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Going to Kansai Gaidai in Japan? An Online Pre-Arrival Orientation for
and by International @ Marshall University, USA My advice is to use the classes offered at Kansai to
your advantage in order to facilitate your graduation.
Besides, there are student-led art clubs on the
Kansai Gaidai campus that are ALWAYS looking for foreign
students willing to join. The cost is nominal, and the opportunity
to mix art with Japanese language learning is something you
will not find in a formal art class in the International Center. Second, for better or worse all art classes are extremely popular. In fact, they are the first classes to fill up. Students who are serious about taking art classes should be prepared to have their dorm, homestay, and registration deposits taken care of the day before registration—all are required before you can register. In addition, you will have to get up at the crack of dawn on the first day of registration in order to get a good place in line. The line usually starts forming between 5:30 and 6:00 AM. Get there any later than 6-6:30, and you may loose your opportunity. The registration process doesn’t start until after 9:00 AM, so bring a light breakfast with you. Third, you should be prepared to spend an ungodly amount of time in the studio each week. In addition to the two class meetings you will have each week; you will be expected to spend five or more hours a week in the sumi-e studio, and 7 or more hours each week in the ceramics class. Therefore, while these classes may be fun, they are also time consuming. NOTE: If you plan on taking a ceramics course, be sure to bring at least two junky outfits! You’re going to make one heck of a mess. :-) I would suggest that you take them only if you have an absolutely BURNING desire to learn a Japanese-style craft, or if it can be worked into your major at Marshall. I know of two individuals from Marshall who were able to work their Kansai art credits into Marshall credits for graduation. I didn’t bother taking art classes because my undergraduate major was in History, with minors in Japanese and Economics. Kansai offered classes in both history and economics, which in turn now look extremely impressive on my college transcript. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
If you looked at the guide provided by Kansai Gaidai, you will have noticed that banking is far more advanced in Japan than it is in the United States. Almost everything is computerized and highly efficient. Fees are not a major obstacle, either. Before you leave for Japan, you will doubtlessly have an urge to convert a little of your money into yen. DO NOT! It is far better to wait and exchange your currency once you reach Narita or Kansai International Airport. You will get a better exchange rate if you wait—and besides, when are you going to spend yen on an airplane? I suggest carrying $100-$150 in cash with you on your trip in case you run into a problem in the US and need dollars. The rest should be in travelers’ checks. Why? Travelers’ checks fetch an extra 2-4 yen on the dollar when exchanged. That may not sound like much, but if you are planning to take $1,000 or more with you in order to open up a bank account, it could mean as much as 4,000 yen EXTRA in your pocket verses a cash transaction. Besides, cash can always be easily stolen, while travelers’ checks are insured. It pays to be as safe as possible. Sumitomo is Kansai’s semi-official affiliate bank.AIEJ scholarship stipends will be electronically forwarded to your Sumitomo account. With ATM and branch locations throughout the Kansai region, you should have no trouble getting to your money when you want. Luckily, Kansai Gaidai will have orientation banking sessions where they will help you fill out the necessary paperwork and deposit your travelers’ checks. It couldn’t be any easier. What COULD be much easier is accessing your US bank accounts in Japan. In a simple phrase: it is a pain. In fact, I suggest that you not anticipate on using your American ATM/checking card while in Japan. If I remember correctly, the only American ATM machine in the area is located in downtown Osaka near Namba. It is a pain getting to it, and sometimes you cannot count on being able to access your funds on demand. I tried once with my City National ATM card with no luck. Just rely on your Sumitomo account while in Japan, and you will be fine. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange
Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
Thanks to the fact that personal checks are almost useless in Japan, you will have to rely on wire transfers and International Money Orders. Wire transfers are fast, but due to the high fees involved, I suggest using them only when the sum is in excess of $500. International Money Orders are slower (they must be mailed), but they are cheap and relatively easy to process. They are available at most US post offices. Once it arrives in Japan, you will have to go down to the local post office to have it cashed. I believe there is a limit on how much you can send at one time, so it is a more appropriate option for sending amounts less than $500. An important note about the exchange rate: Due to a major economic recession, the Japanese government has a vested interest in making sure that the value of the yen is substantially lower than the dollar. Simply put, this measure facilitates foreign investment into Japan and makes Japanese imports more competitive in the US market (and all markets throughout the world where currency values are pegged to the dollar).Have you noticed that Japanese-made goods, including appliances, electronics, and some automobiles have decreased in cost at a more pronounced rate in the last two years than similar periods in the past? That is why. However, thanks to the recent downturn in the stock and investment markets in the US, the Japanese have had to work overtime to keep the yen relatively low. While they have succeeded in maintaining a relative advantage, the yen has actually increased in value from around 130 on the dollar to 117. What does this mean for you? The relative currency exchange advantage you have now may not be so inviting on the way back home. If the markets stabilize here at home, the yen will likely fall to the 120-125 per dollar marks. That’s good right now, but it means that the yen you have left at the end of the school year will be worth LESS than it was when you first arrived. As a result, you would take a loss when converting your yen back into dollars in May 2003. However, the opposite may be true if US markets continue to fall. A year ago, I could tell you with some degree of certainty what the yen value would do in the long term, but thanks to volatility in the US market, I cannot say one way or another. Therefore, my best advice to you is to take (or have sent to you) only what money is absolutely necessary for the school year. If you take too much on your way to Japan, you could be taken for a substantial loss on the way back home. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
E-mail, e-mail, e-mail. It’s free, and Kansai Gaidai gives you your own address during orientation week. I would strongly suggest using your Kansai account. Internet based e-mail accounts (Hotmail, Yahoo, Marshall University, etc.) can be used as well, but you will notice interruptions in service from time to time while accessing them from Japan. Your Kansai account, however, will remain problem free 99% of the time. Use it! Phone cards can be a blessing as well. Whatever
you do, do not purchase Japanese phone cards, such
as those from NTT. Although very ornate and
decorative, they are extremely expensive and give you a few short
minutes of international talk time. AT&T sells relatively
inexpensive international phone “cards” through
automated machines in Lawson Convenience Stores
located throughout the area. In fact, it is
almost impossible to walk more than 1,000 yards and not find one.
You get around 90 minutes of talk time to the US for around
3,000 yen. Trust me, unless they have discontinued
the service, it is an absolute steal! All
you have to do is walk up to the machine, use the graphic
driven touchpad to select the calling card and yen amount, and
Sending letters home isn’t too expensive, either. I believe a first class international stamp will run around 110 yen. If you plan to send small gifts and trinkets home, I strongly suggest that you DO NOT send them in a box. Rather, send them in a padded envelope! As a padded envelope, the package will be considered a “Small Packet” in terms of postage, saving you as much as 80%! For example, I sent a load of stuff to my mother for her birthday while in Japan. By sending it as a “Small Packet”, I spent around 410 yen, verses the mandatory 1,600-1,800 I would have paid had I packaged it in a box. It doesn’t get there any slower (or faster), either. It sounds crazy, but that is how the game is played. Whatever you decide, please keep in mind that it usually takes 7-10 days for your packages and letters to reach their destinations in the US; while it takes 8-12 for packages mailed in the US to reach Japan. United States Postal Service: go figure. Special Note: If anyone has something small (such as paperwork) of vital importance to send to you in Japan, please use Fed Ex. Fed Ex is the only shipping company that utilizes its own employees throughout the shipping process. In other words, a Fed Ex employee picks up the package, and another Fed Ex employee delivers it, even in Japan. UPS uses another Japanese courier for their deliveries in Japan, while the US post office is just too damn slow. It will cost a little more to ship it Fed Ex, but it is guaranteed to get there fast, safe and sound. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange
Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
When I went to Kansai Gaidai, computers were a little hard to come by, especially during mid-terms and finals. I was lucky enough to have my own laptop computer, and I tried to help others out when I could. I understand now that Kansai has done quite a bit to upgrade its computer capacity since 2000, although do not be surprised if finding an open station is still difficult from time to time. Those with laptops can apply for an IP address from the main office to gain access to the Kansai server. It’s fast and convenient, and all you need is a decent 10/100 Ethernet card and cable. Open access ports can be found in the International Center and the dorms. Homestay students can only use the ports in the International Center, though. The dorms have special computer labs that only residents can use. There are no ports in the dorm rooms, however, so residents are limited to what is in the labs. I DO NOT suggest that anyone try to bring their desktop PC with them. It’s more hassle than it’s worth, it’s extremely expensive to ship, it will get held up in customs (sometimes for weeks), and you will not be able to hook it up to the Internet or to a school printer. If you choose to live in a homestay, you will likely be confined to using the Internet at school rather than at home. Internet usage over landlines is billed either by the minute or the hour, and it tends to be very expensive. Families tend to use such connections very frugally, considering that they are also being charged by the phone company for line usage by the minute—a sort of “double charge”. A couple of hours of use can be quite costly, so be considerate and use the Internet at school. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange
Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
Winter Break can be a much needed rest for you after your first semester, but there are a few things you need to plan for in advance. First and foremost, it is important to remember that you will not be allowed to stay with your homestay family during the break (unless they otherwise agree to let you). Dorm residents, too, must move their things out by a certain date, usually within 8-10 days of the end of the semester. Therefore, you must make your own living arrangements during Winter Break. A fair number of students simply elect to return home for a month or travel the country. While this is nice, air travel in December can be very expensive if you do not reserve a seat months in advance. If you do not intend on leaving Japan for Winter Break, then there are some other options open to you. Kansai Gaidai usually keeps one of the dorms (Seminar House) open throughout the break. For around 46,000-48,000 yen, you can stay in the dorms right up until Spring orientation. Meals and supplies are your responsibility, however. A few students even reserve a room at the Osaka English House in Hirakata City. It is set up like a dorm, but you do not have the some of the strict limitations you find in Seminar House. In terms of price, it may be a little more expensive. Having stayed in both Seminar Houses and the Osaka English
House, I think you would be better off staying in
Kansai’s dorms. It may be a little cheaper,
and since it is close to the school, you will always be
in familiar territory. Whatever you do, it is a good idea to know
your plans for Winter Break by the end of October, especially
if money is of concern. When packing for Winter, the general
rule of thumb is to pack light. Winter as we know it doesn't
usually arrive in Osaka until the mid to late November. To
give you an idea, minus a few freak cooler days I wore
shorts and light jeans into the first week of November.
If your packing space is limited, you may wish to
consider having a box of your winter clothing sent
from home via ground/ocean shipping. An 80 to 100 pound box will
cost around $100 to ship, and will take around 6 weeks
to reach you. Since you will be in no hurry to
get your winter clothing (trust me, day after day
and week after week of near 100% humidity and highs in the
90s will do that to you), your family members could ship a box to
you in mid to late September. Furthermore, before
returning home, you can repackage your winter clothing
and send it back to the US for around the same price.
It will save you trouble, and with the high cost
of bringing overweight luggage and extra bags, it will save you
Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
YOU MUST CARRY THIS CARD WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES! Until you receive your card, I advise that you carry your passport with you during trips beyond the Kansai Gaidai campus. If a police officer arbitrarily walks up to you and asks to see your identification, he wants to see either your card or your passport. Failure to produce either item may result in a quick trip to the police station until the mess is straightened out. Kansai Gaidai will not look favorably upon such an instance, so save them the trouble and be mindful of your resident alien status. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
Japan is a relatively safe country compared to the United States. However, those of us who have lived in West Virginia for most of our lives will not notice much of a difference. The same basic rules of thumb that apply here apply in Japan as well. Be wary of strangers, don’t walk alone late at night in downtown areas, and avoid areas that “look” like trouble, such as “Soapland districts”. I think you will find that life in Japan is quite sane and orderly. Bicycles have legal issues of which foreign students must be aware. It is very likely that you will either own or have access to a bike while in Japan. In fact, I urge that all dorm residents buy a bike within the first couple of weeks. Since bikes are so useful in Japan, they are quite often stolen. Make sure that Kansai Gaidai and your dorm/homestay parents know the serial number on your bike. Kansai will usually issue you a special sticker that signifies that the bike belongs to a student. By registering it with Kansai Gaidai, any questions a police officer may have about your bike can be answered with a quick phone call to the school. And yes, this isn’t an idle suggestion—there is a good chance you will be approached at least once during your stay. Drug use is another touchy subject. I understand that you, like all Marshall students, are not prone to bringing drugs into the country or using them. However, I cannot say the same for all students at Kansai Gaidai. The danger with drugs in Japan is not what you have done, but what you COULD have done. The mere suspicion of drug use or possession is enough to land you jail. In other words, if you happen to come across students who either have drugs or are using them, turn around and walk the other way. If you think older people generally consider drug use taboo in American society, wait until you get a load of Japan. Most individuals both young and old are extremely “conservative”, and the stigma placed on drug use is much greater than at home. In fact, drug use and possession is simply not tolerated, with even the most minor offenses fetching mandatory prison sentences 5-10 times greater than in the US. By merely being seen with the wrong crowd, you can be pegged for something you didn’t do. Worse yet, Japanese officials can detain you for up to 30 days without bringing charges, or longer with special permission from the courts. That can be just enough time to draw up deportation papers for you—guilty or not! Moreover, Kansai Gaidai will disavowal themselves of offending students, terminate their status as registered students, and offer no help in legal matters whatsoever. That is just as well, considering that not even the US Consulate can do much for stupid Americans who cross the line. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
A homestay is a wonderful experience. However, like all experiences in life, it has its ups and downs. While the social challenges that come with living in a homestay are readily understandable, it is harder to plan for some of the special expenses. It’s sort of a trade off. For example, by paying for a homestay you do not have to worry much about your food expenses, but there are other circumstantial expenses, such as transportation costs, that can come into play. You MUST be prepared to deal with them. Your homestay parents will be responsible for most of your meals. They will serve you breakfast and dinner Monday-Friday, and three meals a day on weekends and holidays. They will also take care of some of your day to day needs, including laundry. To the best of my knowledge, that is all the homestay parents are obligated to supply. Anything beyond meals and simple needs are primarily your responsibility. So what are these needs? They include transportation, lunch Monday-Friday, basic school supplies, and personal toiletry items. From time to time, homestay parents have been known to help supply some of these things—but this is rare! The primary concern you should have is transportation. Some homestay parents live a short walk or bike ride away from the school, and therefore the transportation costs are minimal to nonexistent. However, the bulk of homestay families live far enough away to warrant a daily bus and/or train ride in order to get to and from school. The cost of transportation is usually commensurate with distance. The further away you are, the more it will cost. Since you have no way of knowing before orientation week who your homestay family will be and how far away they live, you should be prepared to set aside a little money for transportation. In the guide I wrote, I estimated that transportation costs could run you anywhere from nothing to 40,000 yen per semester. I’m tempted to stand by that estimate; just remember that 40,000 yen is an absolute worst case scenario. Luckily, if you live any distance away, you can purchase bus and train passes that can take some of the financial sting out of commuting. I suggest that you immediately inquire about passes if it becomes apparent that you will be commuting by train and/or bus. It will save you time, but above all, it will save you money. Please consult the last page of the guide for estimates on meals, personal items, and school materials. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
Here is where things get a little messy. I would not suggest that you seek employment in Japan until your second semester. It will take you a couple of months just to get used to everything, and a job will only complicate matters. In addition, it is illegal to work on a student visa before you have been in the country for 90-days. It is not worth the risk of being deported for working too soon. I worked part-time as an English instructor my second semester and loved it. I made a fair amount of money, and got to work with Japanese schoolchildren, which is an adventure in and of itself! :-) Nevertheless, you cannot expect to find a job that will pay all of your expenses, but you can find part-time employment that can give you a 10,000 to 20,000 extra yen to throw around each month. The choice is yours as to when and how you work, but remember that it will take quite some effort to keep your head above water in your classes. Kansai is NOT Marshall, plain and simple. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000).
If you are departing for the fall semester, you should anticipate that the first stipend will not arrive until the middle of September. I wish I could give you a solid date, but I am of the understanding that the exact times fluctuate from year to year. Still, your general disbursement schedule basically coincides with the one I had in 2000. However, you cannot necessarily count on receiving much of your first (or even second) stipend. Here is why. As an AIEJ scholarship recipient, you are considered a partial exchange student, meaning that your tuition is covered under the exchange agreement with Marshall University, but your boarding costs are not. (By this time, you have either paid, or are preparing to pay, your tuition to Marshall) Therefore, in addition to a small tuition deposit and miscellaneous fees for art classes (consult the guide I wrote), you will be required to pay a homestay or a dormitory fee during orientation week. Since you have chosen to live in a homestay, your fee will be substantially higher than that of dorm residents. During my stay at Kansai, the homestay fee was 290,000 yen per semester, while the dorm fee for a double occupancy room was 170,000 yen per semester. Kansai Gaidai understands that this is quite a sum for you to pay all at once. As a result, they offer a short-term no-interest loan for AIEJ recipients. You are allowed to take a loan out against your first couple of stipends to pay your homestay fees. That helps you out quite a bit, considering that you do not have to immediately cough up $3,000 or more for your fees during the first week. On the downside, it means that a substantial portion of your scholarship each semester will be devoted to fees. Please understand that the 290,000 yen fee quoted above is two years old. It will likely be a little higher for you, perhaps in the 300,000-310,000 yen range. What does this mean in the long run? If we use conservative estimates for homestay, art class (such as sumi-e), and registration deposit fees, you can count on paying nearly 600,000 yen for the year. That only leaves you with 225,000 yen ($1,906 at current exchange rate) for the school year. I was able to live relatively well on the scholarship
for three reasons: While you are in Japan, you will be faced with daily financial decisions that are bit more complicated than at home. The place where many students falter is entertainment. Entertainment and travel is extremely expensive in Japan. In order to take care of the things I needed to do and live comfortably, I had to sacrifice. I made few shopping trips, stayed home when the bulk of my friends went out to a club or bar, and planned ahead for all travel…even if it was only a quick trip to Kyoto or Osaka. I saw a fair amount of the countryside in Western Japan, but my income did not allow me to make trips all over the country. I hate to say it, but most of the students at Kansai Gaidai are extremely well off. As a scholarship recipient, you will be in the minority of students who have to be extremely mindful of their money. Luckily, you will be living the cultural heart of Japan. There is more to see and do between Osaka, Kobe, Himeji, and Kyoto than anywhere else in Japan. Tokyo may be the capital, but the Kansai region is the heart and cultural soul of the country. I cannot tell you very much about dance club life in Osaka, but I can talk for hours about the cultural, historical, and social nuances of Japan that I personally witnessed. You can’t do that looking down a bottle of Kirin. That is one advantage to being relatively poor in Japan: it keeps you focused on that which is most important. If you plan properly, you will not come to want in Japan. You won’t be rich, but you can still have one hell of a time. Email excerpt from Michael Brown, Kansai Gaidai Exchange Student (Spring 2000 and Fall 2000). |