Japanese School Not on Saturday

At Maryville College, every Saturday Andersen field becomes flooded with the sounds of Japanese children. They come here for Japanese school. There, they learn Japanese culture, kanji, and any thing else they need in order to assimilate back into Japan.

This is not the Japanese school I will be going to.

Kansai Gaidai University will likely be very different than Maryville. Everything from grades to attendance to behavior will operate on a Japanese mindset. After all, I will be in Japan, not America.

So let's start grades- the most important part of an American student's life.

At Kansai Gaidai, they use a 4.0 scale for quality points that are then translated into letter grades. An A+ and an A are a 4.0, while an A- is a 3.7. A B+, B, and B- are 3.3, 3.0, and 2.7 respectively. This pattern continues with C's and D's all the down to F, which is a 0.0. I hope I never see that number while I'm there. In regards to regular point assignments, I have no idea how they will do it. Now, according to World Education Services, Japan's scale is that 80-100 equals an A, 70-79 equals a B, 60-69 equals a C, and 0-59 equals a F. As a student who gets mostly A's and a few B's, this 80-100 scale works wonderfully for me. But, does this mean that the work is harder? I have no idea, but I'm sure I'll find out!

From looking at the Kansai Gaidai website, I've found no support or tutoring. There may services available, but are not advertised on their website.

I'm lucky in that Kansai Gaidai's credits equal Maryville College credits. This makes transferring credits a breeze! I will need to be enrolled in a minimum of four classes (14 credits) with up to a maximum of six course (20 credits). This, plus the minimum 12 credits needed for Maryville College, will make me a full time student.

Enough about logistics though. What will I expect culturally?

See, that's the part I'm not sure with Kansai Gaidai. While I'll be at a Japanese school, many professors there are not Japanese. And since the Asian Studies Program caters towards Western students, will this mean that the classes will behave more Western than Japanese. That, I don't know.

In general, however, Japanese classes are different than American classes in that students don't talk. Questions are saved for after class. There's also a more formal relationship with Japanese professors than here in America. The causal conversations we have with our professors are a completely foreign concepts. I have no idea with this mind set will still exist with American professors that teach at Kansai Gaidai.

While I'm there, I will be expected to take Japanese course that will have three 90-minute periods with labs and homework. Kanji and Reading courses will meet two 90-minute periods a week. The other course will also be 90-minutes two times a week that may have field trips, research assignments, and etc.

All in all, I feel prepared to study abroad. Though there may be some unknowns here and there, but I'm sure through observation and professor dynamic, I'll know what to do.