Tomorrow

That’s when I leave, tomorrow. This time tomorrow (Wednesday at midnight), I will be sleeping for a few more hours, and then around 4:15am I will leave for the airport in Indy. At 7:50, I will fly from Indy to Minneapolis to Seattle to Kansai International airport. Something tells me my ears are going to be very unhappy by the time I land in Japan haha. After going through customs and purchasing my ticket, I will take a train to Kyoto Station where a volunteer student should be waiting to take me to my apartment. That’ll be around 20 or more hours of traveling. I’m going to attempt to stay awake the entire time so that I will be so thoroughly exhausted by the time I go to bed that first night in Kyoto that my body clock will reset and I’ll have minimal jet lag. That’s what I usually do, but we’ll have to find out if it’ll work this time.

There are 2 topics I want to write about in this entry: my university and where I’ll be studying and saying good-bye to what I know and am familiar with and preparing to face the unknown.

Doshisha University

That is the name of my university located in Kyoto, Japan. Here's a basic map of Japan (Kyoto is the pink dot):

Doshisha University, 同志社大学, is a private university that was founded around 1875 and was founded by Joseph Hardy Neeshima, the son of a samurai (Here's a link to the whole story: http://www.doshisha.ac.jp/english/information/overview/about.php). Doshisha University has two campuses, Imadegawa Campus in the northern part of Kyoto and Kyotanabe Campus in the south (about an hour away by bus). My classes will all be on the Imadegawa Campus which is a 20 minute bike ride away from my apartment.

Here is Doshisha University's website if you'd like to read more about the university and what programs are offered there:

http://www.doshisha.ac.jp/english/

I will study at Doshisha University as an exchange student through my university, Indiana University. This is the first year that IU is doing an exchange program with Doshisha University so I'm one of two guinea pigs going haha. I'm sure it'll be a great experience. Hopefully I can collect a lot of useful information to help out the next group of student to attend Doshisha!

Saying Good-bye

I'm not going to lie, it's been difficult saying good-bye to my friends and family over the past few days/weeks. I've had a great time seeing and spending time with everyone! However, a year is a long time and no one can predict what will happen during that time. Each hug good-bye is becoming more difficult and more painful. I'm sure I'll adjust well and everything will be fine, but still, it's going to be so hard to be away from my family when I'm used to seeing them often. That's why I'm trying to be sure to see everyone before I leave, so that I can know I did my best to see as many people as possible. Some of those people I will see as soon as I return, but others I may not see for many years to come. Although, I'm sure it will not be good-bye forever and that we will all see each other again! :) It's much easier nowadays staying in touch with the Internet, Skype, and so on.

At this point, the fact that I will be gone for a year and living in Japan is still so surreal. I see my suitcases in my room and all the preparations that I've done thus far, but it still doesn't seem real. Since it doesn't seem real yet, my nerves haven't set in too much. I'm worried that I'll forget something, but I'm not nervous about going to or living in Japan. I suppose that'll hit me like a brick once I arrive in Japan and realize I'm living on my own, in my own place for the first time in my life. Now that will take some adjusting haha.

I am somewhat anxious about meeting new people and making new friends, but even then, I'm not overly apprehensive. I just have this feeling that everything will work out for the best. I was asked to attend the program at Doshisha when I thought I wouldn't be accepted by any program, and I received scholarships when I thought I wouldn't be able to afford going. Somehow, God has provided everything I need. That's why I'm sure everything will work out alright. Of course I'm nervous, but I'm not really worried.

Oh yes, I'm finished packing for the most part. Despite minimizing as much as I could, I'm still bringing two bags to check on the plan, a carry-on bag, and a laptop case. It's all really heavy, but I can handle it! :)
Tomorrow I'll finish running my last errands and hopefully see a few more friends while doing that. Then, I'm going to enjoy my evening at home with my parents. :)

P.S. I'm planning on writing a blog about this in more detail once I'm in Japan, but since I have no idea when (or if) that might be, I'm going to tell the scholarships I received and paste something I wrote for the Office of Overseas Study below. I received the Boren Scholarship, the Gilman Scholarship, the Bridging Scholarship, and a scholarship through the Indiana University Foundation from the University Architect's Office. It's kind of silly, but feel free to read if you're interested.

Bethany’s Tips and Tidbits about Study Abroad

If you are reading this, then it’s probably safe to say that you’re considering study abroad. This is just a brief entry, so if I don’t answer all of your questions, feel free to send me an e-mail.

Funding:

Yes, it can be difficult if you have to pay your own way, like me. However, some programs are cheaper than a semester at IU. Also, there are scholarships available to provide financial aid. *Note, it’s a good idea to decide on a country and a program before starting your search for scholarships since some scholarships are country/program based.*

1.) Do research. The Internet is a great resource.

a. Some useful websites and scholarships: http://www.iie.org/en, http://www.studyabroadfunding.org/, http://www.studyabroad.com/scholarships.aspx, http://www.indiana.edu/~overseas/first/financial-aid/index.shtml, Boren Scholarship, and Gilman Scholarship.

2.) Start early! I cannot stress how important this is. Start looking for programs and scholarships as soon as you decide you want to study abroad. Don’t wait until the last minute. The earlier you start, the more you can revise your essays and improve them. Also, you should give your professors ample time to write letters of recommendation, so the earlier, the better.

3.) Go to the Office of Overseas Study or your professors and ask questions. They are experts and a great resource to information about scholarships, application deadlines, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask them to check your scholarship essays.

4.) Apply, apply, apply! I applied for as many scholarships as possible. It’s definitely a lot of work, but if you put in the effort and the time, it can really pay off in the end.

5.) Stay on top of deadlines! Enough said.

Resources and Contacts:

Please repeat after me, the Office of Overseas Study is my friend. Here’s the website: http://www.indiana.edu/~overseas/

I suggest that you look over this site thoroughly, especially the “Big List” of programs (http://www.indiana.edu/~overseas/programs/iuprograms/biglist.shtml ). The first big step is finding a program you are interested in. Then find one or two back-up options, just in case your first choice falls through. (Doshisha was my third option to be honest. Although, I'm extremely pleased that Doshisha will be my university!)

Your language professors or assistant instructors are also a great resource. They may know of additional scholarships or programs. Further, they can give great tips on the target country and language.

General tips:

It might be a good idea to read up on the local customs before going to your host country. Guide and travel books like The Lonely Planet often have useful information. Also, as I’ve stressed before, asking your professors or friends from that country is another good idea.

A few examples why it’s important to read up and be observant:

1.) In Kyrgyzstan, women smoking in front of a building are said to be prostitutes.

2.) In the Middle East, leaving the house with wet hair is equivalent to the “walk of shame.”

3.) In Japan, sitting in the reserved seats or talking loudly will probably earn the contempt of those around you.

Being aware of things like this will help you transition into the culture more easily while helping you to avoid painfully embarrassing faux pas.

Well, that's it for now. That was a massive post haha! The next time I write will most likely be a post from Japan. It seems so surreal that I'm leaving tomorrow! 0.0