3 Tips for Studying Abroad (for Language Learners)
By: Joe, Social Media Scholarship Recipient, Akita International University
So, you want to study abroad to {insert country of choice here} to learn {insert said country’s native language here}. Great! I highly recommend you follow through on your decision, as you will certainly gain immeasurable life experience–experience you will most certainly never regret. But before you get ahead of yourself and book your flights, lend me your eyeballs for a second and let’s think together about some of the considerations you’ll need to make to get the most out of your upcoming adventure.
1. Research Potential Host Universities
Not only is it important to understand what classes your options offer (you know, to make sure it’s possible to take those nine credit hours of Japanese language courses that you need for your degree),  but it’s also important to understand the academic/student life climate at your host university or program.
For example, my current host university (Akita International University), despite being in the rural countryside of Japan, teaches all of its non-language-based classes in English. On the one hand, this is very beneficial because even for students with one semester of Japanese language under your belt, you can still come here to study Japanese and quickly knock out a couple of gen. ed. requirements with it. (Double check that your home university will allow this.) However, the downside to this is that every student here speaks English, and if it’s easier for everyone at the lunch table to speak English, they will. Not speaking or hearing the language you’re learning, especially at meal times, can make it difficult to get that true “immersion experience” your academic advisor is telling you about.
Similar to tip #1, the social climate of the city or town or village you’ll be living in is also important. For me, I had previously lived in Tokyo for two months, so I was looking for some contrast with something a little more countryside (and, boy, the countryside is what I got). But I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard people complain about how far from the city the campus is! Did they not do any research? Probably not. Don’t let that happen to you.
If, like me, you’re okay with taking a 40-minute bus trip each way just to get to the closest grocery store, go for it, but know ahead of time that that’s what you’re getting into. Reversely, be prepared to know that you might to have to get used to the sound of train tracks and the nightlife right outside your dorm window if you’d rather be studying in a major city. Additionally, if you’re looking for that tried-and-true immersion experience, consider that larger cities might be more English-friendly than the countryside and that the folks living in the countryside might speak a bit of a different dialect than what’s traditionally taught in the classroom setting. (Picking up some of these dialectical quirks could impress your language professors back home, though your mileage may vary.)
3. Be Ready to Invest in Field Trips/Excursions Away from Campus
Finally, to get this “language immersion experience” I keep mentioning, be prepared to spend a little money on field trips that your learning abroad program, host university, or even other local organizations may offer. You may be fortunate enough that someone may offer these excursions for free or at a steep discount to students, but no matter what, you should seek them out and take advantage of these wherever possible. I’m talking about the field trips that will take you to museums and aquariums and the like. They sound cheesy and touristy, and they are, but these places are rich in opportunities to utilize the language skills you’re currently acquiring to not only navigate the environment but also talk to shop-owners, read signs about exhibits, etc.
Ultimately, it boils down to this: you want to make sure that the language immersion experience you want to seek out is what you’re going to get. Not all sizes fit one, and the best way you’re going to benefit from your program is to do your research, embrace what you end up with when you’re finally there, and never give up the search for more opportunities to practice, practice, practice! Best of luck on your study abroad adventures, and safe journey to you travelers.
Bonus Tip: Do a Homestay!
I can’t think of a single person I know that has not learned something from doing a homestay experience. Yes, it will be uncomfortable. Yes, you may not even end up liking the people you stay with (though I doubt that will be the case). But the important thing is that you will get to experience life much closer to the perspective of your host family’s culture, and that is an experience I can guarantee you will learn from one way or another.
