Yamasa in Okazaki

[PJAC]

Hi,
I'm looking into The Yamasa Institute for a 15 month long course. Does anyone have any information on the place? Is it worth it? I am an absolute beginner, and wish to take the N2 in December 2012, starting in August 2011.
Any feedback on this language school would be appreciated.
Many thanks,
Peter.

 

[DearDaniel]

I was there from January to March in 2008.

I saw people there go from beginner to JLPT3 in about 6 months. The gap between JLPT3 and JLPT-N2 is quite big, but with an good effort N2 can be achieved in the timeframe you propose at Yamasa, I believe.

 

[PJAC]

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for the feedback - I think that I have decided on Yamasa as everyone who I have spoken or written to speaks very highly of it.

My current plan is:
Pre-Yamasa:

• Learn the Kana.
• Complete The Rosetta Stone Japanese 1-3 programs.
• Use Anki to learn at least *some* kanji for JLPT N5.

At Yamasa:

• Take a 5 week SILAC course before hand.
• Take 5 quarters / 15 months of AIJS.
• Take 3 private lessons and 2 CALL lessons a week.
• Do two of the 5 day study tours.
• Two quarters / 6 months of Japanese For Business.
• Three quarters / 9 months of Japanese Culture.

Post-Yamasa:

• Stay in country working in IT and Project Management.
• Probably move to Tokyo, unless I can get a good remote-work job that lets me live in the countryside.
• Work on JLPT N1 or retaking JLPT N2 is I don't succeed the first time.

The main reason for the extra courses is to make sure that I get a LOT of conversation practise. JLPT is a useful guide, but being able to actually USE the Japanese I learn will be essential!

Peter.

 

[DearDaniel]

It sounds like you'll be getting a lot of value from Yamasa. If you want to solidify what you learn and be able to bring new information for class and new questions for teachers I recommend you get an account on mixi as soon as you have a Japanese phone number and make lots of friends around Nagoya/Okazaki .

 

[PJAC]

Great tip - thanks! I'd never even heard of mixi before!

 

[DearDaniel]

Registrations used to be open but now they require a Japanese mobile number. There is also no English version of the site, so it can be quite intimidating, but there are lots of people on there who want to learn English or just want to learn about foreign cultures. At first you will learn a few words, bits about Japanese culture, and have your bad habits in Japanese pointed out for you, but after a while you will find yourself speaking fluent Japanese.

Facebook and Skype also have many Japanese people on there looking for cultural+language exchange/friends, but mixi seems to have a lot more.

 

[PJAC]

Thanks for the info. I already planned on getting a mobile whilst in Japan, so that shouldn't be a problem. Getting any extra help will be good

I'm on Facebook and Skype, so I shall give that a go when I get there too.