Once I start school, I'm going to look into a study abroad program

[DaJe]

Turns out the school I'll be going to has a good study abroad program. There are 29 different countries I could go to, and I could be there for a semester, for just the summer, or a whole year. All supplies and housing and airfare and food are all provided. I could stay with a host family or in a payed apartment. There are 75 different programs available to take. I'd have to wait a bit before I do that though, I'd need to get settled in at the school first. Some of the requirements are 24 credits, faculty recommendations, and an essay.



"students to have a choice to study more than 75 study abroad programs in 29 countries around the world for a semester, summer or full academic year. Curricular options include intensive foreign language courses as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences, physical sciences, business, studio art and design and marketing."




Where do you guys think I should go? I was thinking Japan would be best related to the kind of career I'm working towards. It's going to be great to finally be back in school again.

[crenn]

What are you trying to head towards?

[DaJe]

I'm not fully sure what I want to do, but I do know that I want to eventually go to MIT. Looking into what MIT offers, I was thinking of maybe majoring in computer engineering, and possibly minoring in artificial intelligence.

[jdbnsn]

I dream of going to Japan one day, since I've seen China I want to see their enemy. Looks like a beautiful place but hella expensive.

BTW- If you plan to communicate with the locals, I'd hit Rosetta Stone pretty damned hard. It isn't one of those languages you can sorta work out when you get there.

[DaJe]

I dream of going to Japan one day, since I've seen China I want to see their enemy. Looks like a beautiful place but hella expensive.

If you want to see enemies, you could go to Corea. There's still some tension between the two from the atrocities of World War II.



BTW- If you plan to communicate with the locals, I'd hit Rosetta Stone pretty damned hard. It isn't one of those languages you can sorta work out when you get there.Actually from what I hear, to learn the language, it's best to just immerse yourself in it, away from English. ANd eventually you'll start to understand it more, and you'll actually know the words. So you'll be speaking them and knowing what they are, rather than just translating them. They also offer language courses.

[Omega]

Jon, Japanese people are required to take 11 years of english in school

once they figure out that you speak english, they'll want to practice with a native speaker, even if you speak japanese.

However, learning at least basic japanese will be extremely helpful (for those people who no longer speak english/never learned it/etc)

[DaJe]

And some of them aren't too fond of foreigners. Though a lot of them really do love western culture and products and whatnot.

[Omega]

Yeah, but if you want a taste of the REAL japan (NOT Tokyo, Tokyo is an international city like Paris or New York), then go to smaller cities and such. You'll see almost nothing but Japanese people there. It's places like those that haven't been westernized so badly so you can get a better feel for the real Japanese culture.

EDIT: Oh, but stay away from sea cucumber sushi

[DaJe]

I think I'll also make sure to stay away from ice cucumber Pepsi ;)

And yeah, if I went there, I'd want to go to a place that's more like Japan, not like home.

[jdbnsn]

Jon, Japanese people are required to take 11 years of english in school

Well I have no experience with Japan so I couldn't say. But I was told similar things about China and found that it wasn't the case. Picking up Chinese was extremely complicated, and trust me, I was immersed.

[Dilphat]

dude beware of the puffer fish dishes. you never know! and good luck with everyone sounds cool!

[Crazy Buddhist]

One of the most influential people in my life was Japanese - my Zen Master Kobun Chino Roshi. I learned meditation through caligraphy with him.

He died tragically in July 2002 and I wrote this poem as my testament to this most wonderful man.

White Snow Clings

White snow clings to the roofs of the cars.
Fresh daisies on my windowsill.
Every moment is perfect.
My zen teacher told me.
Even his death.
Dying trying to save.
His baby daughter Maya.
Drowning in a lake in Switzerland.
Which held so many perfect moments.
And was so deep as never known.

(in honour of Kobun Chino Roshi And His Daughter Maya)

http://www.freedomforall.net/London Winter.jpg

[Scotty]

And according to a guy i know who lives in Japan, do not go any where dodgey, don't go out at night. The Mafia will kill you.

[Omega]

Oh yeah, the Yakuza. I would suggest finding a nice place in the middle of nowhere if you're planning on living there.

[jdbnsn]

Heehee, beware the Crazy 88

[D1337]

I want to goto japan and cali, since their both filled with technology.
Italy is a nice place, the people are generous, the food is great. Might not be the best if your looking to indulge in computers, but youll love it anyways.

[crenn]

When you say cali, do you mean california?

[Omega]

Probably.

We really do have some bitchin' stuff.

[D1337]

yep, all the tech companies and leaders of the US are located in the west coast..
life is never fair is it =/

[DaJe]

Well at least my webhost is located in Massachusetts. And 2K Boston made Bioshock.

[crenn]

Hehe, I'm actually planning to go to California for a holiday in January..... not 100% sure if I'm going or not xP

[Dilphat]

yep, all the tech companies and leaders of the US are located in the west coast..
life is never fair is it =/

yea it's okay here in cali. but beware of the valley! beware i say! lol. i lived in san joaquin valley, or right in the middle of it in this farm land called delano. dam! valley fever. but yeah it is ok in california.

[Omega]

haha, Valley Fever sucks. My dad went to the hospital for it. D:<

Really, though, the San Joaquin valley is a lot different than the Central Valley. The Central Valley isn't really that bad (hey man, you can take I-5S for like three hours in a straight line. That's how we go to LA most of the time because it's the most convenient. CA-101 takes longer, but it is more interesting...)

Anywho.

If you come to California, well

Avoid SoCal like the plague it is ;)

[Elenril]

I went to a Japanese school for 4 years in primary school. Not like a Sunday school, I mean my school was actually a school for Japanese children. God knows why my parents decided to send me there, I have no clue. My point is, I went there for 4 years, 'immersing' myself in the Japanese culture of the school (or as much as it can get in Australia), and failed miserably in picking up the language. You've gotta at the very least learn the basics of Japanese before you go over there, it's nothing like anything you've ever spoken or heard.

[Dilphat]

haha, Valley Fever sucks. My dad went to the hospital for it. D:<

Really, though, the San Joaquin valley is a lot different than the Central Valley. The Central Valley isn't really that bad (hey man, you can take I-5S for like three hours in a straight line. That's how we go to LA most of the time because it's the most convenient. CA-101 takes longer, but it is more interesting...)

Anywho.

If you come to California, well

Avoid SoCal like the plague it is ;)

hey wats that suppose to mean? haha, i currently live in san diego. nah but yea socal isn't as great as norcal. but oh wells...i mean norcal has it's ups and downs and socal has its own ups and downs. just be careful from SDSU...stds. and you'll be good!

BACK TO THE TOPIC

I went to a Japanese school for 4 years in primary school. Not like a Sunday school, I mean my school was actually a school for Japanese children. God knows why my parents decided to send me there, I have no clue. My point is, I went there for 4 years, 'immersing' myself in the Japanese culture of the school (or as much as it can get in Australia), and failed miserably in picking up the language. You've gotta at the very least learn the basics of Japanese before you go over there, it's nothing like anything you've ever spoken or heard.

yea i heard it is hard to learn japanese. my cousin took it in high school and said it was kind of hard. but then again i have a friend from the valley who is learning japanese on his own. so i mean it is possible to learn. just put some effort in it and you should be good.

[simon275]

Yeah two years ago I went to Tokyo, Niko, Kyoto.

We spent like a week in Tokyo and then a couple of days in Niko looking at temples and finally like 4 days in Kyoto also looking at temples and flew out of Osaka to China.

Japan is seriously weird. I found Japan ok for computers and such like I went to Sony's Headquaters and played PS2 games that hadn't been released and got to buy a PSP like 6 months before they came out in Australia. Also Akihabara is really good for consumer electronics. But when it comes to computers and components Singapore would have to be the best with Sim Lim Square.

[Crazy Buddhist]

Avoid SoCal like the plague it is ;)

First trip to America, April this year - a long weekend in Newport Beach, OC.

Went to get some scans done referred by my doc, very specific questions asked by her in advance. "We can do this", they said - so I came. With the flights etc $3,000 (of my bank's money) spent.

Whilst there a girl rollerbladed up to me on the boardwalk and said "hey - rad shirt man". I liked her - I was in my fave "T" - the olive green one with a cartoon black sheep and the words "Black Sheep" on it. Of the 20+ compliments my T shirt got in three days hers was the most stylishly delivered (seriously this is one popular shirt and a one off designed for me but I don't know who by).

When I got home there was an email from the scan company saying, "We can't answer your docs questions from the scans we did - they are not really the right type of scans to answer these questions". I said "No Problem but in that case my bank account says it wants its money back". "Screw you :dead:" was their well thought out reply.

All in all this put me off America a bit but perhaps it's just a "SoCal" kinda thing?

Don't worry though - My T-shirt loved the place - booked into the Best Western for the whole of next summer it is.

... oh yeaah

Japanese is almost impossible to learn to a decent standard as an adult without at least a few years there according to a pal who grew up and lived there to age 25. And there are basically two forms and most westerners, even who speak it, will be constantly addressed in the inpolite form as a kind of constant, under the radar, insult. He used to give as good as he got - because he was bilingual - but he said it made him cringe: listening to the constant, un-noticed insults being delivered on smiling faces to western visitors who did speak it but not well enough to know what was going on.

:)

[DaJe]

Well, I'll just have to find a way to get by and to learn everything needed. Maybe it'll take multiple years for me to learn enough, maybe I'll do it quickly, I'll just have to do it. And if anyone feels like insulting me, whatever, they can do so if they need to. Maybe I could even turn the insult around and call myself it, to destroy the meaning. I'll just have to make whatever I get work.

[Elenril]

And there are basically two forms and most westerners, even who speak it, will be constantly addressed in the inpolite form as a kind of constant, under the radar, insult.


That reminds me a lot of what I get at home sometimes. I'm half Chinese, so although I don't look Asian, I can understand Cantonese. I've had quite a few people insult me in Chinese, mainly racist shopkeepers in Chinatown, thinking I can't understand them, but I just turn right around and reply in Chinese straight back to them. The looks on their faces are priceless.


Japan is a wonderful place, so even if you can't speak the language fluently, I'm sure you'll have a great time anyway.

[Dilphat]

Well, I'll just have to find a way to get by and to learn everything needed. Maybe it'll take multiple years for me to learn enough, maybe I'll do it quickly, I'll just have to do it. And if anyone feels like insulting me, whatever, they can do so if they need to. Maybe I could even turn the insult around and call myself it, to destroy the meaning. I'll just have to make whatever I get work.

haha nice plan dude. Also, just go and see if you can find like a cute asian chick to be your girl. and learn from her! yeah! :banana:

[DaJe]

Or maybe I could find a cute guy instead ;)

[Crazy Buddhist]

Or maybe I could find a cute guy instead ;)

**** man ... go for broke ... get one of each.

[Dilphat]

**** man ... go for broke ... get one of each.
haha, might was well go for a shim while your at it. best of both worlds i guess? i dunno! haha oh f**k...make sure to watch out for haado gei(hard gay)!!! he's like this comedian dude who used to wrestle. my friend told me to watch some video clips on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqDtUtAOUyM




p.s. For everyone's info I am a guy and love women! i am straight! just to let you guys know!

[Crazy Buddhist]

p.s. For everyone's info I am a guy and love women! i am straight! just to let you guys know!

I'm pretty sure no one is really bothered. If you are happy and no one gets hurt that's all that matters in life at the end of the day.

[xRyokenx]

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Note to self: Don't click links provided by Dilphat. That was just weird... and made no sense, less than their game shows over there.

[Dilphat]

*blink blink*

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Note to self: Don't click links provided by Dilphat. That was just weird... and made no sense, less than their game shows over there.

eh my bads on that one ryoken. ill try not to put more nonsense asian game shows on the forums. to my self i say this "Gosh, friggin idiot" haha