A Semester in Japan 1

[MisskikiCoconuts]

@californiadajatt lol i gave this one a thumbs up because of the ignorance and prejudice way to look like a doofus <3 :3

[Josh7289]

Wow, I had you as a conversation hour leader in spring 09. Cool coincidence coming across this video.

[tusense]

@Josh7289 Oh really?! Hi there! I was an awful convo. hour leader haha

[TokyoNerd]

19 hours???? It only took me 14ish...where did you fly from?

[tusense]

@TokyoNerd New Jersey

[TokyoNerd]

@tusense

Ahh, flew from further away than me.

[xepictorrie20x]

how did you apply to study abroad?

[tusense]

@xepictorrie20x Through my school. Every school is going to be different. Check with your global studies or similar department about the application process.

[shikamaru594]

Thats really cool im just starting to learn. I would love to study abroad it seem like so much fun!

[tusense]

It is extremely fun! Definitely do it if you have the chance.

[shikamaru594]

do you speak fluent Japenese?

[tusense]

Not fluent. But I was able to get by while I was there. Ask for directions, go shopping, figure out where I needed to get on/off the train.

[TguyR14]

thanks for posting videos about your journey in Japan.

May I ask you something? R you staying at dorms where rooms for study abroad students ?

Is that cheaper than living with hosting families?

[tusense]

I stayed in dorms. I think the cost was about the same. It depends on what your school has set up

[ElBluesummer]

Man, I love people like you puttin videos like this up! I'm sending in my application tomorrow to hopefully get a full-ride scholarship for a semester of intensive japanese + a summer of sudy abroad in japan. I'm so pumped man! I hope I get in! If I do, I vow to make videos just like this!

[Tsarocksmysocks]

sweet i should do that if i get money

[RoseSlayer]

Any tips you can give to someone going to KG in Fall 2009? Special eateries, necessities?

[tusense]

If you are short of money, buy food at the kyukyu (dollar store). it is walking distance from the dorms.

You don't need to pack any sheets (made that mistake).

Um... there's a lot I could tell you. If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me any time

[Intuos03]

I'm studying abroad at Kwansei Gakuin University near Osaka in the fall of 2009 and have been learning anything and everything I can about Japan they don't tell you in class in order to keep the culture shock to a minimum (an exercise in futility right?) Just wanted to say thanks. Very informative & eye-opening.

[tusense]

You're welcome. I had fun filming it.

And don't worry about the culture shock. I had too much fun for it to bother me much. Just keep an open mind and don't let set backs bring down your spirits and you'll have the best time of your life.

[zefiris33]

what exchange program did u use/what textbook does the program use?

[tusense]

It was through my home university.

They use Genki. Good textbooks.

[KemKemVN]

Hi there:), thanks for a great video, I'm gonna keep watching the others when i have time.anyway, im thinking about going to Kansai Gaidai too, so ur experience is much appreciated!

[joapuck]

so am i! =)

[sendosasori]

oohh~~!! yea.. and it looks rlly nice there.. =-] lovely. XD

[sendosasori]

=[ lucky..wasnt it scary going there tho...? o-o i mean its a hole new evrythin.. u now no one the lag. is diff...n tuns of stuff..XDD i rlly wanna do that too but im having second thoughts its just the being alone part not knowin anyone..im just nervous rlly. =]

[KemKemVN]

Well sendosaori,I've never been to Japan(im working on it tho^^), but im a international students in the US now.and i guarantee u that it's crazy when u first go study abroad.(u can see some of it in this video already lol) but then b4 u know it, u will get used to everything, make some friends and enjoy ur life. it's worth trying right:)

[ginzuisho]

Woah what college are you at?

wow def post more videos and pictures in the future!

this is amazing.

[tusense]

Thx! I'm at Kansai Gaidai.

[MundaneMurder]

:o hai! you don't know me, but uhhh.. yeah. i subscribed to you a while back. xD

So you're on an exchange program to Japan for a semester eh? I wanted to apply for an exchange program to Japan too. x[ But i'm Asian already, so i force myself to apply to an European exchange program for a year. :P I hope you have fun. I'm looking forward to watching your videos. There's a huge difference between living there and being a tourist. :)

[tusense]

Hi ^^ Yeah, you're right, there is definitely a big difference. Tourists don't have to go to the supermarket and cook themselves dinner and go to class all the time. But I like this set up better than being a tourist. Also, there are plenty of Asian students who are in the exchange program! You should go where you would like to go best, I think.

[MundaneMurder]

Awesome. Now if only i can convince my mother to let me go. lol. She's having second thoughts on this whole exchange program thing. :p

So hows the schooling there? tough?

[tusense]

My mother was really hesitant too. I kinda just did things in pieces. Like, "oh hey mom, I'm gonna apply for this thing" then "So, it looks like I might get accepted" then "Alright, well, time to pack!" Doing it in stages helped with her because she kinda forgot about it in between. It took a long time to do the application and everything (a few months).

The Japanese classes are pretty tough. Sensei only speaks Japanese to us, but my English-lang. classes are so EASY!

[MundaneMurder]

:'( My mother decided i couldn't go for a whole year. She's reconsidering letting me go at all. If i do get to go, it's only for a semester. Japan isn't an option since that requires a good basic understanding of the language. x_x

[XSxEOtakuX]

RUCKY(yess its not lucky anymore its Rucky ) ! i noe how u feel about the irish hair/sunburn/cant take extreme heat thing. anyway. just sayin hi and have lots of fun:)

[tusense]

lol Thanks. And yeah, Irish hair. No good in Japan in August

[Nekoyasha2315]

OMG You Are soooooooooooo lucky its been my dream to go to japan T^T I really hope u have a good time, and I wish you luck with your school work and other stuff you might do ^_^

[tusense]

Thanks. You should check out some exchange programs and the JET program. They might be able to help you get over here

[Nekoyasha2315]

What the JET program?? and if its a program for school I might not be albe, Im already a super 12 // grade 13 right now XP

[tusense]

JET is for teaching English abroad. And there are lots of programs at both the high school and college level for people looking to study Japanese.

[leetuberness114]

they should put locks on the refrigerators

[tusense]

Well, there are a lot of us sharing one refrigerator, so I'm not sure if that would do much good

[leetuberness114]

Eh sorry for not being clear about what i said. I tried to type out "from other people" but did not have enough time because i had a thunderstorm here sorry about that.

[tusense]

lol ooooo. It's no problem. I was like, eh?

[jamii123195]

wow it looks beautiful there.....oh man now i wanna go!!! lol well i hope your having a better time now lol.....i know about the time change and eating thing its happened to me before and its so hard to get used to it (it was for me lol) but then u get used to it and come back and you have to get used to it AGAIN!! lol well we miss you!!!! lol and New Jersey isnt THAT flat lol we have mountians! (not HUGE ones but they're there!!) lol

[tusense]

Miss you all too ^^ But yeah, definitely not looking forward to having to get re-adjusted to New Jersey time when I come back

[jamii123195]

yeah good luck with that lol........aww i wanna go to japan!!! lol i wanna move out of NJ oh well im gonna hafta live with it lol

[AtticusRh0des]

Its cool that your still posting vids, trust you me i love them, but remember school comes first! lol Hope ya feel better!

[tusense]

I am ^^ Thanks

[AtticusRh0des]

Youre welcome^^

[UchihaShirubi]

I was trying hard to enjoy this video, but I felt so bad that you were very sick! Ah! That must have been some flight!! And Kyoto... Such a shame. Things I hope get much better for you! Submit lots of fun videos for your adoring fans! Arigatou Gozaimashita! 5/5

[tusense]

Do itashi mashite. I feel much much better now. I'm sure I will get to go exploire Kyoto and other places soon ^^

[EBIproductions]

so are you going to be in university there..

or just high school?

[tusense]

University

[EBIproductions]

oh..i wish you luck ^^

[cosplaybrigadefans]

OMG u r so lucky to be in japan i so wish i was there....oh well i'll live take lots of videos and lots of pics i know we all want to see japan and how much fun u are haveing there

love and light blondecat5

[tusense]

There are definitely plenty of ways to get here. It isn't easy, but if you study even a little Japanese in high school or college there are lots of programs. There's also programs for teaching English here. Maybe ask your school if they have anything.

[Korean420]

Jet lag sucks!

[tusense]

I know. ugh

[AnimeDesertCoral]

AWSOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE yea it will take about maby a week or more or less to get used to the time span..

[tusense]

Yeah, I think I'm finally almost used to it...

[AnimeDesertCoral]

well thats good to hear :D

[raeraenana]

Hello! Are you staying in a dorm-type place? Is it off campus? What school are you at anyways?

^_^ I'm sorry, but I'm just really curious abut this process.

Oh! And have fun!

[tusense]

Thanks. Yeah, it's a dorm off campus. About 15 minutes of a walk. I'm at Kansai Gaidai University.

[raeraenana]

Hoookay. Thank you!

[DeceranPlane]

New subscriber *waves*

Anyway, hope you have a great time in Japan. I'm sure traveling to another country and immersing yourself in a new culture must be exciting :)

Just curious, have you been out and about yet?

(If this double-posted, I'm sorry. Youtube is screwing around with me...)

[tusense]

Hi new subscriber!

First of all, thanks! Second, yeah, I've been out and about a little. We had an orientation week, but they pretty much left us to fend for ourselves. So I bought a bike and have been riding around looking for things like grocery stores and such.

[kevin7475]

are you going to one of the big cons in japan

[tusense]

I might try to get to the Tokyo Game Show if possible. Are there others I should try to get to?

[kevin7475]

never been to japan i dont no i wanna go to japan

[drain3d]

Other then being sick. Hows the trip so far? Also work hard so when i get out there we can visit a shrine or two maybe see Mount Fuji, And remember If your gonna take the train use the women only cars if possible.

[tusense]

It's great other than being sick. And I actually am working hard - I'm on youtube as a break from studying and class hasn't even started. So yeah. Also, they already told us about the women only cars 0.0

[DomoCosplay]

Just don't push yourself too hard.

I hope to see you speak very well in Japanese after those 4 months.

[tusense]

Thanks. I hope so too

[DomoCosplay]

I actually know how hot that feels.

But you look like you are enjoying yourself though, despite what you're going through with directions and stuff.

Studying abroad is pretty awesome, just a lot of adjustments (including jet lag) to go through as you know.

:]

I do hope you don't get sick like that again.

I know that you are trying to make videos but just put our education and stuff first, and do as best as you can!

[tusense]

Thanks ^^ I definitely am very focused on studying. I want to learn a lot of Japanese while I'm here. There's no better place to learn. And I'm feeling much better too now ^^