Hi, I’m a 16-year-old male sophomore in New York state, and I’m interested in studying abroad in Japan for college and possibly living and working there long-term.
I want to start early and make a plan I could work towards as early as I can so I can be fully prepared and knowledgeable about what to expect and what I'm expected to do now and later.
My current concrete goals:
– Study abroad in Japan during college (or attend a university there if possible)
– Eventually live and work in Japan
– Be able to support myself financially and adjust to life there
What I'm working on right now (open to ideas):
– Learning Japanese (This is my first serious concern since I have attempted learning languages in the past but could not develop a structure that could allow me to learn everything I truly need to know, I just need format and structure)
– Thinking about what major/career would make it easier to work in Japan (Currently thinking of becoming an English teacher since I seriously excel in this field as hopefully I demonstrate in this post)
My questions/concerns:
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What level of fluency should I have before entering university (whether its studying abroad or going to Japanese university please specify)
- What possible career paths are available to foreigners that provide enough to live a stable life
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How likely am I going to be able to fit into society to be able to possibly find others who can provide help when I need it? In other words how willing are people to allow you into their social circle because I know Koreans are typically very cold and not very outgoing
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What are some apps or programs tht can provide structured japanese lessons and will just be overall useful in becoming fluent? (I already plan on using TEUIDA)
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What are some common issues people like me face when attempting to pursue this kind of thing and how should I go about addressing them?
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What should I be focusing as of right now in high school (since summer is approaching possibly programs) that could improve my chances?
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How high demand is getting a visa and a job in Japan as of right now and is it looking to get better or worse?
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Should I attend a university in my state or in Japan? (Keep in mind my grades are not the best)
If there's anything else you believe I need to know before pursuing this goal PLEASE feel free to enlighten me I need all the help I can get! These decisions might change the course of my life forever.
P.S. Don't get the wrong idea about me based off of my profile picture, I'm actually very passionate about this topic and I'm not interested in moving specifically for media and entertainment reasons
Thanks!
by mimikqiw