A Semester and Summer in Nagoya Japan

I spent the last 7 months studying abroad in Nagoya, Japan at Nanzan University through IES Abroad.
IES:
I chose to study abroad with IES mostly because my siblings had used IES to study abroad while they were in college. I did not really know that many other options for studying abroad, but after researching a bit more and looking at other programs, I stuck with my previous decision. The application process itself was a bit stressful, but I attribute that to Nanzan's strict application, and the whole process of applying for a visa. (Hint: You are probably going to want to budget many occasions of overnight shipping pieces of your application.) Despite the stress before leaving the country, IES does a great job of handling everything for you afterwards! I appreciated not having to plan for travel and trips, but also not having to deal with the academic paperwork (especially when compared to students not in a program). The local IES director and staff were also pretty accessible, and always happy to help you if you had any questions or needed assistance! I recommend IES simply based on the fact that they are a big help in an otherwise highly stressful time. They really work towards simplifying and streamlining your study abroad experience as much as possible, so you can focus on having fun and/or studying. I also really appreciated the trips that IES planned for us. We were able to see some really great places and have really good experiences, while not having to worry about planning it! The quality of hotel and travel was always top notch as well.
Nanzan University's Center for Japanese Studies:
I recommend for anyone studying abroad not just to look at Study abroad programs like IES, but to look carefully at the university they are attached to, as if you were picking out your first university all over again. While I am pleased with the level of education and intensive study I received at Nanzan University (Center for Japanese Studies), there were a few things I would have liked to know beforehand. First of all, the Center for Japanese Studies runs an intensive Japanese study program and it is just that. If you are not prepared for a heavy workload and speaking only Japanese in the classroom, then I would look elsewhere. If you are interested in developing your Japanese level significantly, then I have two recommendations. 1) Look into Nanzan's teaching style and curriculum (including textbooks) and compare it to your own University or your own study experience. While I believe that my own University's curriculum is quite good, I ended up placing in a lower level than I had anticipated, mostly because there were gaps between what my University views as important and what Nanzan University views as important at a certain level. It really wasn't a big problem and I still learned quite a lot, but you should be aware of it, especially if your home University is picky about what level you place into. 2) Do not do the summer session. If you are trying to make a big difference in your Japanese ability then the Year or Semester option is probably best. The summer session is a great 6 weeks of intensive learning, but it can be a lot for only 6 weeks, and is very fast paced.
Housing:
I had a really wonderful 7 months living in Nagoya! I spent the first five months living with my host family. I chose a homestay rather than the dorms, because I had heard from previous students that due to the Japanese academic schedule, there would be a large period of time where Japanese students would not be on campus. It is already such a short semester, and so I decided that living with a host family would allow me to use my Japanese on a regular basis. I highly recommend it! (Disclaimer: Everyone's experience with host families are different, it simply depends on you and the host family.) I owe a large portion of my Japanese language speaking ability development to my host parents and their willingness to talk with and help me. I spent June and July living in Nanzan University's International student (female) dorm (disclaimer: the male international dorm is set up a bit differently). The rooms are nice and set up in a suite style with a kitchen and common area, shared shower and two bathrooms, everyone has their own bedroom. Usually you will have at least one Japanese roommate. The rooms also come pre-furnished, but you may or may not have to pay for your own internet (this has changed between the spring and summer semester and may undergo more changes).
Nagoya:
I am before choosing a study abroad program or University, choosing the right city in Japan was important to me. I did not want to go to either Tokyo or Kyoto for fear of being stuck with a "tourist" image, rather than the "resident" image that I wanted. In addition, (as I learned from traveling) it is easier to get a lot more Japanese speaking real world application if you are not in a city where everyone will try to use English with you. Nagoya is the perfect halfway point between big city and just outside of the tourist range. There are quite a few foreigners that attend some of the universities here or come to work, but definitely not to the degree of Tokyo or Kyoto. Nagoya is also very residential compared to Tokyo or Kyoto, so while there are bustling areas to have fun, it actually fits a slower pace that I was kind of happy with. Realizing IES had a program in Nagoya is what really drew me in, and I am very happy with the results!