Study Abroad in Japan

With KCP International, you can earn more Japanese credit than you would in an entire year at your university. Plus, you can pick your start date!

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Immerse yourself in the heart of Tokyo with a wide variety of courses, flexible schedules and convenient packages you keep your experience easy!

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Chasing Homesickness Blues Away

Studying abroad in a new country can be fun and full of adventure. You learn new things and how to adapt to a new culture, language, and environment.

Studying in Japan can open new doors for you personally and professionally.

Fall 2016 Yamanashi trip. | KCP Flickr

But leaving your home takes you away from family, friends, and the things you’re accustomed to. It is essentially taking you away from your comfort zone.

It won’t be surprising to feel some pangs of homesickness especially when you are adjusting to a new place.

Here are a few tips to help you cope when the homesickness blues hit:

Stay Positive!

Keeping a positive attitude allows you to be more open to things that are new and unfamiliar.

Embrace the Japanese language and culture and keep an open mind.

Fall 2015 students eat hōtō . | KCP Flickr

 

Make new friends

KCP has students from many countries. Getting to know all the students and not just keeping to people from your own school or country will give you an opportunity to broaden you circle of friends and perhaps even allow you to learn about other cultures from your classmates. Make new friends to share your KCP experience with to make your stay more memorable.

Explore!

As intensive as KCP classes may seem, you can still always find the time to go around. Start with tourist spots and work your way around the unbeaten path. You can walk around the nearby public gardens, quaint neighborhoods, and markets to relax and people watch. See what everyday life is like in Japan.

Try local food

Japanese food may seem exotic if you are unfamiliar with their cuisine. Get to know the different kinds of popular Japanese food and open your eyes and taste buds to something you may miss once you head back home.

Try local street foods and research on things you find interesting and may want to try.

Winter 2014 culture trip. | KCP Flickr

Take a break from social media

Technology will keep you in touch with family and friends back home. But staying too connected with them while in Japan and spending hours catching up can take a lot of time. You can use this time on other things. This can also hinder you from acclimating into your new environment and spending time making new friends.

Create a bucket list for Japan

Do some research on Japan and make a list of places and things you may want to try and do. This will give you a goal in making your stay even more productive.

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Read all about Japanese immersion learning and studying abroad. Check out our eZasshi archives for more articles!