I applied for graduate school in Kyoto and I have gotten through my entrance exams. I haven't officially received the results yet, but my potential advisor was on the board and told me I have nothing to worry about and for us to start preparing for my move to Japan in the spring. So I'm guessing this is a good sign but I do kind of feel in a state of limbo at the moment. I chose to apply for this program because I am super interested in studying the Japanese macaques and I'm also interested to see how different cultures approach wildlife research and conservation. I would also love to make international connections within conservation.I applied for the master's program however my advisor asked me if I would be committed for my PhD, and I told him I would be. So I will be in Japan anywhere from 2-5 years. I'm from the United States and have only ever been to Costa Rica. So it will be a big change for sure. I've been looking into International schools for my three kids. That way when we come back to the US I'm thinking the transition will be easier. Does anyone have any experience with this? We would be living in or near Kyoto and I would be conducting my research on some more remote islands. So my advisor told me it is extremely important for me to learn Japanese quickly. I've been studying a lot but not sure if I'll be conversational betimes I get there. Thankfully the courses I will be taking will be in English. Do any of you have any suggestions for how to learn the language more quickly, I've been studying using the Genki textbook and workbook, taking a class of Udemy as well as Duolingo. Lastly I have heard a lot about there being an increase in discrimination against foreigners, is this more of a silent thing, with like stares, or are people actively aggressive towards foreigners?
by animal-nerd-15
4 comments
You can get international school in Kyoto, but it can be expensive side compared to Normal schools. I wonder how much international connections you can make if you work in remote islands. Discriminating activities are higher in big cities, but university environments should be fine.
You’re looking for international school for three kids as a graduate student? Are you aware of the costs?
Reputable international schools are expensive, about 3M yen per child per year. How old are your kids? If they’re preschool aged, you might find some “international preschool” that are less reputable and cheaper. But honestly unless you have a LOT of money, you’re going to have to put them into local schools.
Because you have kids and if your kids have to be put into the local school system they (and you!) will have very little language support, learning Japanese should be a priority for you now. I would not mess around with Duolingo or anything and go right to taking a class from an online teacher. Try italki or similar. Find someone who specializes in “survival Japanese” and or someone who has experience with helping foreign parents (I can make a recommendation if you want). If your kids are in the local school system you’ll have to handle all of the school paperwork, homework, teacher conferences etc in Japanese. You’ll have to handle medical emergencies and doctor visits in Japanese. You’ll have to try and arrange play dates and navigate parent friends in Japanese.
Your post is one big stream of consciousness paragraph. Take out the fluff and make your questions clear to get more helpful responses.
International school tends to be on the expensive side – think several million yen per year per child.
As for learning Japanese, it takes English speakers years of full time study to become fluent. Don’t rush the process or you’ll forget one grammar point as you learn the next. Take the time to practice alongside the Genki audio tracks, repeating the phrase yourself and using the listening exercises.
You might like to look into the city of Kyotanabe and the international school there. It’s a nice place to live.
The discrimination thing is nonsense and not worth worrying about.
There is no “this one hack” to learning the language, it just takes time and effort and organization. Come back and ask again if and when you’ve completed and mastered the Genki materials, it’s as good a place to start as anywhere.
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