becoming an exchange student

[queenie]

hello ,

i'm going to become an exchange student (going to japan not from). i would like to get some advice, tips , stuff about host families , how i should act , esc. just post anything that u know about being an exchange student, especially if you've already been one! i would really like to know about japanese math, the way i'll be treated by other students, and the way my host family will expect me to act, esc. i want to do lots of things while i'm there , though i understand fully that school will be my main priority and will take up a huge amount of my time.
i'm a fan of japanese music, and i want to see some concerts, i want to visit hide's museum and hopefully go buy some cd's (heh , i'm already saving up...). when i get there i'll be 17 going on 18.
i just have a lot of questions to pose , but too many to put up here, so with people posting information based on info about myself i give or just random things they know, i hope to have a lot of questions answered. baisically , i just want to know what to expect ,though i know a lot about what to expect already , i just want to be really really prepared.

thank you so much ,

queenie

 

[Mandylion]

First question - have you been accepted, or are working on being accepted, to an exchange program in your area? If not, you should start looking into the programs in your area and what it takes to get in the door.

 

[queenie]

I know of a program that I will probably use to become an exchange student. I know the requirements, and I only need one thing ( to have two years of learning the Japanese language). My current grade point average already surpasses what I am required to have by far. Still , I won't be going for a year in half, but I'm just very curiouse. I think that over time I'll get plenty of replies to this thing because , I posted a question about 7 months ago, and just last week I recived a reply (and of course I get e-mailed whenever I do). I'm trying to be really prepared for this though, so I'm more comfortable/knowledgeble when I get to Japan.
Thanx for replying ^_^ V.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

You Should....

PM with "LUC", he's over there now. I bet he can give you an ear full! Just tell him Frank sent you!!

Frank

 

[jieshi]

hey queenie. Jieshi here. Ive just been accepted as an exchange student to Japan with AFS. Ill be leaving Australia in march next year. i would suggest AFS as an exchange company they are really good and professional i highly recommend them. Exchange is going to be so much fun and im sure youll enjoy it. hey maybe well run into each other over there.

later,
jieshi

 

[Mandylion]

Well, the first bit of advice you should keep in mind is that when you are living with your homestay family, you are not there to reproduce your daily routine but with different actors. The rules of the house are going to be different and you will be exposed to a new kind of dynamic. Keep your eyes and ears open, ask permission until you figure everything out (like who takes the first bath? can you sit anywhere at the table? what about chores? who wears the pants (so to speak) how traditional is the family), and be very flexible. You are not a guest - if people are clearing the table after dinner, help. Offer to wash the bathtub or walk the dog. Keep your room clean, learn and respect the house rules. Don't be a burden.

You seem like a smart one, so this is probably obvious, but it is amazing how stubborn and testy we can get when we are very tired all the time and under a good deal of stress (which you will be for about the first month you are in Japan, no matter how much Japanese you speak and how prepared you try to be).

When I was first an exchange student at 17, it seemed my family was quite smothering. I had to be in by 10pm, and had a lot of restrictions what I could do and where I could go. It was not because the were worried I was a bad kid or would do something stupid, but I was sure as heck not given the same amount of freedom my own family had given me. But then I realized my host family was being overly protective because they didn't want anything bad to happen to me. I was someone elses child and if I got hurt etc. they were responsible (in every way concievable), not me. They are supposed to protect me and keep me healthy. They were responsible for someone elses child and that is a huge, huge responsibility in Japan.

Once I got that through my thick head and took it as a compliment and not an insult of my level of responsibility, life was much easier, I enjoyed Japan more, and my host family was put at ease (something you should always seek to do).

 

[Exidez]

im an exchange student in japan at the moment
i come from Australia and am sponsered by a program called Rotary... Its a world wide organisation.

The only advice i can give is "always be positive"

 

[Ewok85]

I did an exchange last year in Japan from aus, my tips would be:
Dont piss off your exchange company, they might seem restrictive and tight but in the end if you have a problem they are your last line of support.
Dont piss off your family, they are being incredibly kind in letting a total stranger come into their home and eat their food etc. Be polite and nice etc.
Dont piss off the teacher at the school in charge of you, they will make life hard for you.

The general idea is to not annoy the people in charge. My host family was wonderful and let me do what i wanted on condition i told them what I was doing with who where. (Ie going out on the town in the shinjuku area with mates from school). They had no problem with that (my company would have flipped) but they understood that i was a polite level headed person who would be ok in that situation.

And like Exidez said "always be positive" and dont forget why you are there. You WANT to be there, enjoy it to the max. Just off topic but a friend of mine spent 9 months of his exchange going on about how he hated japan and everything, was antisocial and did little. When it dawned on him that soon he would be going back to Australia to a small country town where nothing interesting ever happens and possibly never be able to come back to Japan did he get out and enjoy himself, but had wasted ALOT of time getting to that. Try everything, like everyone, 'just do it' (tm) -nike

 

[chinablueyes18]

I'm going to do a month homestay this summer with a Japanese host family. Its great to read this thread to get an idea of what being an exchange student is like. When I come back, you'll get a full report from me. I'm worried I'll inadvertantely do something rude!

 

[queenie]

^^'''

i know how u feel blueeyes! i'm worried i'm going to make my host family feel insulted, or that i'm being rude or something ^-^||||| . i have a year and a half to learn though. good luck on ur trip!

 

[Shinpachi]

Try to learn some diallect words while you're there, then use them with your host family, they'll think it's a riot. Just keep an open mind and open ears, there's lots to learn. I'm sure you'll be told this before you go, but it's a very very good idea to bring gifts for your host family, probably things that are specific to where you're from, like I gave my host parents a couple of little cups made from Mt St Helens ash (I'm from the NW USA) and some real Oregon smoked salmon (among other things). Also take any chance you get to go to any sort of social occasions, because if it's anything like my experience everyone will want to talk to you.

 

[Knives]

is there a web site for afs i am intrested in becoming an exchange student i just need to see the requirements and stuff