Guests:1. R・Y : China N University Research Student
2. P・K : Korea N University Exchange Student
3. D・W : Australia N University Exchange Student
-Hello, everyone. We have gathered here to help students who plan to study in Japan to get advise from senior students. First, please introduce yourselves and tell us your experinece before coming to study in Japan.
P: Hello. I am P from Korea. I began studying Japanese since high school. I entered Japanese activity club, passed the third level of Japanese Language Proficiency Test and received a recommendation for exchange program to study in Japan from my professor of university I attended in South Korea.Since my field of speciality is economy, I was interested in the information and research about Toyota and wished to studyi in Nagoya.
D: Hello. I am D from Australia. I wished to go to Japan to study more Japanese. When I was in middle school, French and Japanese were required subjects. While studying Japanese, I was excited about Kanjis. Additionally, I am interested in Japanese industrial techniques and technology.
- Wow, it is really amazing that you studied 2 foreign languages while you were still in middle school!
P: Also at high school, there were two foreign languages; Japanese or Chinese. It depended on school.
D: I see. The foreign language selection depended on school.
- Have you traveled anywhere since you came to Japan?
D: I went to Tokyo and Hiroshima. Hiroshima was quiet and I liked the atmosphere very much. I stayed near Atomic Bomb Dome.
P: I went to hot spring in Beppu city in Kyuushuu. Odaiba in Tokyo was also good.
- How long is your study abroad ?
P: I stay for one year.
D: I stay for half a year, but this is my second time in Japan. When I was in high school I came to Japan to study for 2 weeks.
- Do you want to work in Japan?
D: I have not decided yet whether I continue to graduate school or start a job. Working conditions in Japanese companies are quite strict; therefore I have little will to work in Japan.
I heard that people in Japan work from very early morning till late night. For example, even if I finish my own work, I cannot go back home before my boss does.
- That’s true! Such things can perhaps be frequently observed in Japan.
P: I also do not have intentions to work in a Japanese company.
R: If I have achance to work in Japan, I want to do it. I want to buy a home! (laugh)
- What has been the most surprising thing for you since you came to Japan?
P: The small size of the dormitories! Like this size! (showing with hands) (laugh) They are very pretty, but small anyways.
D: Yes. Small right. (laugh) but it’s all right. (laugh)
- Now, how about Japanese people? Do you feel they are different?
D: Now as you mentioned it, I think socially-withdrawn Japanese people are strange.
R: It is not common for Japanese to introduce boyfriends to friends
Everyone: laugh
R: Japanese men are not romantic ! Chinese men are more passionate.
Everyone: laugh
P: Koreans are romantic!
All women: wow! that sounds great!
D: ... (only man in the group)
P: But Japanese women are shy. I heard that when they receive a bouquet of flowers they will be embarrassed until they take it back home with themselves.
- When it comes to relationships, both men and women are perhaps very shy.
- Changing the topic, has anything troubled you since you came to Japan?
D: I did not have any troubles in particular as I could speak Japanese, but other foreign students who could barely speak Japanese became isolated, had to study on their own later on and seemed very troubled.
P: For example, Korean grammar and pronunciation are very similar, therefore studying was easy, but for people from English speaking countries it seemed very difficult.
D: I like kanji. The fact that each Kanji has a different meaning is very interesting.
Everyone: greaaat!
- It is very important to know a considerable level of Japanese before coming to Japan right?.
- In the future what do you want to do?
P: I want to work in Korea in a trading related job to apply my economics and language knowledge .
D: I want to have job where I can apply my knowledge in computer science and languages.
R: I want to work in a medicine or food manufacturing company to apply my field of speciality.
- Have you had any experiences related to Japanese culture?
R: While at school, I participated in rice cake making.
D: As there are programs in Nagoya like “handmade noodle making”, “rice cake throwing” it is reccomended to participate. I also want to watch “sumo”.
P: I have friends who have experience of going to fruit parks to pick apples. It seems to be fun.
- Shellfish gathering?
Everyone: what is that???
(This is collecting buried shellfish at the beach during low tide)
- How did you feel about prices in Japan?
D: I did not feel there was a great difference. But vegetable is expensive isnt it?
P: I also did not feel a great difference, but fruit is expensive. In Korea I ate a lot of fruits, but now I don’t buy them.
- You live in dormitories,dont you? Do same race people gather only among themselves? Does this happen in your school department as well?
P: Sometimes, I gather with other Koreans to prepare and eat Korean food, but I have made friends with people from many countries so I wouldn’t say there is such segregation.
D: I have become friends with other students who study Japanese and I talk to them in Japanese. I want to use Japanese as much as possible.
- Do you cook at dormitory?
P: There is one kitchen in one of floors in my dormitory, so everyone cooks and eats together.
R: That sounds fun! You get the chance to eat many countries food,dont you?
P : It is fun indeed!
- From now what advice can you give to people who want to come to study in Japan?
P: Please try to experience it. The prices are different and it costs money, so consult well with your parents. However, if you study hard you can get a scholarship. Therefore, study Japanese well. Students who are poor at language can not make friends with people from other countries and will eventually want to go back home. Communication is very important.
D: Please don’t be stressed. At first we are all alone and have no acquaintances, but don’t stay alone in your room. Communicate and do not waste your opportunity.
R: You start first to communicate with people.
D: Japanese people may seem cold, but if you ask about something, they will answer in a kind manner.
P: Shyness makes Japanese people seem cold, but if you try to reach them and speak, they can be unexpectedly kind.
- Thank you very much for your valuable opinions based on real experiences.
D: Hello. I am D from Australia. I wished to go to Japan to study more Japanese. When I was in middle school, French and Japanese were required subjects. While studying Japanese, I was excited about Kanjis. Additionally, I am interested in Japanese industrial techniques and technology.
- Wow, it is really amazing that you studied 2 foreign languages while you were still in middle school!
P: Also at high school, there were two foreign languages; Japanese or Chinese. It depended on school.
D: I see. The foreign language selection depended on school.
- Have you traveled anywhere since you came to Japan?
D: I went to Tokyo and Hiroshima. Hiroshima was quiet and I liked the atmosphere very much. I stayed near Atomic Bomb Dome.
P: I went to hot spring in Beppu city in Kyuushuu. Odaiba in Tokyo was also good.
- How long is your study abroad ?
P: I stay for one year.
D: I stay for half a year, but this is my second time in Japan. When I was in high school I came to Japan to study for 2 weeks.
- Do you want to work in Japan?
D: I have not decided yet whether I continue to graduate school or start a job. Working conditions in Japanese companies are quite strict; therefore I have little will to work in Japan.
I heard that people in Japan work from very early morning till late night. For example, even if I finish my own work, I cannot go back home before my boss does.
- That’s true! Such things can perhaps be frequently observed in Japan.
P: I also do not have intentions to work in a Japanese company.
R: If I have achance to work in Japan, I want to do it. I want to buy a home! (laugh)
- What has been the most surprising thing for you since you came to Japan?
P: The small size of the dormitories! Like this size! (showing with hands) (laugh) They are very pretty, but small anyways.
D: Yes. Small right. (laugh) but it’s all right. (laugh)
- Now, how about Japanese people? Do you feel they are different?
D: Now as you mentioned it, I think socially-withdrawn Japanese people are strange.
R: It is not common for Japanese to introduce boyfriends to friends
Everyone: laughR: Japanese men are not romantic ! Chinese men are more passionate.
Everyone: laugh
P: Koreans are romantic!
All women: wow! that sounds great!
D: ... (only man in the group)
P: But Japanese women are shy. I heard that when they receive a bouquet of flowers they will be embarrassed until they take it back home with themselves.
- When it comes to relationships, both men and women are perhaps very shy.
- Changing the topic, has anything troubled you since you came to Japan?
D: I did not have any troubles in particular as I could speak Japanese, but other foreign students who could barely speak Japanese became isolated, had to study on their own later on and seemed very troubled.
P: For example, Korean grammar and pronunciation are very similar, therefore studying was easy, but for people from English speaking countries it seemed very difficult.
D: I like kanji. The fact that each Kanji has a different meaning is very interesting.
Everyone: greaaat!
- It is very important to know a considerable level of Japanese before coming to Japan right?.
- In the future what do you want to do?
P: I want to work in Korea in a trading related job to apply my economics and language knowledge .
D: I want to have job where I can apply my knowledge in computer science and languages.
R: I want to work in a medicine or food manufacturing company to apply my field of speciality.
- Have you had any experiences related to Japanese culture?
R: While at school, I participated in rice cake making.
D: As there are programs in Nagoya like “handmade noodle making”, “rice cake throwing” it is reccomended to participate. I also want to watch “sumo”.
P: I have friends who have experience of going to fruit parks to pick apples. It seems to be fun.
- Shellfish gathering?
Everyone: what is that???
(This is collecting buried shellfish at the beach during low tide)
- How did you feel about prices in Japan?
D: I did not feel there was a great difference. But vegetable is expensive isnt it?
P: I also did not feel a great difference, but fruit is expensive. In Korea I ate a lot of fruits, but now I don’t buy them.
- You live in dormitories,dont you? Do same race people gather only among themselves? Does this happen in your school department as well?
P: Sometimes, I gather with other Koreans to prepare and eat Korean food, but I have made friends with people from many countries so I wouldn’t say there is such segregation.
D: I have become friends with other students who study Japanese and I talk to them in Japanese. I want to use Japanese as much as possible.
- Do you cook at dormitory?
P: There is one kitchen in one of floors in my dormitory, so everyone cooks and eats together.
R: That sounds fun! You get the chance to eat many countries food,dont you?
P : It is fun indeed!
- From now what advice can you give to people who want to come to study in Japan?
P: Please try to experience it. The prices are different and it costs money, so consult well with your parents. However, if you study hard you can get a scholarship. Therefore, study Japanese well. Students who are poor at language can not make friends with people from other countries and will eventually want to go back home. Communication is very important.
D: Please don’t be stressed. At first we are all alone and have no acquaintances, but don’t stay alone in your room. Communicate and do not waste your opportunity.
R: You start first to communicate with people.
D: Japanese people may seem cold, but if you ask about something, they will answer in a kind manner.
P: Shyness makes Japanese people seem cold, but if you try to reach them and speak, they can be unexpectedly kind.
- Thank you very much for your valuable opinions based on real experiences.
