I'm Europoor with opportunity to do 6 months exchange program within the next year. I'm considering going to Asia because I haven't been there and the culture interests me. China is at the top of my list but I'm also considering Japan and Singapore. Does anyone have experience how the experience is like? My understanding is that locals study pretty much 24/7 but is it easy to go out with other exchange students and explore the country? If most of the studies are in the local language, I assume it's difficult to actually do much studying there other than the local language.

I could afford to just travel there on my own for 6 months but I think going for exchange could open up more opportunities to make friends.

Depends on the program. I did 4 months in Japan and my classes were part of an international program taught in English. I spent time hanging out with other exchange students I met, which was awesome, but my program did nothing to get me involved with classmates in my own program. Had to make friends on my own. I did meet a few other foreigners by just chatting them up at the bar. Locals don’t really care to chat unless you speak the language. Language was a big barrier in daily life. I spaced out classes enough I got to explore the country and that was pretty cool. Near the end I was ready to go home, but I don’t regret the experience at all. Just don’t be surprised later on when no one gives a shit you had a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

>>2795861 (OP)
>the culture interest me
Yea yea WHATEVER dude. You just wanna fuck tight Asian teen snatch.

>>2795861 (OP)
>asia
>that locals study pretty much 24/7
kek

if this is university, it is the other way around
asian unis are much more chill than typical top eu Unis
the roles are flipped there compared to school, which is much easier in any European system (Abi, IB, bac, ebau etc.) compared to asian systems (gaokao, suneung etc.)

>Singapore
while the Universities are great, it's also really expensive
the people I know who went there traveled far less than those who went to Japan, Taiwan or China

>studying there other than the local language
exchange programs are typically mostly in English
otherwise you need proof that you are sufficient in local language
read the requirements!

>I could afford to just travel there on my own for 6 months but I think going for exchange could open up more opportunities to make friends.
Yes!
Absolutely do it
I did 3 exchanges myself (well 2 were research ones during PhD)
but 100% worth it

>Does anyone have experience how the experience is like?
been to Chile, China and Finland
as european myself I liked China the most
simply because it was so "different" and SO much to explore
Chile was just a pain to get around and Finland, well, I already was there before

ironically it's much easier to make Chinese friends in China than it is to even talk with Chinese students at my own euro University kek

>>2796741
>I did 3 exchanges myself (well 2 were research ones during PhD)
Care to tell more? I'm currently thinking of doing my PhD and would like to go to East Asia for that, maybe even stay there long term.

>>2796753
>Care to tell more?
did an exchange to University of Child in Santiago de Chile during my Bachelor
just for fun and because I never been to South America before
mostly went to travel, party and drinking kek

there's DAAD in Germany which helps / organizes your exchanges during a PhD
first one was to
>University of Helsinki
already worked with one the researchers there who was at my Uni before

second and longer one to
>China Agricultural University
was towards the end of my ~7y PhD
mostly organized it myself (with help of a Chinese friend there), my limited contract ran out and I actually lectured there for a year before I focused on writing
but that was more of a "i know someone who knows someone who makes an exception for you" situation

for reference, PhD in forest ecology

>thinking of doing my PhD and would like to go to East Asia for that
for you whole PhD or just an exchange?

I'd read into local PhD culture really well before
on some unis / institutes that's more akin to slave labor than research...

>>2795861 (OP)
Did Shanghai as an exchange student in 2010-2011. Best experience of my life, though China was a lot different then,

Shanghai is a great city. It's more wild than Hong Kong, but higher language requirement (you really need Mandarin to get by properly in Shanghai)

Singapore is probably the softest entry to Asia if you've never been there before but it has a reputation for being boring. It's where you move if you've lived in HK for years and now need to settle down with your wife and kids somewhere dull.

Japan is great but a very different experience to China.

Really depends what you want out of it. But definitely do it, it will be one of the major defining experiences of your life

>>2796765
>for you whole PhD or just an exchange?
Probably the whole thing. I'm currently in Eastern Yurop, and work in semiconductors, so there's simply way more opportunities for me in Korea/China/Taiwan than anywhere in Europe, both for education, and for future career.
>I'd read into local PhD culture really well before
>on some unis / institutes that's more akin to slave labor than research...
Well duh. I'm not in a rush, I have plenty of things I need to deal with this year, so I am not planning on actually starting my research until next autumn at the very least, so plenty of time to figure stuff out.

>>2797017
>and work in semiconductors
what do you even expect from a PhD then if you already work?

>so there's simply way more opportunities for me in Korea/China/Taiwan than anywhere in Europe, both for education, and for future career
not my field
but isn't there lots of semiconductor research in Europe as well as the US?
even manufacturing but for more specialized chips

someone in my family works at Fraunhofer in Germany and does semiconductor research as well in a pretty large research center

>not planning on actually starting my research until next autumn at the very least, so plenty of time to figure stuff out.
that's only 2-4months
reasonable but not awfully much time
especially if you want to check out multiple Universities

the whole application process for my PhD position took ~5months from first contact to first (paid) work day
between sending out my written application and receiving my work contract only about ~2months though