Need someone with experience as an exchange student to Japan to help inform me on what to expect.?

Question

I'm going to become an exchange student to Japan for a year as part of a program with AFS, and I was wondering if anyone who has gone through with an exchange student program to Japan, if they could possibly give me advice as to what to expect and what I should know. I thank you for your help.

Answer 1

This is only from my experience. I have studied in France and Japan and soon to leave for China.

1. be ready to live in someone else's world. You are in Germany, things will be done differently than at home. Instead of trying to get everyone to accomidate you and what you are used to, forget what you know and do it like the Germans.

2. Go out. Join clubs, teams, activities with your school or neighborhood. If you just sit at home waiting around for stuff to happen you get stuck in your thoughts of home and what you are missing.

3. important things to buy, webcam to talk with friends back home, good camera to take pictures something to store digital photos on

4. Bring stuff from home for gifts, this is an adventure for you as much as it is for the people who meet you. Hats, buttons, braceltes that say I heart your home town etc.

5. Share your culture, get family recipies of true american cooking. McDonnalds has corrupted the world with hamburgers. But what may be new to your German Friends might be your local food. An example be cornbread and chicken fried steak for the south or clam chowder for the north.

6. Try everything. You are going for adventure, do not pass up one oportunity to eat something new, try a new activity or learn something new. This is the time to throw away your comfort bubble.

7. Start a blog or diary. Write at least 2x a week. It may seem tedious at the time and "how could I forget this?". Unless you can accuratly describe your 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th birthday parties then you need to record your adventures.

This is mine that I just started for China http://chineseseahorse.blogspot.com/

Japan specific things

-The food is NOT like what your local restaurant. It is BETTER! Get ready for a culinary adventure. I went to Japan and stayed with a host family. One morning my host mother made a dozen hotdogs for breakfast at 6am.

-Japanese Kids are honestly a bit imature when it comes to issues such as relationships. It was a shock to me.

-Practice your rock paper sissors, When I studied there that game decided everything from sports to who got the last piece of food.

-Have fun!

Good luck and have a great time!

Answer 2

Well, I waqs an exchange student in Thailand for a year but when I returned to the US I met many of the students that had gone to Japan.  It all depends what part of Japan you are going to: Like the United States, there are differences in the North and South part of Japan.  IN addition, (my opinion) many Asian youths maturity levels are much lower than Americans.  For example, when I was in Thailand, many of the 17 year olds still carried pictures of Leonardo Decaprio in their wallets claiming them to be their gf and such.  If you want any more info, let me know...

Answer 3

well this girl and this boy are both documeting their trips in Japan on youtube so hopefully my referral to them helps.

& i believe both of them are through AFS, the guy AkitaTom was recently talking about that if your exchange family does nothing but school work all the time, you are too

and i'll add TokyoCooney just beacause he's my favorite, he lives in Tokyo and make vlogs about random fun things in Tokyo & its also informational

i've never been on an exchange program there but i have family members who live there, and i lived down there for a little while and it was fun, im going back to visit after i visit my family in Seoul