Coming to Japan has been a goal of mine since I was young. I have been studying Japanese language since I was in grade two of elementary school, although I had to start again once I entered high school. As a result, when I was given the chance to come to Japan, I immediately said “yes”. This opportunity will give me a chance to experience a different culture, help me grow as a person and allow me to fully embrace this time that I have in Japan.
While studying abroad, I will the opportunity to witness first-hand the cultural differences between my own country and Japan. I look forward to observing how Japanese life differs from my own in Australia, as well as how their identity and philosophy has been shaped by their environment. There are many things in Japan that I could never experience if I remained in my home town. Of these things, I hope to see both cherry blossoms and snow while I am living in Japan, as I have never seen either while living in Australia. Being in Japan is also a great opportunity to practice my Japanese language skills daily. None of my family members know how to speak Japanese, or at least not enough to hold a conversation with me. This way I hope to become a fluent speaker much faster and efficiently than I would have in Australia. By living and learning in Japan, I have the chance to completely immerse myself into a new culture and apply what I have learnt.
Having this experience is very likely to help me in the future. Regarding my plans for after I graduate, I wish to become a tour guide for Japanese tourists in Australia. While in Japan, I aim to improve my Japanese as well as observe how the service industry and tourism industry operates in Japan, so that I may apply what I have learnt to my future job prospects. This also tells any future employer that I’m capable of living overseas for an extended period and therefore, able to adapt to new environments easily. This will also help me gain a better understanding of what it is like to come from a different county, with a different language no less, meaning I will be able to empathise with tourists who cannot speak English. With the experience of living in Japan added to my resume, I will surely become an attractive employee in both Australia and Japan.
One of my main concerns before deciding to come to Japan was how I was going to pay for living expenses. Had I not received a scholarship, I would have had to save up enough money to pay for tuition as well as accommodation. I would have had to find a job while staying in Japan just to earn enough money for food. Thankfully, after receiving a scholarship, I do not have to worry about not having enough money to pay for meals or accommodation. I am now able to completely focus on studying and enjoying Japanese life and culture.
I am grateful and excited for the potential skills I have yet to learn and experiences I have yet to gain. I am especially grateful for the added benefit of receiving a scholarship. I hope to gain more independence by being placed in a new environment away from everyone I know.
Studying abroad in Japan has been a great experience and opportunity. Not only has my Japanese speaking and comprehension been refined, but my overall confidence as improved as well. I have been greatly enjoying my time studying in Japan and pursuing my passion. So much so that this semester has gone by much faster than I thought it would. I am glad I was convinced to stay here for the whole academic year instead of just one semester.
My host university has been very attentive in making sure I am adjusting well to Japanese school life. A few days after we arrived, the students were designated Language Partners. These are Japanese students that study English. Their job is to help us get settled into the university, show us where our classes are, and answer any questions we might have about university life. Even now I meet with my language partners every week for lunch.
The Japanese Language classes are my favorite to attend. I am learning something new every day and I enjoy our daily discussions before the lesson starts. I receive a total of 9 hours of Japanese Language learning every week. The homework I receive is manageable, and I still have enough time for myself. Overall, the teachers have been very helpful in explaining certain points I do not understand. Moreover, since I mostly speak Japanese in this class, I have made a big improvement in my speaking ability. I feel that I am improving at a rate that I could not reach if I had stayed in Australia.
Besides attending classes, I have been able to participate in other extracurricular activities. All the foreign students were invited to participate in an annual kimono show. We would go to kimono rehearsal where we would be dressed in our kimonos and learn a short dance routine for the show. At the end of the show we were gifted with a yukata each as a souvenir. As for club activities, I chose music club (軽音部). There I have created a band with two Japanese students where I play drums and occasionally sing as well. I am glad that I get to pick up an old hobby again, as I did not have much time or motivation to pursue playing music after graduating high school.
I have been lucky enough to be able to travel a bit on my free days. For example, during Golden Week, one of the students at the dormitory took us to Nara. There we saw the historical temples and wisteria gardens. My language partners took me to Kyoto. They took me to a fan shop within a market place to paint our own fans which we got to keep. After that we wondered around the city looking at various temples and shrines. I also often go to Osaka, but mostly for shopping. I would have liked to visit my friends in Kagoshima, but they were too busy with their job training and studies. However, I have already begun preparations to visit them during the winter break.
Speaking in Japanese has always been a weak point of mine. However, since coming to Japan, I hesitate less before speaking, and my pronunciation and speed has improved. This semester, I would like to travel more around Japan more with the other students and finally visit Tokyo.
Coming to Japan has yielded great results and I feel myself getting closer to achieving my future goals. If I had never come to Japan, I would not be at this level of Japanese competency. I could not have gotten this far if I were just study by myself.
I greatly appreciate this opportunity to live in a different country, experience the culture, and practice speaking in Japanese where I would not be able to at home. I have loved every moment I spent in Japan and I will treasure these memories long after I return to Australia.
One of the key ways to get better at learning a language is to live in the country where it spoken by everyone. Through this whole experience my Japanese skills have greatly improved, particularly my speaking. Before coming to Japan, I never really had the opportunity to practice speaking outside of school, since I have no one to practice with at home. However, since coming to Japan I get to practice every day, and as a result, my speed and pronunciation has gotten much better. Also, since I am learning Japanese full-time, my vocabulary has greatly developed. Had I not come to Japan, it would have been harder for me to carry a conversation in Japanese, but since coming here, I am told that my pronunciation is akin to that of a Japanese person.
Studying abroad has proven to yield other advantages besides practicing my Japanese speaking. Not only has this experience helped me further develop my Japanese language skills, but by living abroad I have become a more independent and confident person. I take care of myself, find my way around the city, and know how to communicate with strangers. On top of that, I have to do all of this in a language that is not my own. I would not have been doing all these things if I were still living at home. Thanks to living in another country that speaks a different language, I can return to Australia a more mature person than when I left.
As for my plans for the future, I want to become a tour guide for Japanese tourists. Upon returning to Australia I am planning to go to TAFE (Technical and Further Education/専門学校) and study tourism and hospitality in order to become a tour guide. I wish to become tour guide for Japanese tourist coming to Australia to represent my country and better my home city’s relations with Japan. There are not many people in Perth who can speak Japanese, so I believe I will be able to do some good by providing my services. I aim to get a job as either a personal tour guide for a small group or individual, or to be a group tour guide for one location. The former will require an ability to have a full conversation in Japanese, which is a skill I have achieved by studying in Japan. I hope to better Japanese people’s experiences while staying in Australia.
I am grateful for this chance to come to a different country and put what I have been studying for years into practice. At home, of all the people I am close to, I am the only that can speak Japanese, so my speaking was never very strong. But thanks to my new experiences my Japanese skills have improved and I believe I can accomplish my goals for the future.
