Considering Going to College in Japan

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by MMM

You don't choose a college for what city it's in, you choose a college that meets your needs in the field of study you want to focus on.

Either way, she(?) is 13 or 14 - not exactly the age you start choosing a university, so it is really a moot point.

[Payne222]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

More wise things.

Dang, you're right! But the problem is, I like the city.
I grew up in the city here in the US and now I live in the sticks,
It's boring as all Hell.
So I'd prefer Tokyo, maybe another big city around there.

You seem to know a lot about it, and I really appreciate your help!
And the reason I was gonna do Germany was because (at the time)
My German pwnd my Japanese. But now, I'm getting better at Japanese
so my confidence in the language is growing.

And Nyororin, if it isn't a bother, d'you think you could help me with looking
up Japanese college information on becoming an ESL teacher...
I dunno what they'd call it abroad.

But anyways, thanks a lot!! (^_^)

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Payne222

Dang, you're right! But the problem is, I like the city.
I grew up in the city here in the US and now I live in the sticks,
It's boring as all Hell.
So I'd prefer Tokyo, maybe another big city around there.

You seem to know a lot about it, and I really appreciate your help!
And the reason I was gonna do Germany was because (at the time)
My German pwnd my Japanese. But now, I'm getting better at Japanese
so my confidence in the language is growing.

And Nyororin, if it isn't a bother, d'you think you could help me with looking
up Japanese college information on becoming an ESL teacher...
I dunno what they'd call it abroad.

But anyways, thanks a lot!! (^_^)

There is no need to go to college in Japan if your goal is to teach English in Japan.

That's like going to Harvard to learn how to mow grass. Just having a four-year degree and being a native English speaker is all you need to qualify to teach at a public school or private English school.

If you want to study in Japan I wouldn't worry about majoring in how to teach English, but in something a little more useful, as you already speak English.

[Payne222]

Originally Posted by MMM

There is no need to go to college in Japan if your goal is to teach English in Japan.

That's like going to Harvard to learn how to mow grass. Just having a four-year degree and being a native English speaker is all you need to qualify to teach at a public school or private English school.

If you want to study in Japan I wouldn't worry about majoring in how to teach English, but in something a little more useful, as you already speak English.

Ahhh, so I can get off the hook studying there by just being native?
That's pretty sweet.
So going to a US school is fine, right?
But doing the whole, study abroad program in college
would still be good too, right?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Payne222

Ahhh, so I can get off the hook studying there by just being native?
That's pretty sweet.
So going to a US school is fine, right?
But doing the whole, study abroad program in college
would still be good too, right?

I am sure that 99% of the tens of thousands of English teachers in Japan did not study at all in Japan.

Of course, taking a year on Japan on Study Abroad is a great idea, too.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Payne222

I grew up in the city here in the US and now I live in the sticks,
It's boring as all Hell.
So I'd prefer Tokyo, maybe another big city around there.

I am not discouraging you from going to a city - I am discouraging you from going to Tokyo. There is a huge difference. Tokyo is full of foreigners - an abnormally large number of them bitter for various reasons. I believe it`s far too easy to be sucked into the "expat" lifestyle there, and end up with all sorts of misconceptions and frustration. A lot of people who would have had an excellent time elsewhere in Japan find themselves in really uncomfortable situations via the expat community in Tokyo. Obviously this isn`t the case for everyone, but it is enough to make me VERY wary of advising anyone to live in Tokyo.

Other cities seem to escape this problem - likely because everyone who knows nothing about Japan and only wants to live here because they think it`s cool from a very limited slice of information never leave Tokyo. I have heard Osaka is, to an extent, similar in some ways but not close to the way it is in Tokyo.

I live just outside a major city (in the center of the third largest metropolitan area in Japan) that is virtually unknown among tourists and "Japan fans". I wouldn`t choose to live in the countryside - it can be quite inconvenient.

You seem to know a lot about it, and I really appreciate your help!

You`re welcome. I enjoy helping people who are serious in their plans.
As for knowing a lot... I live in Japan, and received my degree at a regular Japanese university, as a normal student (in contrast to in an international program).

And the reason I was gonna do Germany was because (at the time)
My German pwnd my Japanese. But now, I'm getting better at Japanese
so my confidence in the language is growing.

Quite frankly, I wouldn`t be too incredibly concerned about your Japanese level at first. More likely than not, if you`re an international student, you`ll want to go into some sort of Japanese study (And in most cases, the university will require a year of intensive language focus.)

And Nyororin, if it isn't a bother, d'you think you could help me with looking
up Japanese college information on becoming an ESL teacher...
I dunno what they'd call it abroad.

MMM already covered this, but studying for ESL certification in Japan is a bit silly, if you think about it. In Japan, when people aim to teach English, they take intensive English courses and then later a bit of teaching focused classes. The ultimate goal is to reach a level of proficiency in English that would allow them to teach. In your case, you have already mastered the English language, as it is your native language. It would be a bit strange to take extensive English language courses.

In the end, it`s far better to aim for a degree in something that will be of greater use later in life. Presumably, you will return to the US after your university stint, and need to find a job - which is unlikely to be in the English teaching field. Even if you stay in Japan for some time after you receive a degree, *any* degree is sufficient for teaching English.

Of course, if your ultimate goal is to be a university professor teaching English in Japan - a degree related to that field will definitely put you at an advantage.

[Payne222]

Originally Posted by Nyororin and MMM

Awesome suggestions!

Thank you so much, both of you!
And I'll look into somewhere like where you live, Nyororin.
It's like a suburb, right?
And I was thinking, if I'm gonna go through the trouble and move
to Japan and teach, I might as well make it work my while and stay
there for a while.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Payne222

Thank you so much, both of you!
And I'll look into somewhere like where you live, Nyororin.
It's like a suburb, right?　

More like almost within walking distance of the "center" of town (as in the main station, downtown, etc. Not the physical center.) I just happen to live across the river that sets the north western boundary of the city. Technically it`s another town, but if the river was not there I have no doubts it would have been consumed by Nagoya long ago.

Here is a link. The English page is a complete failure, only updated every time the mayor (?) changes. The Japanese page is very nice though, for as small as the town technically is.

[tommasi]

There are MANY livable places in Tokyo.

Some people just visit places like Shinjuku and Shibuya, and conclude that all Tokyo is like that.

But the reality is not.

Tokyo is a big city and it is like NYC on top of LA so it is sprawled out.

I grew up in Mitaka which is in West side of Tokyo just 20 min from Shinjuku Station by the Chuo-Line, the most busiest line of all, and I have to say it is pretty quiet out there at night but yet very convenient with all the basic things around.

Kichijoji, the most popular place people want to live in entire Tokyo, is right next to Mitaka so I can do all the basic shopping without going to busier places.

It gets more quiet past Mitaka and it continues all the way to places like Hachioji, Takao, and Fussa, where one of the US bases are.

So I suggest others to not over-generalize Tokyo cos you don't know what you are talking about.

[Crea]

Originally Posted by tommasi

So I suggest others to not over-generalize Tokyo cos you don't know what you are talking about.

The longest I've been in Japan is only three months in Tokyo, and while compared to Nyororin and tommasi, that makes me far from an expert on this matter, I'd still want to discourage you from writing off Tokyo entirely.

I don't think Nyororin was really bashing Tokyo as unlivable and such, but was just giving a founded warning about the foreign community there.

But I'd say that would sort of depend on the person. Again, I may be inexperienced, but I feel as a student, you'd be less prone to these "expat community" problems. Also if you keep these warnings in mind, strive to make Japanese friends instead of hanging out with English-speaking buddies all the time, I think you'd be very well off. Of course occasionally meeting people from home may help transition into life in Japan or to fight homesickness (if you're the type to feel it).

Minus the whole expat situation, Tokyo is as vibrant and dynamic as big cities get. And as tommasi said, one of the greatest things I like about Tokyo was the balance of bustling city life and quiet residential areas, and each area also has its own unique vibe.

My friend lived in a student dorm about a 7-min walk away from Mitaka Station for three years, and she has nothing but praise for the city. I've also been there multiple times, and really enjoyed the quiet, student-friendly streets. There's Kichijoji as tommasi mentioned, and Jiyuugaoka and Shimokitazawa are other "hip places" to live and hang out mainly due to the laidback atmosphere. Nerima-ku and Setagaya-ku are also great residential areas, albeit slightly more expensive.

Again, I do know that three months isn't enough to get the true picture of life in Tokyo, and I still may be wearing rose-colored glasses when I look at the city, but I think I've read enough burnt-out Tokyo foreigners' comments on forums like these to be wary of the expat community there as well.

But I feel if you keep this and Nyororin's words in mind, Tokyo is just as good of a place to live and study than any other city in Japan.

I'll be back in Tokyo this fall for a year, and who knows, maybe this time I'll end up hating it. My previous three months there was spent pretty much apart from the expat community (besides of one disastrous night at a Roppongi club that makes me understand Nyororin's words even more), and I don't intend to get involved when I return. I also know a lot of English-speaking Japanese or kikokushijo who attend bilingual universities such as ICU and Sophia, and I never got the bitter sense of 'foreigner burnout.' Again, my friends and I are still young, but I think everyone experiences things differently, so sorry for the long post but just giving my pro-Tokyo two cents here.