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Ryan's Profile
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TB -- Hi Ryan! Thanks for doing this interview! Can you tell me a little more about yourself?
Ryan -- Sure! My name is Ryan Rawlings. I am a junior at my home university, The Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. I grew up in Akron, Ohio. I have two majors, Japanese and Linguistics and am a member of the honors college. My interests include reading, computer and video games, and acting. I hope to one day attend law school and become an intellectual property attorney.
TB -- Wow! That's great! And where do you study in Japan? How long will you be here?
Ryan -- I am currently studying at International Christian University in Tokyo Japan. I am here for a year from autumn quarter until the end of spring quarter.
TB -- How did you find out about Transborders?
Ryan -- According the literature that I received in the mail from ICU, I was supposed to receive a message from a realty company some time around the end of July 2007. I received a message from a realtor in Japan around that time, but they neglected to tell me who they were, why they were contacting me, or what business I had with them. They asked me to contact them, so I assumed that it was merely an attempt to obtain some sort of personal data by spam email, and simply deleted it. As the days crept into mid August, I was starting to get a bit concerned. I was under the impression that I had yet to be in contact with a realtor of any kind, so I called ICU's dean of Student Affairs. The school put me in touch with Transborders in the next few days.
TB -- Oh wow...and then, what was your experience with Transborders?
Ryan -- My experience was wonderful. When you are a foreigner about to move to another country, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not you will have a place to live when you get there. I was starting to become a little concerned with that matter when I finally got in touch with Transborders. At that point, I only had about two and a half weeks before I was leaving for Japan, so time was a bit of an issue. Not only did Transborders find me living options within two days, they constantly sent me emails in order to keep me apprised of the situation. No one did a thing, without sending me an email letting me know what was going on. After I selected a residence, they helped me process my paperwork quickly and easily. I believe it only took a little less than a week to find a residence and process all the paperwork. It was a real relief to have a place to live. Not only did Transborders help me find a place to live, they met me in Japan and led me to the residence. Lastly, on the few occasions when a problem has occurred, they have always been understanding and dealt with the issue quickly.
TB -- I'm so glad to hear that! So are you happy with your room?
Ryan -- Absolutely. It is a splendid apartment. The apartment is about 26.7 square meters, so it is bigger than most student residences. I have my own bath, as well as a kitchen area. The fact that all the furniture and utilities are paid for in the rent makes it a very easy place to live. The apartment is not to far away from the station and is located in Kichijoji so between proximity to public transportation and a great night life, the location is ideal. Street noise can be a problem when you are used to living in the country, but one becomes accustomed to that with time.
TB -- That's so great! Do you have any advice for people coming to Tokyo?
Ryan -- I have only two pieces of advice. One, you will experience culture shock. It will happen. Acknowledge it when it occurs and take steps to deal with it. And two, never be too proud or embarrassed to ask for help.
R- Dealing with a company that has experience working with exchange students was very helpful. They knew my concerns as well as what I was looking for in an apartment. From the stories that I have heard form the rest of the students at ICU, Japanese realtors don't really take into account that exchange students have a list of other issues to deal with at the same time as housing. Transborders does. | 
