Angela Yeung

Kobe, Japan

Spring and Summer 2006

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ARRIVAL OVERSEAS/ONSITE ORIENTATION

Transportation Options

The Kansai International Airport[1] (KIX) is the closest international airport to Kobe. There are two main affordable transportation options to go from the KIX:

  1. Airport Bus Limousine - There is a bus that goes straight from Osaka to Sannomiya in Kobe. The tickets are purchased from a ticket machine outside the airport by the bus stops. The cost is 1800 yen for one-way and takes about 1 ½ hours. When purchasing tickets to the airport, there are small vendors in Sannomiya that sell tickets at 1700 yen. Otherwise, you can purchase the tickets from the ticket machine in Sannomiya.
  2. MK Taxi Skygate Shuttle[2] – This is a shuttle service that takes you directly to your destination. When you arrive at the airport, they will have someone guide you to their desk. However, if you do not see the guide, you can find the location of their reception desk on a map or from one of the information desks. The cost is 2300 yen with extra charge for each piece of luggage after the first. The shuttle is drops off its passengers one by one and the amount of time also depends on your final destination. You need to make reservations in advance by either email or phone call. For service to the airport, they will pick passengers up at the originating location.

I have taken both the MK Taxi and Airport Limousine. The MK Taxi is more convenient because it takes you to your end destination, but if you plan on going to Sannomiya, then the Airport Limousine would be the better choice.

Orientation

The orientation for exchange and international students took place about 1 week after my arrival. At that time, I had already taken care of many of the administrative issues as well as applied for my Alien Registration Card, so it wasn’t that helpful, but I was able to see the main teachers and gain knowledge about some of the services available.

HOUSING

KobeUniversity has two dorms for international students. One is in Nada and the other in PortIsland.

PortIsland

There were 5 types of rooms A,B,C,D,and E. The D-type rooms were single rooms including a bed mattress, a closet, a bookcase, a desk, a lamp, and sink. Showers, bathrooms, and a kitchen were shared. The showers and bathrooms (separated) had 4 stalls each. One of the shower stalls came with a bathtub. All the facilities were cleaned by a janitorial woman every morning between 8am to 12pm (approximately). Each resident is assigned to one kitchen cabinet. Gas coins must be purchased at the reception desk on the first floor. All other kitchen utensils and appliances must be purchased on your own.

On the first floor, there was a study room, meeting room, Washitsu (Japanese Style-room), community lounge with a television, a payphone, and the reception desk.

This housing arrangement was organized by the KobeUniversityBusinessSchool Foreign Exchange Administrator. I was not presented any choices before I left but just notified where I would be staying. The rent is pretty cheap. With utilities I estimate around $150 - $200 per month (depending on how often you use your AC). I arrived in the evening around 6-7pm. My “tutor” greeted me. As the reception desk closes at 5pm, she had already obtained my keys and took me to my room. We went through a checklist of all the things in the room and their conditions. She also gave me a packet of dorm rules and information. We later went to Sannomiya to buy some bed sheet, a comforter, and some other things I needed.

ACADEMICS - Classes

One of the first things to do after arrival is to find out when you can take the Japanese placement exam at the InternationalStudentCenter. If the student arrives later than the designated date, the exam can be taken at the center at the student’s convenience. The placement exam ranks students from A to E in terms of reading and writing ability. Scoring D or E qualifies a student to either not take any Japanese classes at the center or take one of the 4 higher level classes. For students still learning the basics there are 2 series of classes which requires daily attendance. (The higher level classes are twice per week).

For business classes, upon arrival, students will visit either Furutani-sensei or Hada-sensei, the two advising professors who are responsible for foreign students. Students will also receive handbook with classes for that year’s classes and a form to fill out. Depending on the semester, there may be businesses classes offered in English. Another option is to choose classes taught by professors who can speak English and would be willing to accept homework in English. Once students have decided on classes, the form needs to be turned into the business school office. Hirota-san ask the student to fill out all the paperwork at that time.

Note: Students can obtain HappyMemoryPass which can be used to visit a number of landmarks in Kobe.

I ended up taking 2 Japanese classes, 4 business classes (2 taught in full Japanese), and 1 calligraphy class. Each classes is only once a week, so the course load is much less than at UW, but since it takes approximately 1hr to commute 1-way to school, it’s still pretty tiring. As for

the difficulty, I had taken up to JAPAN 312 at UW, but all the Japanese classes were pretty hard. Most students who take the higher level classes at the center have a high proficiency in speaking as well as written Japanese. The business classes named Readings in Foreign Books are geared towards Japanese students who are interested in learning English, so those classes were conducted in English and relatively easy for me. The two other business classes I took were both marketing classes conducted in large lecture halls. The difficulty in these classes wasn’t the material content but the terminology that I did not know. In general Japanese professors teach broad material covering a number of areas but in less depth than at UW.

PROGRAM SITE – The University

KobeUniversity is situated on MountRokko. To get there from PortIsland, take the Portliner – a monorail that travels from PortIsland to Sannomiya. At Sannomiya, take the Hankyu to the Rokko Station at which you either walk up Mt Rokko or take the bus up. The climb is bearable in good spring weather but as the climate and humidity rises, the temptation of the bus (as overcrowded as it is) becomes all the more greater. There are two routes up the mountain, you can either follow the sidewalk up or take the steeper path. Partway up the steeper path is the 留学生センター(International Student Center). A great view of Kobe can be seen from that spot. The orientation for international students and exchange students also takes place in the building next to the InternationalStudentCenter. At the orientation, students get a packet of information about living in Japan as an international student. The business school is located close to the top of Mt.Rokko, so it may be easier to take the sidewalk path up.

Clubs and Circles

Students can join clubs and circles at the beginning of the semester. A catalog of student clubs and circles is available. Joining at the beginning of the semester is advisable because that is when the freshmen join and they do introductions about the club. Clubs are often very serious about their activities and compete in competitions. Circles are less formal.

I joined the tea ceremony circle (I think it was a circle). It was a fun experience, but my legs were numb a lot from sitting in seiza. The club had a lot more girls than guys---so they were trying to recruit more male members. Members who had been there for a while teach new members the procedures of the tea ceremony. My friend joined the orchestra. It was a huge time commitment as they practiced at least 3-4 times per week up to their concert in May.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

I didn’t have any needs to visit a medical facility or police department for theft and being assaulted. However, on PortIsland (where the dorm was located), there is a hospital (Shimin Byouin), so medical advice would be readily available if needed.

CULTURAL ASPECTS

I mainly met people in either classes or group gatherings organized by students living in the dorms. For some relationships, you may have to take the first step to initiate but the Japanese students and people I met were very warm and friendly. They were always willing to help.

Because I come from an Asian background, and I already had a good idea of the Japanese culture, I did not have too much of a culture shock. I think the most difficult part was the uncertainty in terms of communications. Americans are used to giving pretty straightforward answers about questions such as responding to an invitation but the Japanese will not be as discreet. If they cannot go, they may indicate that they “might” go to preserve harmony.

FINANCIAL

I received a scholarship from the Japanese Government called the Monbusho. The Foreign Exchange Administrator (Hirota Eri at the time of my stay) will apply for the student and notify him/her when he/she receives it. The scholarship covers your roundtrip airfare, 80,000 yen per month living expenses, and 50,000 yen one-time stipend. This funding covers rent, food, and transportation with ease. The only drawback is that the student must open a bank account before he/she is able to receive the money.

My student mentor took me to SumiTomo Bank to open my account. The process is not difficult but the Japanese Banks are very particular about details. The forms must be filled out with the information exactly as they are written on your other documents.

Also, I discovered that postal ATM machines take American debit cards. There is a fee from the US bank (depends on bank), but it’s good for emergencies. The limit is 10,000 yen per withdrawal, but consecutive withdrawals can be made.

I recommend bringing a bit more cash or traveler’s checks in the beginning. I didn’t bring enough and because I was unaware of the postal ATM at the time, I had to budget my money tightly.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Overall, I did not feel like I had a clear idea of what the situation in Japan (all aspects) was going to be before leaving, so I think that can be improved.

PROGRAM/STUDENT

This program is best suited for students advanced in Japanese and don’t mind the challenge of taking full-Japanese courses. If students are pursuing a program focused more on language, then I do not recommend this one. Kobe, however, is a great city to live in and close to Osaka and Kyoto if students are interested in sightseeing.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

I had a great time in Kobe. The city is great. The people were very warm hearted. I also had the chance to visit Kyoto and Osaka on a few occasions. Academically, I am proud of myself for making it through 4 Japanese business classes. I was able to get to know some Japanese students pretty well. Overall, it was a lot of fun!

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