Desperate to go to Japan !

as this is my first post let me first introduce myself.

Im 17 years old and I live in belgium. Im currently in my last year of high school. Ive gotten interested in Japan a lot lately and im studying the language myself. As I have always said that I would like to do some traveling when leaving high school, Japan was immediatly the first country I tought of..

Now im interested in a long term stay because I really want to get to know the Japanese lifestyle. So I did some research. I knew about a student exchange company so I went to their website, but the price is high (though very very reasonable for the time that I would stay there . 10 months).

Im not rich, neither my parents. I know that if I want to stay in Japan for a long time, and want to integrate in the lifestyle, I will have to find myself a job and so earning back the money to my parents (and myself).

now I dont know if its possible to have a job while participating with the exchangement program, in fact I highly doubt it. Anyway I would be glad already to have a part-time job so I still have time to descover Japan.

I know that english teachers are highly wanted, but english is not my native language so I cant do that right ? I can speak english and french very well but my native language is Dutch so im kinda ****** ? Then I can only look for a job in a bar or something like that ? Is it common for foreigners to have such part-time jobs and would it be sufficient to get a visum for that ?

Im really looking for some help cause im desperatly looking forward to go to Japan. Im in love with the country and cant wait so visit it myself.

edit< im sorry this should be placed in the working in japan section.

Homerduff said:

Now im interested in a long term stay because I really want to get to know the Japanese lifestyle. I know that if I want to stay in Japan for a long time, and want to integrate in the lifestyle, I will have to find myself a job and so earning back the money to my parents (and myself).

Click to expand...

This thread should probably go to Japan Practical, you might peruse around there as many of your questions have already been asked and answered there at least a hundred times.

First, I'll let you know that there are people who have been living in Japan who have not "integrated into the lifestyle"... I don't know what sort of lifestyle you expect, but it's a fairly normal one of going to the grocery store, putting out recycling, paying utilities at the convenient store (you can do this where I live here in Pennsylvania too... they must have copied the Japanese...), watching horrible television, having people try to get you to move into mansion-style apartments, etcetera.

The core difference is the people themselves and how you interact with them, the language of course, the culture of sometimes what is a superficial politeness, and at times exclusion as a foreigner.

Knowing all these things, my plans are still to move back to Japan, so I've come to terms with the Japanese society... but not everyone does. If you go there for 10 months, go to enjoy yourself and experience as many things, places, foods, whatever, as you can... I'm sure you'll have a great time, but you wont walk away as an honorary member in good standing of Japanese society.

Homerduff said:

Now I dont know if its possible to have a job while participating with the exchangement program, in fact I highly doubt it. Anyway I would be glad already to have a part-time job so I still have time to descover Japan.

Click to expand...

[strike]If you are going there as a student, you'll be on a student-visa... Maybe someone can correct me on this but at the pre-college level, what you're getting from basic "language school businesses" you're not allowed to work, you're on a student visa, and violating these rules can get you tossed out of the country on your ear.[/strike]

Homerduff said:

I know that english teachers are highly wanted, but english is not my native language so I cant do that right?

Click to expand...

Tip of the hat to forum vet Mike Cash on this one, but as it goes, if you can speak it... you can teach it. However... you'll need at least a 4year bachelor (or equivalent) degree to do so.

Homerduff said:

Im really looking for some help cause im desperatly looking forward to go to Japan. Im in love with the country and cant wait so visit it myself.

Click to expand...

I don't know how you can be in love with a country you've never been to... but this is said often enough that it no longer shocks me.

My best advice to you is to save up enough money to pay for schooling and then live the student life style there... That, or, continue your school work and study of Japanese until you are at the bachelor level (at least you'll have an education AND a key requirement to teach in Japan), at which time you can go to Japan and teach English to students who will forget it about a day after they learn it...

By all means, enjoy yourself, and who knows... Maybe you'll meet a nice Japanese girl who you'll marry and then you'll be able to stay even longer... It happens. It may not happen the way people envision it, but it happens...

Good luck.

thanks for the answer..

studying in japan is more or less out of the question. I cant demand my parents to pay for me, and they are most likely not able to do so..

anyway, im planning to visit Japan this summer for a week or 2. You have a point in saying that how can I love a country without being there. Allthough I doubt my trip to japan would be dissapointing..

I'm planning to study product design next year (in belgium), and try to become master in it (after 5 years). Then I would like to study japanese in japan, hoping to have solved the money problem by then.

Japan is probably the number one country in technology so im sure there are some very interesting jobs for a product designer. So my plan would be to work in Japan in the long term..

Homerduff said:

thanks for the answer..

anyway, im planning to visit Japan this summer for a week or 2. You have a point in saying that how can I love a country without being there. Allthough I doubt my trip to japan would be dissapointing..

Click to expand...

A wise idea. No doubt you'll like it, I sure do. I've been there 4 times and now planning my 5th visit. You should visit Japan for a week or two to get some feel on how you might like it in the long term.

Homerduff said:

Im planning to visit Japan this summer for a week or 2. You have a point in saying that how can I love a country without being there. Allthough I doubt my trip to japan would be dissapointing..

Click to expand...

Visiting Japan and living in Japan are very different, and I'm sure you'll have a great time vacationing there as long as you're well prepared & have enough money. In some ways, Japan is everything that you think it is--- fast, big, complex, high-tech, ancient, modern, and all the other thing we think about it... It's when we spend a little time there that we find the things we didn't even imagine.

Homerduff said:

I'm planning to study product design next year (in belgium), and try to become master in it (after 5 years). Then I would like to study japanese in japan, hoping to have solved the money problem by then.

Click to expand...

Since you seem to be interested in marketing products to Japan, one article I recomend reading would be this interview with product desinger/Japan resident, Ross McBride:

http://www.pingmag.jp/2006/08/28/setting-up-your-own-company-in-tokyo-as-a-foreigner/

Homerduff said:

Japan is probably the number one country in technology so im sure there are some very interesting jobs for a product designer. So my plan would be to work in Japan in the long term..

Click to expand...

I don't know if this is true--- It's certainly not true as far as computer products go... But they do seem to have a vast capacity and range for consumer electronics... I don't know if the quality of these products is better than ones produced elsewhere but their numbers & variations certainly seem to be greater than in other nations.

Good Luck.

Homerduff said:

thanks for the answer..
studying in japan is more or less out of the question. I cant demand my parents to pay for me, and they are most likely not able to do so..
anyway, im planning to visit Japan this summer for a week or 2. You have a point in saying that how can I love a country without being there. Allthough I doubt my trip to japan would be dissapointing..

Click to expand...

It is still possible, though, to find a very affordable short-term overseas program, especially for minors, that combines classes with dorm accomodations or even a potential homestay. Don't give up on your parents yet !

Language Schools Worldwide - Study with Language Programs Worldwide

Wow ! thanks a lot for that article ! Its like exactlly the thing I would like to achieve..

hmm I should focus more on studying then wasting a lot of money and time on travelling without learning a real job I guess. Im definetly going to consider the trip to Japan for this summer, financially it shouldnt be a problem and in this way I can start to get to know Japan a little..

Anyway its cool to see that there are people out there who are able to do the thing I want to do. So at least its no rubish im thinking about hehe.

Again thanks for the article ! Never tought an article could be so motivating !

yukio_michael said:

If you are going there as a student, you'll be on a student-visa... Maybe someone can correct me on this but at the pre-college level, what you're getting from basic "language school businesses" you're not allowed to work, you're on a student visa, and violating these rules can get you tossed out of the country on your ear.

Click to expand...

Unless I'm missing some detail in your explanation, let me cut in here and say that you are indeed allowed to work up to 20 hours per week (maximum 4 fours per days) with a pre-college visa, which is what I have.

J44xm said:

Unless I'm missing some detail in your explanation, let me cut in here and say that you are indeed allowed to work up to 20 hours per week (maximum 4 fours per days) with a pre-college visa, which is what I have.

Click to expand...

I will most likely have to do that if I want to study Japanese in Japan. Is it hard for you to combine your studies with work ?

Homerduff said:

Wow ! thanks a lot for that article ! Its like exactlly the thing I would like to achieve..
hmm I should focus more on studying then wasting a lot of money and time on travelling without learning a real job I guess. Im definetly going to consider the trip to Japan for this summer, financially it shouldnt be a problem and in this way I can start to get to know Japan a little..
Anyway its cool to see that there are people out there who are able to do the thing I want to do. So at least its no rubish im thinking about hehe.
Again thanks for the article ! Never tought an article could be so motivating !

Click to expand...

You're very welcome. Keep looking at all your options for studying. I'm sure that isn't the ultimate list of exchange programs, it's just one I had available. You won't be able to get a job teaching without being either a native English speaker or having an all English language education and definately not without a B.A. anyway....

Homerduff said:

I will most likely have to do that if I want to study Japanese in Japan. Is it hard for you to combine your studies with work ?

Click to expand...

It depends, of course, on various factors. I attend a pretty intensive school, attending classes Monday through Friday from 9:30 to 1:30, 2:30, or 3:30 each day. I haven't been working yet but after nine months of school alone, I'm pretty exhausted, as are many of my classmates. Some of us work and it's rough for them, depending on the nature of the job and how many hours they work.

My original plan here was to work 20 hours per week and attend school. I see now that that was not reasonable for a long-term stay. Not for me. There's just no way that I could have maintained that pace. Naturally, if one is stronger than I (not something that I imagine to be difficult to achieve), it wouldn't be as difficult. But something more like 10 or 15 hours is more realistic. If the school is less intensive, though, that's a factor.

J44xm said:

It depends, of course, on various factors. I attend a pretty intensive school, attending classes Monday through Friday from 9:30 to 1:30, 2:30, or 3:30 each day. I haven't been working yet but after nine months of school alone, I'm pretty exhausted, as are many of my classmates. Some of us work and it's rough for them, depending on the nature of the job and how many hours they work.
My original plan here was to work 20 hours per week and attend school. I see now that that was not reasonable for a long-term stay. Not for me. There's just no way that I could have maintained that pace. Naturally, if one is stronger than I (not something that I imagine to be difficult to achieve), it wouldn't be as difficult. But something more like 10 or 15 hours is more realistic. If the school is less intensive, though, that's a factor.

Click to expand...

Yeah I understand, btw very interesting blog you have there..

So you have been studying Japanese since April 2006 (8 months), can you give me a total of what your expenses where ? On the site of your school I see you can use accomodation of the school itself, how much you have to pay for it ?

thanks in advance !

My school's accommodation prices are actually listed on the site itself in the Accommodation Info section. Outside of school and accommodation fee, look at spending between 30,000 to 50,000 yen a month on food, I'd estimate. In my residences, utilities (water, electricity, and gas) are about 10,000 yen/month (in the winter). There's travel costs if you want to take trips, but that varies and I don't know much about that. Those are the primary living expenses you'll have to worry about (here, at least).

Thanks for the comment about my blog too.

thanks, those are very fair prices in my oppinion..

ofcourse as a whole its still pretty expensive. I dont want my parents to pay for it so I think I will either have to save up money myself in the meantime (still have plenty of time left) or find myself a job in Japan and be able to combine it with the study.

Could I ask you how you manage to pay for all these costs ?
Do you in fact know any schoolmates that have a job and can combine it with their studies ?

and just because of interest..

Are you going to stay in Japan untill the end of the school year or are you planning to do another year of study ?
Why have you chosen to study Japanese and is it connected with the job you want to do ? What studies have you done already ?

I dont want to be rude with asking so many personal questions but I just hope to get as much information as I can. I like to be prepared on everything and have a good vision on my future plans.

Thanks in advance !

J44xm said:

Unless I'm missing some detail in your explanation, let me cut in here and say that you are indeed allowed to work up to 20 hours per week (maximum 4 fours per days) with a pre-college visa, which is what I have.

Click to expand...

Thank's for the correction... I looked, and I've seen it explained by schools both ways, I was sure that I've seen some language schools state their rules on part-time jobs, etcetera, but what I found recently was a site which claimed you couldn't at the pre-college level.

Thanks for comming in and clearing that up, that's why I put in that disclaimer so hopefully someone might catch it if I were in error.