Language Schools in Japan

[Entichers]

hey all,

any one of u FG folks have up-to-date information about Japanese language schools in Japan that :

1. has a full time language course

2. Open admission dates

3. Starts in April

thanks again

[FG Lurker]

hey all,

any one of u FG folks have up-to-date information about Japanese language schools in Japan that :

1. has a full time language course

2. Open admission dates

3. Starts in April

thanks again

Use the search feature of the board... There are lots of threads about this.

Most (except tiny) schools will have a full time course. Admission dates are usually somewhat flexible if you do NOT need a visa. The vast majority will start in April as that is when the visas start. April or October.

A note: if you start in October you can only have a pre-college visa for 1.5 years! Starting in April gives you a max of 2 years. All are in 6-month chunks if memory serves.

[Entichers]

hey thanks but do you have any personal recommendations?

[FG Lurker]

hey thanks but do you have any personal recommendations?

Yes. My recommendation is that you search for threads that cover this well already...

I don't know anything about you. I don't know your current level, what level you want to attain, what you want to do with your Japanese skill, how long you want to stay here, if you need a visa.... Nothing.

I will pass along a bit of information that a fellow FG gave me when I first started studying Japanese: In the job market being able to speak Japanese is a useless skill *by itself*. You have to be able to combine it with something else if you want it to be useful. In my case it is a computer-related skillset + Japanese. This has worked out very well for me. But if I had no skill other than being able to speak Japanese I would be an English teacher...And although I enjoyed my time teaching, I wouldn't have survived 10 years of it.

[tatsujin]

I will pass along a bit of information that a fellow FG gave me when I first started studying Japanese: In the job market being able to speak Japanese is a useless skill *by itself*. You have to be able to combine it with something else if you want it to be useful. In my case it is a computer-related skillset + Japanese. This has worked out very well for me. But if I had no skill other than being able to speak Japanese I would be an English teacher...And although I enjoyed my time teaching, I wouldn't have survived 10 years of it.

Once again on the ball Lurker! Any of the FGs I have spoken to, working in Japan, have all said its skillset plus Japanese. Then again I suppose its common sense when you think of it! (common sense has never been my strong point )

[FG Lurker]

Once again on the ball Lurker! Any of the FGs I have spoken to, working in Japan, have all said its skillset plus Japanese. Then again I suppose its common sense when you think of it! (common sense has never been my strong point )

Yup, it is common sense... But for whatever reason many people don't consider anything at all before embarking on several years of (expensive) education.

I actually knew a guy who ended up committing suicide in Osaka. Pretty sad story really. He was an ok guy, if a bit odd. He had been here quite a few years and had managed to learn Japanese quite well. He had no other strong skills though and was literally stuck teaching English. He tried to go home, but had been here quite awhile and didn't have a career to go back to at home. He ended up coming back to Japan to continue teaching. He was depressed but managing okay. Then his girlfriend dumped him pretty hard. He went over the edge and hung himself. Damn.

[DJEB]

Damn. Sorry to hear that.

[FG Lurker]

Damn. Sorry to hear that.

I knew him through work, but I had left teaching by the time this happened. It was a helluva shock at the time though, I had no idea things were so bad for him. I guess it was 1998 or 99.

It's an extreme example of possible negative effects of being a FG...

[tatsujin]

Damn. Sorry to hear that.

I knew him through work, but I had left teaching by the time this happened. It was a helluva shock at the time though, I had no idea things were so bad for him. I guess it was 1998 or 99.

It's an extreme example of possible negative effects of being a FG...

I suppose we are all so used to hearing the success stories we forget just how difficult it is adapting to life as an alien in a foreign country.

I actually work with Siemens here in Ireland and we employ a lot of Europeans for tech support, I know a lot of them had a tough time around Christmas being away from their families (most are 20-30 and relatively single)

[gomichild]

I went to this school Kichijoji Language School for a semester full time. Good teachers and good classes. I wasn't a beginner when I started there but they allowed for that. I've recommended them to other people and they've liked it too.

However I do agree that language skills are not enough if you are trying to get a job on the outside of teaching. Being able to speak Japanese is a plus though in most cases.

[FG Lurker]

I suppose we are all so used to hearing the success stories we forget just how difficult it is adapting to life as an alien in a foreign country.

Yup... I know another guy who made several million dollars (literally) here during the bubble... He still works too, I don't really understand why!

I wonder what the ration of success to failure is. Probably not that good.