Japan said:
Hey Kosmonaut,
I've read through your thread (including the Japanese part) and I'm astonished about your language skill. When did you actually begin learning it? Moreover, what in your opinion, do you think got you accepted in the student exhange? I'm asking because I'm interested in doing this as well, and hope to find some advice.
In your first post I'd leave out the の in "東京に行ったのこともあります"
Thanks for the compliment (and the correction), I wasn't lying at all I promise. I started at the beginning of hachigatsu (I know it's terrible, but don't laugh; I haven't memorized 'the months' in english). My program didn't require me to know Japanese before I left for the US, so I didn't feel the need to study much, except for knowing the neccessities, IE: ohayougozaimasu, konnichiwa, konbanwa, etc. But when I heard from my program that most of the other students had taken Japanese in school (my school does not offer it), I got on it. I learned kana, some basic grammar, and got into a few kanji before I left, but that was it.
Then when I got here I started slacking a little; and a while ago I picked up the slack and started with really good study habits.
So to answer your question, my program didn't require me to know any Japanese. However, what DID catch their attention was: good grades and/or a very well written application, both of which I had. Oh and money, if you have money they jump for you.
I have a german friend named "Florian" here who is also an exchange student and goes to the same school as me. He's very smart, but he tells me that his program didn't require him to have good grades OR know any Japanese (he knew less than I did when he showed up), yet he had to pay half as much as I did to stay in Japan for twice as long. I recommend his program, it's called AFES or AFIS.
To everybody else, Arigatougozaimasu, nice welcoming!