Life in Japan Traveling Home Hiroshima Links Ushita The Apartment Student Home HJU Student Life Classes What makes the experience at HJU so unique is that unlike the other BGSU exchange students to Japan, almost all of your classes will be taken with native students at their level. This is an incredibly daunting task but thanks to help from the tutors and the general consensus of the teachers to grade you with a curve, it's by no means an impossible one. Thanks to the discrepancy in schedules, you will enter HJU in what is their second semester. Unfortunately, this signifies that that all the classes you take are in their second level. The difference in level is especially noticeable in such classes as shodou (calligraphy) and Japanese language. HJU does offer Japanese language classes for their exchange students, the vast majority of which are Chinese and Korean. Most of them will have already spent two solid years in Japan studying at the YMCA. Learning Japanese in Japan combined with their native tongues' relationship gives them a very noticeable advantage, so you will have to study very hard simply to catch up. The rest of the classes you take will probably be with Japanese students, mainly freshmen, as those courses are easier not only to understand but to complete. ...That is, assuming you can hear the teacher in the first place. The common stereotype of Japanese students being polite, diligent, and quiet is about as far off as one can get, especially in college. Part of this comes from the fact that in Japan it matters more what college you attend than what your grade is, a fact that leads students to study very hard in their youth then party during college. Their parties carry over into the classroom however, which is annoying not only to the teachers but anyone trying to learn. Students are forever snoring, leaving and returning, coming in extremely late, texting one another on their constantly ringing cell phones, and even holding entire conversations in normal voices, all this while the professor is attempting to lecture. In short, if you actually want to hear the teacher, sit in the front of the room where the voice will carry farther. Even for those few professors who utilize microphones, the din in the back of the room where the worst offenders traditionally sit will make it impossible to make out what is being said. The majority of students don't bother with notes, particularly if they know there's no exam. Classes that give papers instead of tests are poorly attended, although there is a rule apparently that will kick a student out of the class if she misses with no excuse three times. Thus, there's a whole underground system of people calling in roll for their friends, or in the case of HJU, filling out the little 'attendance cards'. These are slips of paper employed by many teachers that make a student list their name, student number, the class, teacher, and major (you can leave that blank since you're probably going to be in multiple disciplines). As for the classes themselves, 90% are lecture based giving numerous small papers, one big paper, or 1-2 tests. There is little grade padding. Of course, that also means there's usually little homework. Moreover, classes only meet once a week for 1.5 hours (or for language classes, 2 sessions a week). You will only earn 2 credits for each of these classes, but you make this up in the number of courses you will take. Many of the other foreign exchange students and all of the native girls take upwards of 16 classes in one semester. Fortunately, you will not have to take quite so many. BGSU requires you only take 5 classes a week, though I recommend taking more than that. I usually had between 7-9 classes as semester, which was quite enough. Both semesters I also took a class taught by the Canadian professor, Dr. Ruttan. Like other western professors, the foreigners teaching at HJU give homework and assignments more like you're used to. Their classes involve group work, daily readings, and essays. The bonus for you is that it's all in English, which although it doesn't improve your language skills in and of itself, will allow you to see how Japanese girls learn language, help translate for them, and of course provide grade padding and an 'easy class' to take. Keep in mind, they DO grade you like they would an American however, not giving you any benefits of language...so don't goof off. The danger in taking a class in English, indeed of being an American at HJU, is that all the students want you to help them, to write and/or correct their essays, even to teach them English for free. They will also insist on constantly using English with you which makes it hard to practice your own skills, especially listening. After all, you can always speak Japanese, but it's harder to convince others to use it with you. Many will take your asking them as an offense, apparently assuming you don’t deem their English good enough. Others, even if they use Japanese for a time, are likely to slip back into English when you don’t understand a word. Of course, since this in turn doesn’t help your listening practice, you might easily fall into a cycle where you never hear Japanese except during class and on the streets. The best way to combat this is to find a group of friends who will speak Japanese with you, whether it is because they understand your dilemma or simply because they don't speak English. What Classes to Take One thing that I would recommend based on what I learned in hindsight is to know exactly what classes you'll need before going abroad. Otherwise, you're likely to end up with a list of classes essentially unnecessary to your degree, possibly delaying your graduation. BGSU is generally willing to work out the quirks of scheduling problems, but it's better to be safe than sorry. It also gives you a good idea what to tell your HJU advisor. Like here, upon your arrival you will soon be introduced to myriad people including one teacher who will serve as your class advisor. Your tutors usually help in the class registration process as well. One thing to watch out for though is that the do not compel you to take classes that are essentially worthless for you, say for example Japanese 101 or a class about English literature. Even though you can still gain things from such classes, namely in listening and GPA padding, if you can’t use them for your degree then you will be better off taking what your advisor deems more ‘difficult’ classes. On the other hand, you also do not want to take a class that will be so far beyond your level that no matter how hard you work you still ends up destroying your GPA. I discovered that the best way to choose classes was to use the CD-ROM syllabus they'll give you, find classes that sound like they might be beneficial, and scan down to the "Grade Criteria". A class with many requirements is probably not a wise choice since each one will take four times as long as they would were they in English. My recommendation is to take those classes where the grade is determined by attendance and a paper or two. Attendance is always an easy A, and tutors can help you with the papers. Admittedly, when it comes to the tests, most of the teachers will go out of their way to help you achieve a good score, even writing in English translations for you. However, keep in mind that Japanese tests are almost always pure memorization, even in the language classes. Thus, if this is not your strong point, you will definitely want to stay with paper only classes. The other thing you need to pay attention to is the books the class says it will use. Most classes list only one or two books, none of which are generally that expensive. However, there are some classes that list multiple books, implying that there is a lot of reading involved. Although reading is good practice, it takes forever when you have to look up every other kanji and you will need that time for other homework as well as actually seeing Japan. Also avoid classes that list "Ancient Texts" in the class plans as not even your fellow Japanese students can read these works. The final criterion for picking classes is the teacher. Although it is pretty much impossible to do your first semester, by the start of the second half of the year you should have met a lot of different professors and know a few whose style and classes you like and others whose you don’t. You also should ask your Japanese friends about the professors. Keep in mind though that being a foreigner, most of them will not hold you to the same standards as the native students. Thus, a teacher who has a reputation for being strict might actually be the one with whom you will have the least trouble. Actually registering for classes takes place over a period of time. Upon meeting with your advisor, you will receive a paper reminiscent of a scantron which you need to hold on to. During the first two weeks of school, you should attend a plethora of classes, getting a feel for the teacher, the teaching style, and so on. This is useful in cases where a class may sound terrific on paper but the teacher talks so fast that no one, not even the Japanese girls, can understand a word he says. Similarly, you might find that a class’s subject matter is more difficult than you anticipated and is not worth the effort of trying to decipher. If you find yourself in such a situation, you can simply stop going to the class. I always spoke to the teacher prior to doing this for the sake of being polite, apologizing and explaining my reasoning. Such formalities are not necessary though. At the end of the two week period, you need to fill out the scantron with the call numbers and names of the classes you plan to take then turn it in at the Office of Student Affairs, located on the fourth floor of Koufuu-kan. Your tutors are supposed to help you complete the form, but if they aren’t available you can always ask the Kokusai-center. My Classes First Semester Japanese II 1, 2 Teacher: Kiriake Grade: 1-A, 2-B Though this class will undoubtedly be offered, I doubt Kiriake-sensei will still teach it. When I left, she was teaching English language classes instead. In any case, the class was fun but extremely difficult and usually stressful. A lot of this of course was due to the fact that it was at the second-semester level of difficulty, i.e. at around a 302 or even a 402 level. There was not much in the way of daily homework, but there was a vocabulary quiz every week. Although this may sound easy, and they were useful in learning words and kanji, getting a good score was usually impossible. The clues to the words were generally given in the form of synonyms, most of which I didn’t know, and were always presented orally. Sometimes though Kiriake-sensei would repeat the clues with an English synonym, which could be a tremendous help. Tests in the meanwhile were always worse than the quizzes. Although they were always based off the handouts and exercises from class, there was only 20 minutes to complete two full pages, and no one was allowed to use dictionaries to help decipher the questions. Thus, getting a good score was usually difficult. Luckily, there were ways to make up for poor test and quiz grades, namely the oral presentations. One project was a 5 minute speech about any cultural topic. We also had a final presentation using a popular Drama (soap opera) called Tokyo Love Story. Each person had to choose to portray a character from two different scenes, memorizing the lines and main movements involved then acting them out in front of the class. Although the romance scenes in particular were a bit embarrassing, this was a lot of fun. During class, we were generally asked to read handouts, complete practice exercises, and give miniature dialogues. We also would usually read an excerpt from a famous poem or story as well as study idioms and expressions. Advanced Japanese 1,2 Teacher: Hayashida Grade: 1-A, 2-B When I took the class, I was one of three students which made for a very personalized experience. It also granted more freedom in what we did during our class time. Once for example Hayashida-sensei forwent teaching to tour the grounds and view the fall flowers. Another time we celebrated the coming of Winter Break by going to Hiroshima Station and getting treated to cake and coffee! Also, a lot of the class period was spent talking about our hometowns and current events instead of the assignments. Ultimately though, most of the time was spent reading aloud from the books and attempting to complete the exercises. This was extremely difficult as the level of the class was...well...advanced. The topic of the class itself is tricky. The first part of class discusses advanced writing techniques (and at that point I wasn't even familiar with the basics of Japanese report writing!) white the second part delves into the complexities of Keigo, that is to say polite language. Both sections are good practice and helpful in many regards, but if you're like me, you won't probably understand at least 50% of what you see, hear, and do. The class has few grades: a couple papers here and there, then one big test at the end. The tests are STRAIGHT from the books. However, you aren’t told what sections are going to be used so you have to study the entire tome. The other thing that made this class difficult was that it consisted of two 1.5 hour sessions in a row on Saturday morning. Like most Japanese classes, there was very little interaction so it was incredibly easy to become drowsy and lose the entire lesson. The answer is coffee. Coffee is your friend. History of English Literature II Teacher: Kaneda Grade: A When I signed up for this class, I was under the impression that it would teach the history of Britain through literature. The first few sessions we studied a bit about the history of enclosure and discussed British politics, so I stayed in. However, before long it became clear that the main theme of the course was simply to introduce us to as many names of British authors as possible, many of which were fairly obscure. Class generally consisted of the teacher reading excerpts from famous works aloud, usually translating what was said and then giving a little information about the author as a person or maybe why that particular book was important. History was only involved in the fact that we discussed the different periods of literature, which although fascinating, still left it difficult to count this course as anything other than an English class. The grade was determined by attendance and the large, final exam which consisted solely of being able to fill in blanks or matching exercises with the names of authors and the titles of their works that had been mentioned in class. Although this isn’t difficult if you’re good at memorization, it is a lot to remember. It also would be a nightmare trying to read the test without a dictionary, or as happened with me, a translation. Prior to the exam, I had asked Kaneda-sensei if I could use my little electronic dictionary, even though it actually held a good 90% of the answers in its memory banks. Although I wouldn’t cheat I promised, I didn’t want him getting in trouble in case someone claimed I did. He deliberated on this then said instead he'd give me an English version of the test, forgoing the need for a dictionary completely, and making it an easy A for me. One thing I would recommend if you take this class, and indeed most classes there, is to take notes on what he discusses then check your understanding of what was said by searching the names and titles via Wikipedia or some other service. This advice does not stem from not understanding but more from not being able to hear! His class was the worst for rude students as he generally didn’t do anything about them. Calligraphy II (Shodou) Grade: ...C. Calligraphy is a lot of fun, but not a quarter as easy as it looks. There is a lot of work in mastering the manipulation of the brush so as to achieve the correct thickness of the lines, the rhythm of movement, the spacing on the paper and so on. Taking the class can also be a bit expensive as, besides a book, you also need to have a steady supply of new brushes and paper. Although these materials are sold at the dollar store, their quality is substandard and using them will only annoy the professor. Unfortunately, ‘good’ paper and brushes are exceedingly expensive, the brushes in particular regularly hitting costs of over $20. As for my grade, I'm not sure whether the professor graded me as a Japanese student, or if I failed to complete an assignment due to misunderstanding. After all, the teacher was an elderly man, and between the difference in his speech from my peers and a thick dialect, I had a difficult time understanding him. Nevertheless, the class was a lot of fun and I learned quite a bit so although my GPA has suffered a little, I wouldn’t say I regret taking it. Studies in English Expression IV Teacher: Ruttan Grade: A Although there's group work and reading, since it’s taught in English the class will be easy for you. The topic is quite interesting, involving the study of various dialects of English including African-American, Gullah, Scottish, Singaporean, and of course Waseieigo (Japanese English). History, influences, and how the dialect’s use fits into the modern world are all regular points of discussion. Grades are based on attendance, the maintenance of a notebook, miscellaneous homework assignments, and a big presentation on one form of international English done with a partner (A friend and I did "Irish-English"). You have to include an 'example' with the presentation, like a movie clip or a song. History of Art II Teacher: Harada Grade: A I needed an art class to graduate and hence this came in very handy. It focuses on Western art, namely impressionism and later the modernist movements, and is taught through slides and lecture. Harada-sensei, a fantastic woman whose classes I recommend, also insists that students go to the art museum when there's a new exhibit, and often will cancel class for that reason. The grade is pretty much based on attendance and a short paper, the theme of which can be chosen from a list of options. Second Semester Japanese I 1,2 Teacher: Kobayashi Grade: A, A Yes, Japanese "I". This class was apparently created for a BGSU student a few years ago who had a very hard time with the language, but has been maintained for newcomers to HJU from foreign countries. Signing up for classes the second semester, I was pressured into at least attending the first sessions of the class and so I did. However, it was quickly realized that everybody in attendance was far beyond a beginner level, and so the material was changed to something I found challenging though not impossible. The course title however was not. This did not count against me upon my return to the States however as after explaining what had happened, arrangements were made and the course transferred at a more appropriate level. Technically Kobayashi-sensei is retired but for whatever reason continued to make the journey twice a week to HJU to instruct this class even though each section only had 3-4 students. He also was teaching some English language courses while I was there, and sometimes would spend part of the class asking me to help explain a turn of phrase in one of the texts he was using. The 'writing' portion of the class consists of reading out of a book that's fairly easy to understand, doing some of the homework within it, and then writing an essay a week. Although this might sound stressful, each paper needs only be a page in length and involve fun, no-research topics like "talk about your hometown”. The other part of the class is purely reading based. Unfortunately, that section’s book is fairly difficult and rarely has any hiragana to help decipher the kanji. There is no homework given in the reading portion but it pays to have studied ahead a bit so as to better understand what’s going on in class. Both sections have a test at the end, the questions of which come straight from the book although it is not made clear from which part prior to the exam. Japanese III 1,2 Teacher: Hayashida Grade: A, A Because the number of students in this course was larger than the first set of classes I had with Hayashida, little 'field trips' were impossible. However there was still much non-class related discussion. The level of the lessons was also much easier, especially having a semester of Japanese under my belt by that time. The first section is listening based and uses a fairly simple text-with-CD format. Many interesting topics are introduced through those books. Meanwhile, just like Kobayashi's class, the writing section calls for an essay a week, and on occasion students are asked to give speeches and presentations. Nevertheless, the main grade is a final test, once again with questions copied from the book. Studies in Comparative Culture II Teacher: Ruttan Grade: A Also in English of course, this class doesn't follow the description. Instead of cultural phenomenon (This group does this, that group does that), Professor Ruttan talks about general differences like proxemics, kinesis and so on. It's interesting but easy to the point of being dull for a native speaker since it’s only at level II. Also, many students have a poor grasp of English in the large class and so you are likely to end up being translator. Although it’s good practice for you, Ruttan-sensei doesn’t like it. Grades are based on a group written paper about an episode of field work, a final self-written paper, and attendance. Cross Cultural Environment Teacher: Suenaga Grade: A This was one of the stranger experiences in my time at HJU. There were only a handful of regular students in the class who slept 90% of the time if they came. The teacher was always at least 20 minutes late, and almost no one took notes. Still, I found the class quite interesting, and usually easy enough to understand. Suenaga also liked to ask me questions about America and my perceptions of Japanese culture. With no one else really paying attention, it sometimes it felt like he was teaching solely for me. The topic was pretty much how Western culture had influenced Asian culture, with a big emphasis on the Phillipines and of course Japan. Topics included architecture, clothing, and food and though the teacher had a tendency to go off on tangents, it was generally interesting. He taught in a lecture-based format with lots of slides and other images for illustration. The grade came from attendance and a final 8 page paper. He offered to let me write it in English though I made the effort to use Japanese. Environment Aesthetics Teacher: Harada Grade: A Because of the incredibly positive experience of my Fall-semester class with Harada, I jumped at the chance to work with her again. Sadly, this time the large lecture hall was filled with rude freshmen so much of the class was spent yelling at them. The rest of the period was devoted to talking about traditional Japanese arts and crafts with a huge emphasis on 'Sadou', the tea ceremony. Ikebana was discussed by a former HJU student who liked to practice her English with me, and there were fascinating videos on things like traditional Japanese sweets, pottery, and cloth-dyeing. The grade came from attendance and a big test at the end, open note. I had been checking my understanding of the topic against online information all along and so did very well despite it being all in Japanese and graded like that of the other students. In fact, I apparently did better than the majority of them despite the language barrier. I suppose good notes and listening are key. History of Costume Teacher: Aigawa Grade: A The class is supposed to talk about fashion in the west AND east, but is devoted almost solely to the west. For an old costume aficionado like me, it was fairly easy especially as I made a point to check my understanding online. However, it turned out to be a hard class to make useful for my major. Lecture based of course, there are occasional pictorial print outs. Many of the words are based in Western languages of course as the discussion is generally of western clothing, and once you memorize a few commonly used terms, it becomes pretty easy to understand what's being said. Japanese clothing is actually a lot harder to talk about because many words describing the articles are antiquated Chinese that NONE of the tutors or adults are able to recognize. Much of the work I put into this class involved reading the book which took time but was good practice. It also helped on the final test, the source of grades along with attendance. The test consists of 4 questions, though the teacher told me I need only answer one of them. It's open note so take good ones!