My Exchange at Keio University
Going on my exchange to Japan was truly a life changing experience and was one of the best things I have done in my life. I gained lifelong friendships and experiences that I will forever cherish.
Arriving in Japan at around 10pm on the 20th March, I was met with a chilled blast and was lost alone in an alley on the way to my hotel with no internet connection. Thank goodness, a kind stranger offered directions to my hotel and arrived safely. Coming into Japan, was the warmth, manners and kindness of people, countering the winter blast that linger in the weather. The public transport system in Tokyo is beyond efficient and extremely easy to get around, however it is a bit expensive. Once I settled into my dorm, my RA was kind enough to go through the logistics and bureaucracy of settling in Japan.
My accommodation was Tsunashima SST International which was one of the newest dorms in Keio University. I was provided with my own room, balcony, toilet, bathroom and mini fridge. There was a communal kitchen space where most people cooked and socialised. One of the best things about my dorm was the communal space provided which was lacking in many other dorms for Keio. This gave many opportunities for exchange students to mix and socialise. My dormitory was right beside a grocery store and two convenience stores. This was extremely convenient when it came to groceries and buying things as I settled in. I would highly recommend this dorm to stay in! Most of the dorms are located in Yokohama which is not in Tokyo itself, however it is usually a 30 to 40 minute commute! This gave me the opportunity to enjoy Japan as a local rather than a tourist! It was also a nice way to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city!
The cost of living is much cheaper than NZ, during my exchange the yen was extremely weak, so things were a lot more cheaper! I could easily get a full meal for $6 from restaurants, groceries stores or my uni’s cafeteria! Not living in central tokyo meant that things were slightly cheaper as well!
One of the hardest things with my exchange was the course registration, as it is based on a lottery system. An example of this in my case was that I registered for 10 courses and only got into 5 courses (keep in mind you need 8 courses to be considered full time). This was extremely stressful as there is no leeway in the system however, at the end I was able to get courses I required. Keio and in general don’t offer a lot of leeway in their bureaucracy so please do things on time and always be prepared
The courses in Keio University were very much more on the traditional side of things, with attendance being 50% of your grade, this meant no recorded lectures as well. Most of my classes lacked discussion and were focused more on lecturers themselves. However, I did enjoy how a lot of the courses were based around South East Asia and Asia in general which is not offered in many universities in Aotearoa.
You will never get bored of Japan, especially in Tokyo! There were always so many things to do, whether you liked shopping, the hustle and bustle of the city or even espacing it! There was always something you could do! My dormitory was close to many izakaya’s , bamboo forest and karaoke’s! There was never moment where we were bored! One of my favourite places was Kamakura, a perfect escape from the city and experiencing the quiet and traditional side of Japan.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was the language barrier, only knowing a few sentences to get by was unhelpful. Almost everything is in Japanese, most people will not know how to speak English. This often meant conversation through google translate or even to ask simple questions. Most places also don’t accept cash, so be prepared to have a Wise card, paying things including your bills by cash! Getting a wise card will be extremely helpful as it is easy to withdraw money anywhere!
My biggest highlights will definitely be the opportunity to travel and the amazing people I have met. I saw a different side of Japan that I experienced as I was not a tourist and I am forever grateful for this opportunity. This included experiencing cherry blossom season just around my university or my dormitory as part of my daily life! I have also met lifelong friends who I made amazing memories with!
Just do your exchange and you won’t regret it! Whatever hardship you face in the process will be so worth it at the end!
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
Having courses based around South East Asia and East Asia in general! This exposed me a different side of academia which is not offered much in New Zealand
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Get involved with the dormitory live with events hosted like the Keio and Waseda Game! Baseball games is something not to be missed in Japan! Make sure to join KOSMIC, it a good way to network with other international student and integrate in the Japanese culture as well! They organize many events for international students to go to such the Keio Games, Tanabata Festival and trips as well!
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
- Get students commuter pass for 3 months (saves a lot of money)
- Know basic Japanese proficiency and be aware of etiquette in Japan
- Talk to you RA’s about university administration system, settling in getting used to the bureaucracy!
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
Living cost itself for monthly living expense would about 1500 to 1600 nzd! My rent per month was about 79,800 JPY including everything except food and national health insurance! In terms of my living cost it was relatively quite cheap as groceries and eating out was quite low! My dinners and lunch was often less than 10NZD, weekly groceries would come up to about $20 to $30!
However, most of my expenses went towards travelling and shopping as Japan is known for. In terms of expenditure this would have come close to 8000 to 10000 NZD. The bullet train is quite expensive (even with student discount) usually a one way trip to Osaka is $150. Japan is relatively quite cheap however, you pay for what you want to experience, planning things early helps with making things cheaper. Your only in Japan once take the opportunity to travel!
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
How your environment really determine you as a person and mindset! The ability to be adaptable and change! Knowing and learning more about yourself in a completely different environment makes you more resilience’s and confident
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I travelled all over Japan and went for a quick trip to Korea as well! Travelled all through out the west coast of Japan including Yamaguchi, Shimane, Totori and Himeji was definitely a highlight of mine as I would not have gone to these areas if I was a tourist!
Final Comments
Just do your exchange! your won’t regret it !!