Going to J.F. Oberlin University was incredible. I had an amazing time. Classes were interesting and engaging, and the social scene was great. Something to note is that it is easier to join clubs and activities in the spring semester, as that’s the beginning of the school year in Japan. One thing I really liked about J.F. Oberlin was that it was located in Machida, which was a little calmer than central Tokyo, but still close enough to make frequent day trips into Tokyo. Machida is definitely a less touristy place than most big Tokyo sights, but the calmness of it really helped me feel like I wasn’t just living in Japan as a tourist, but that I was living in a place where other people lived their day-to-day lives.

I really enjoyed all the cultural outings that TEAN put together. However, there was a slight issue with communication with TEAN while in Japan. If you’re someone who suspects that you might need quite a bit of extra support, this may not be an ideal program. But for those who are very independent, this may work great for you. Or, if you’re a really independent person, direct exchange might actually be a good way to go.

Living in Japan truly changed my entire outlook on life. Before studying abroad in Tokyo, I had never left the United States, so to travel 7000 miles away from home was a huge leap of faith. However, I built a second home in Japan with my dorm, friends, teammates, and classmates. Being immersed in my culture and meeting my family there was incredibly rewarding, and I grew so much as a person and a student. Studying abroad takes you out of your comfort zone and pushes you to take chances you never would have at home. Japan is so safe, forgiving, and welcoming, I'm so glad I chose to study there!

Studying abroad in Japan has to be the highlight of my life so far. Having always been drawn towards Asian culture and being an avid anime watcher, being able to immerse myself into Japanese culture and society was truly life changing. Tokyo is such a clean, organized, and beautiful city. It holds so much historical significance mixed with modern pop culture. Definitely utilize Google Maps for navigating the train system, it saved my life! Another tip I would suggest is to keep an open mind. Japanese culture is very modest and more traditional, so be mindful of what kind of clothes you bring and do research on the social norms there. Japan was an amazing experience, but you'll definitely enjoy it more if you do research beforehand and have an open mindset!

Being able to return to Japan had been a lifelong goal of mine. It had been around 7+ years since I had last gone and I wanted to truly have an amazing college experience in Japan. I was lucky enough to find TEAN with my International Dean and was able to make it work out. The people with TEAN were always there to help me if I ever needed anything, especially medically. However, it allowed me to finally become more independent and be able to practice the Japanese I was learning in my Japanese I class at JF Oberlin. The results were that I was able to make some lifelong friends, both RJ and Japanese students, and experience some amazing sporting and cultural events. I hope in the future I can study in Japan for graduate school. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in studying abroad in Japan to consider going through TEAN.