Was just sitting here when it hit me: why the hell don't I do a 6 month to a year exchange next year in year 12? Previously I had dismissed the idea because I was immersed in other subjects, but now the only subjects I care for are languages, which I would be able to focus on intensely in Japan, while improving my Japanese to a wonderful degree. The only thing is I'm not sure if I could take exams for core subjects such as maths while I'm there. It would be awesome, for sure. Anyone with any knowledge on these prolonged exchanges?

Expensive but an experience for life.

If you can afford it, do it. Now.

I am going to Japan (Hokkaido Universtity) next year for a year long stay. What I hear from all the students who return is just like what jmkeralis said: you really only get the full experience if you're there for a year.

I wouldn't worry about the classes too much. If you're talking about university, then classes over there are easier than classes in the US. In some classes you just write a 5 page paper, and that's what determines your grade for the semester.
And if you're in an exchange program, chances are your tougher classes (math, like you said) would be conducted in english, so that shouldn't be a problem.

I say do it. If you can afford it, go for it.

Here's the deal: Even if you absolutely fail and end up back here, you will have had an amazing experience. I -wish- I had thought of it when I had a chance to do something like that. Now that I'm established with a job I love/etc/etc, I can't just take off and move to Japan for a year. Don't think I haven't considered it anyhow, though.

Do it.

It's only expensive in the short term if you don't consider the insane amount of other retarded things we all spend money on over the course of our lives. In the long term the cost is almost irrelevant.

I was reading a thread in a world travel forum the other day and one of the authors asked a pretty interesting question: How many well traveled people do you know that are failures in life?

Increased knowledge from a more dynamic perspective = more choices available to you in almost every interaction and decision making process you will encounter throughout your life. More choices available = greater potential for being presented with a successful choice = greater chance for success.

I had considered going into an exchange program, but my school didn't have one, or supported such a concept. I'm way too old now (just graduated university), so I regret it. I'd probably do it if I could go back in time. Its not all bad though, I managed graduate much younger than your usual multiple-degree, world-travelling person.

I'm really, really dicing up if I should do a university exchange trip to Japan as well. Money isn't really the issue, it's just if I will enjoy myself over there. I'm not anti social, far from it, I've made some of my best friends (and lady friends ) while overseas on holiday, and I've been to lots of countries around Europe, Australasia and the middle east. Not to mention where I live has a very high asian population, and lots of my friends are korean (I actually don't know any Japanese people). Etc etc, but for some reason, I'm not sure if I'd have the guts to just get dropped into Japan, and have a good time there. Perhaps I've bought too much into the whole 'Japan is a different culture' idea.

Then again, I'd absolutely love to vist Japan, and my university has an agreement so that I can go to pretty much any university in Asia or the US (it's some Pacific thing), and you pay only your normal fees for your home university. So all you pay is living costs and your flights, plus your normal course fees. Not to mention, actually being able to speak and use the language daily would be awesome.

I saw a video of a guy on youtube, who posts videos about his exchange trip. He appears to be having an insanely awesome time, but then in one video, he actually says he regrets coming. He says all anyone actually does there is study, which says makes it a bit boring. But that would suit me fine! As long as I could find a small group of friends to be with, I don't need to be constantly out there.

Gah. I still have a year and a half to decide.

You're still in high school, right? It actually is not that expensive to go as a high school student since there is no tuition to pay. Of course many Japanese high schools have tuition but it's relatively low. All you will have to pay for is the company fees for whoever places you and have enough spending money. I did a year in France my senior year of high school and the whole thing was about $7,000 and absolutely worth every penny. I wanted to do a study abroad in Japan for a year when I was in college but didn't because of the cost and still kick myself to this day for not.

When I was in France, the courses there basically filled my elective requirements for my diploma back in the states. I already had three years of math, science, English and history which were required for graduation. I did one more year of English and government through Brigham Young as a correspondence course to fulfill the core course requirements. So my classes in France didn't count towards my high school diploma except as electives and my high school in America certainly didn't look at my grades in France. (I skipped school more than I went sometimes )

So, as others have said; go go go!

It is a chance of a lifetime!

I live in Japan for a year until 2009/07/19.
I went with the Exchange Student Program for high school students. AFS.

http://afs.org

AFS offers the best high school exchange programs imo, but it also offers various other programs, such as volunteer programs and university programs I think, which can still be done even after the age of 18.

My Japanese went just as fast as Khatzumoto I think, because I live Japanese 24/7, and I finished RTK in the first 4 months of my stay, and now am only reading manga, and just living in Japan (while using an anki deck). Living here is the easiest way to immerse yourself in Japanese! Go for it!

-Mesqueeb

Do it! A kid from my wife's home state has been in our town here on a rotary exchange program the whole year. He came in with ZERO Japanese and is having the time of his life. With your study you'll probably have the greatest year ever. Japanese high school is like the high point of the Japanese life.

He is repeating his senior year after he gets back. If you have to do that, no skin off your back imo. I couldn't care less at this point if I had spent another year in HS or not and I'm only in my late twenties.

Mesqueeb Wrote:I live in Japan for a year until 2009/07/19.
I went with the Exchange Student Program for high school students. AFS.

http://afs.org

AFS offers the best high school exchange programs imo,

-Mesqueeb

If my memory serves me correctly I used this company too and they were great. One thing to keep in mind, though is to make sure you choose a company that does not pay the host families to host you. I have heard horry stories from people who are placed with families that do this as a form of income and they have like 10 exchane students sleeping in the living room!

You want a family that wants to give you a good experience as much as they want the experience themselves.

DO it I'm definitely going to go to uni in Japan when I leave school.

Yeah, what the hell, I'm going to do it. Japanese is my first and foremost passion presently, and I hope to be pretty awesome at Japanese by year's end (might go for JLPT 2, or if I'm feeling ridiculously cocky, 1) so being in Japan for year 12 would be awesome. I did a month exchange in January this year, and while it was socially difficult (takes about a month to adjust to the speed of speech), it was great. That being said, I would miss out on being in my class of 2010 back home; but that doesn't particularly bother me, I could come home for the end of year celebrations (ha). Even if I had to do year 12 when I got back, that wouldn't be so bad seeing as I'd just stuff it full of French, Chinese and other fun subjects. Ironically, today, the day after I posted this, my sister said she's probably going to go and teach Japanese for half a year or so in Japan next year! (she's just a Japanese beginner presently, doing her gap year) What a coincidence! All I need to do now is find an exchange program....

I've got a friend who did same thing during year 11 I think... sure he was a year below his buddies when he came back but they stayed friends plus he made new ones from his new year anyway. Do it...

I think completing my education was the highest priority for my parents, so that's what I ended up doing. I regret it, but I also see the benefit of graduating young. You have to think things through in the long run...

Definitely check out AFS! They don't pay their host families, and give great support, before your departure, during and after.

Go to this site, and in the upper right corner choose your own country. Then you can see whether or not you can go to Japan from your own country. Since the available countries change every year so.
Ganbatte!

http://afs.org

-Mesqueeb

I second the AFS recommendation. I took a semester abroad through them my senior year and I had a fantastic time. The volunteers are all very enthusiastic about helping you learn, which I though was great. I would definitely say to stay for a year, 1 semester was way too short.