[quote="GoldenRhino"]One could cut down the cost of staying in Japan a bit by staying in a capsule hotel...[/quote]

Or you could share a hotel room.

Airfare is actually the major bullet point. I'd like to go, but I don't want to feel pressured to make it worth my while because I spent all that money on an airplane ticket (that could have easily gone toward a new guitar, a new amplifier, a new computer, etc...you get the picture - it's a lot of money).

I also want to have enough money not only to stay there, but also to enjoy myself. You may not know this, but I love food (I don't even look like I enjoy food as much as I do). 80% of my interest in Japan derives from the cuisine - whether it be a 5 star restaurant or a stand on the side of the street, another 15% is derived from the pillows, and the rest is miscellaneous. Basically, what I'm saying is that I want to experience the wide variety of food there is in Japan, and anyone should know that such could result in a bill several times that of a hotel.

[quote="sheerheartattack"]Airfare is actually the major bullet point. I'd like to go, but I don't want to feel pressured to make it worth my while because I spent all that money on an airplane ticket (that could have easily gone toward a new guitar, a new amplifier, a new computer, etc...you get the picture - it's a lot of money).

I also want to have enough money not only to stay there, but also to enjoy myself. You may not know this, but I love food (I don't even look like I enjoy food as much as I do). 80% of my interest in Japan derives from the cuisine - whether it be a 5 star restaurant or a stand on the side of the street, another 15% is derived from the pillows, and the rest is miscellaneous. Basically, what I'm saying is that I want to experience the wide variety of food there is in Japan, and anyone should know that such could result in a bill several times that of a hotel.[/quote]

I'm surprised to be saying this, but I completely agree with Sheer.
Paying that much to be on a strict budget would be a waste of an opportunity, I'd rather save up for a big trip.

Actually the best way to do it is to do a study abroad program, since you get to experience all of it, get the food, see the pillows, and probably have your college pay for a chunk of it.

[quote="Marekenshin"]Actually the best way to do it is to do a study abroad program, since you get to experience all of it, get the food, see the pillows, and probably have your college pay for a chunk of it.[/quote]
How do you get into that kind of thing?

Umm, go talk to somebody in your college from the study abroad office?

[quote="Marekenshin"]Umm, go talk to somebody in your college from the study abroad office?[/quote]

Still in highschool.

Holy shieeeeeeeet.
Thats crazy.
Being noticed by one of your favorite bands...
And them doing your request....and after that scoring with asian chicks.
Thats really lucky.

[quote="sheerheartattack"]I like food. [snip][/quote]

Hm. That's a good point. Though one thing to keep in mind, if you're worried about Tokyo's higher prices, is that there's no tipping or tax here. It pretty much evens out.

And also, when it comes to getting tickets: I just learned from my dad today that getting a travel agent to help get tickets is a VERY good idea. He saved about $900 for the round trip ticket price to Japan. Pretty slick.

[quote="Marekenshin"]Actually the best way to do it is to do a study abroad program, since you get to experience all of it, get the food, see the pillows, and probably have your college pay for a chunk of it.[/quote]

I've actually put a great deal of thought into this. I'd like to go abroad, but I've been having trouble choosing a country to go to. Since the only language I'm fluent in is English, I'm afraid I might not be fit for studying abroad in a place like Japan. I have heavily considered England, though. Not only would I be able to experience the United Kingdom, but I'd also have immediate and easy access to a great deal of Europe. However, it might be more cost effective to go to Japan, because a trip to Europe would be far cheaper to front myself, I think.

My only question is this: Is my complete lack of any understanding of Japanese (or any other language) a consideration for studying abroad in a foreign country like Japan, with its own unique language? Or will English be sufficient for a study abroad program?


[quote="GoldenRhino"][quote="sheerheartattack"]I like food. [snip][/quote]

Hm. That's a good point. Though one thing to keep in mind, if you're worried about Tokyo's higher prices, is that there's no tipping or tax here. It pretty much evens out.

And also, when it comes to getting tickets: I just learned from my dad today that getting a travel agent to help get tickets is a VERY good idea. He saved about $900 for the round trip ticket price to Japan. Pretty slick.[/quote]

No tipping or tax? That's pretty neat. But I'm not so much concerned with higher prices as I am concerned with simply the general cost of food. $10-20 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner can easily be $30-60 a day, and that's not including anything else I'd be doing that day.

[quote="sheerheartattack"]anything else I'd be doing that day.[/quote]

Japanese prostitutes.

[quote="GoldenRhino"]One could cut down the cost of staying in Japan a bit by staying in a capsule hotel...[/quote]

I've read that many of them deny service to foreigners, though.

[quote="GoldenRhino"]One could cut down the cost of staying in Japan a bit by staying in a capsule hotel...[/quote]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/thejedipunk/capsulecorp.jpg[/img]

?

[quote="thejedipunk"][quote="GoldenRhino"]One could cut down the cost of staying in Japan a bit by staying in a capsule hotel...[/quote]

[img]

?[/quote]

I heard some of those turn down service to non-Saiyans.

and sheer:
It really just depends on where you'd plan to study abroad. If you find a place (like Sophia or Temple University both in Tokyo) that has a lot of foreign students, English-fluent staff, and classes in English...then that's cool. You really would get the immersion of being in Japan, while the experience remains totally accessible.

And being in Tokyo doesn't hurt either. Quite a number of people working in stores around the busier areas of Tokyo know at least a little English.

Yeah, I think that you can get by without Japanese, and actually Japanese food tends to run pretty cheap. You can get a delicious and large lunch for about 780 yen, which is a little over six bucks or something like that. It's really not as expensive as good food in America, unless you go to some ridiculously high-end restaurant.

Also yes to the international Universities in Japan, you could do that easily.