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Lonewolf 01-19-2007 10:28 PM

Hi Nyororin. I have been looking around a bit lately, and it looks like if I come over I will probarly be living in Kyoto, Osaka or Nagoya (I'm a bit weary of Tokyo). I want to study Japanese for 2 years, and if I am fluent enough, I want to do a degree in Japanese.
Can you give me more info about studying Japanese at a university or which universities offer Japanese courses to foreigners?
How much does it cost to do a Japanese course at a university?
And lastly, I will be coming over on a student visa, so what kind of part-time work will I be able to do?

Nyororin 01-20-2007 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonewolf (Post 25833)
Hi Nyororin. I have been looking around a bit lately, and it looks like if I come over I will probarly be living in Kyoto, Osaka or Nagoya (I'm a bit weary of Tokyo). I want to study Japanese for 2 years, and if I am fluent enough, I want to do a degree in Japanese.
Can you give me more info about studying Japanese at a university or which universities offer Japanese courses to foreigners?
How much does it cost to do a Japanese course at a university?
And lastly, I will be coming over on a student visa, so what kind of part-time work will I be able to do?

Well, if you`re not fluent enough to study normally after 2 years... There is something seriously wrong.

Really though, 2 years is way more than enough if you`re living in Japan. If not... Well... a 3 month course in Japan is probably close to 2 years of normal "Japanese classes" elsewhere.

If you were fluent enough (ie. JLPT 1) then the university itself doesn`t really matter. You`d be studying as a regular student and not really as a "foreigner". Most universities accept international students, but the bigger the university the more common it is.

Just to list a few in my immediate vicinity that have English pages:
Meijo University
Nagoya University
Nanzan University
Nagoya Institute of Technology
Nagoya City University

There are tons more, these are just a few I can think of off the top of my head. Most places will accept you if you know enough Japanese, even if they don`t have a big official international program - You just have to ask.

As for cost, that really depends completely upon the university itself. It ranges anywhere from really cheap to ungodly expensive.

On a student visa, you`re generally allowed 20 hours of work a week - with sponsor/school approval. Basically you`re free to work anywhere as long as it doesn`t interfere with your schooling.
Part time English teaching in the evenings is probably best in terms of money, but I`ve known people who`ve done all sorts of jobs. If your Japanese level is high enough to take a regular university course, then you shouldn`t have too much trouble.

kuraiXtenshi 01-20-2007 03:05 AM

hi! your story is amazing and im so happy to know that happy endings do exist. you really deserved one. i would really like to know what a basic day in japan is like, does everyone speak japanese there? if you knew say...3 words would you totally get washed over? and im really glad you have such a good life. ps, hope your kid is okay. :)

jasonbvr 01-20-2007 03:12 AM

You need a few phrases to survive anywhere in the world.
1) How to count
2) How to ask how much something costs
3) Where is________?
4) Where is the toilet?
5) I'm sorry and thank you

If you know these, you will be fine anywhere in the world. Help is a good one too if you get yourself in trouble. Check out japanesepod.com for free Japanese podcasts on iTunes.

kuraiXtenshi 01-20-2007 03:17 AM

thankx for the answers.....theres something else i would like to know. i hope i dont offend anyone or come across as racist/ignorant. i was wondering, if i were to visit or move to japan, would i get stared at because im biracial? thankx.

jasonbvr 01-20-2007 03:28 AM

Yes but not because you are biracial. It isn't really staring and has nothing to do with racism. Rather people are just curious to see what the foreigner is doing. It's like, "Hmm, gaijin, wonder where he is going?" or at a restaurant they may be curious to see what you eat. "Whoa, he likes Japanese food. I wonder if he eats natto..." It is just basic curiosity. But yeah, get used to being watched. I know people are watching me all the time so now I rarely notice it. At least it is not like living in Beijing where they see foreigners and immediately try to sell you anything and everything under the sun and feel slightly offended if you don't know how to respond politely. You don't say, "I don't want it" but rather "I don't need it."

kuraiXtenshi 01-20-2007 03:36 AM

thankx very much for your answers. kudos to everyone:) ps, im a girl.

Milka 01-20-2007 06:17 PM

:o
 
Nyororin your 'story' sounds pretty sad.. :'/ - But also happy.. :)
- Did you live in USA before you moved to Japan? :D

Lonewolf 01-20-2007 10:40 PM

Thanks a lot for your reply Nyororin. Yeah I guess you're right, it would be easier to learn Japanese if you are actually learning it in Japan. I have been trying to teach myself Japanese for a couple of years on and off, and I haven't realy made that much progress. So yeah, if I come over I'll work hard on my Japanese to get into a Japanese university (that's my main goal). Also just one more thing. You say you know people who did all kinds of jobs. I was just wandering what other type of part time job (except for part time English teaching, which seems the easiest/most obvious) I would be able to do in the beginning, when I can't speak Japanese that well yet.

Nyororin 01-21-2007 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuraiXtenshi (Post 25913)
hi! your story is amazing and im so happy to know that happy endings do exist. you really deserved one. i would really like to know what a basic day in japan is like, does everyone speak japanese there? if you knew say...3 words would you totally get washed over? and im really glad you have such a good life. ps, hope your kid is okay. :)

I know you`ve already gotten an answer to some of this, but here is mine. :)

A basic day... Hmm... I could tell you about my basic day, but that would be really incredibly boring. But do let me know if you want to hear it. :P

Yes, everyone speaks Japanese. I`d say that you definitely, without exception, need to know at least basic Japanese to survive here. Most people do not speak English.

Thank you for your kind words regarding my son. We too hope he is okay.


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