Classes in the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS), although taught in English and attended by foreign students, will exhibit elements of the traditional Japanese classroom. Local Waseda students will also attend classes offered by SILS, thereby giving CSU students a better opportunity to interact with local Japanese students. You can expect to find differences in the relationship between faculty and students, in the teaching styles of the professors, and in the structure of the courses compared to what you are used to in California. You must be prepared to adapt.
CSU student activities in Japan include group dinners and parties, including the observation of traditional American holidays. Popular activities are a lecture series and field trips designed to help students better understand Japan. Typical field trips include a trip to the Kansai district, the heart of traditional Japan, and chartered bus trips for sightseeing outside of Tokyo.
Most of the IP participants live in dormitories. Dormitory life provides students with the opportunity to interact more with their Japanese counterparts, as well as with other international students. CSU students who enjoy the independence of living on their own in California will likely prefer life in the dormitories.
A few participants are housed with Japanese families. This requires students to assume a social and moral responsibility toward their families. This arrangement provides a unique opportunity for students to become involved in the family culture of Japan, but it also requires adaptation to a more restricted way of life, particularly for women.
