than medicine in the US. I do plan on taking another allergy test in the time between getting ready because I lost the papers detailing my allergies.
>>184388>forums for black girls in koreaI never thought about that, thank you anon! I've been contemplating cutting my hair super short, so maybe I won't have to even worry about it in the future!
>>184411Thank you anon. The insurance bit is another obstacle for us. She is very worried about it right now.
These are questions I could have asked the head of department but he doesn't answer my questions in depth! At all! If I ask him, "Will financial cover__?" He'll respond with a vague answer saying everything will transfer over, but he never elaborates on what money needs to come out of pocket, and what it will specifically cover (housing, meal plan etc. that I have covered at my uni). He expects me to apply for everything, and then he'll tell me the more important details.
No. 184611
>>184606Thanks for the advice anon. I'm studying hard right now to get my grades up as high as possible, and I'm trying to get a letter of recommendation from one of the better professors at my university.
The issue is that due to person reasons, I really can't stay here much longer, so I'm kind of trying to get out as soon as I can. I just hope that the next couple of terms can make up for the okay-ish previous term.
No. 184653
>>184611Yeah, you're going to need to have a translated version of your transcript. And it has to go through a verifiable business or else the college won't accept it.
And then you have to consider if they'll accept your credits if you choose to go there without a degree. And even with a degree, if your grades are bad enough you'll have to take a placement exam and some of your credits won't be accepted.
You also would need a student visa? (Can't speak on Canada but I know you need one in the US).
No. 184737
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I'd really love to go to the UK next Spring, but I was talking to an advisor and the estimated cost comes out to about $40k
Gonna pass on that I think
No. 184842
Sorry for the late reply.
>>184615>>184695Actually, it's not so bad here, it's more like along the lines of I grew up in North America, been here for a few years and I wanna go back, but back then I was too young to learn about the system, never got a chance to go back and check everything out, etc.
I wouldn't mind staying (this place is waaaaaaay better than the media makes it out to be.) but the economy is shit, and the job market for the current field I'm studying in is really shit, and I love my major too much to switch.
>>184653Thanks anon. I'm more worried they won't accept me at aaaall, so even having to take a placement exam and maybe staying back a year or two is okay.
sage for blogposty post.
No. 185086
>>184842I knew it, you're one of them yids
Joking aside, can't you get a baccalaureate? It's basically a fancy high school and it allows you to study abroad
No. 185110
>>185086yid? As in jew? I'm curious to know what made you think that lol
Errr I'd rather not, since I already have a high school diploma and am attending uni, so…
No. 185139
>>185087can confirm, Russians are weird. They are either ok-ish or total maniacs, currently staying in Italy and have one as a roommate, its been hell.
how do you guys manage with small trips alone? im staying in Rome and would really love to go to Pompeii but i still get a lil anxious with being alone on trips lmao
No. 198955
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>>185084Truth be told, the whole studying system here is shit, so i wouldn't reccommend at all. :') Everything surely seems exciting in such, but reality is eh. And russians (due to all of this brainwashed shit) mostly end up being mean at non-russian-speaking people, not just because here people don't give much fuck about English, but also because of TV propoganda ~owoooo we are so stronkkk and gud other countries suk espcially amurica they r so fat and stuped ashashash~. Brrr. I'm sorry for whining so much, i'm just way too done of all of this, truth be told.
No. 199843
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>go to Spain for summer semester
>most people are from west coast and basically epitomize every valley girl stereotype
>still find a way to enjoy myself with a few people
>basically everyone in the class bangs eachother and locals like no tomorrow
>find out later that everyone has partners back home
Faith in humanity ruined, definitely not letting my future SO on these trips
I enjoyed Spain quite a lot, just wish I could speak it better. Lots of cool history, monuments, and stuff. Cultural differences were also really interesting to observe since I'd never left the US before this
No. 228926
>>228822A pocket wifi is very useful in any case so don't be bummed out anon.
>she got wasted a lot, apparentlyKek what that's what you do when you study abroad. Japan is eapecially great for it, with the izakaya and 24/7 conbini where you can stock up on cheap beer and umeshuu anytime. You'll be in the right season too, with the hanami drinking, and hot sumer nights are great for hanging out in parks drinking and lighting fireworks.
No. 228950
>>228822I might go to Japan too, I got offered to do my PhD there and get paid for it. I am not really a weeb and have no passion to go there, but the offer is good enough not to pass on.
Anyone done Doctoral studies in any field in Japan?