Encouragement

Tis the season to hear from Kouhai's. I've been so so happy (and flattered) that some of you new MEXT scholars have emailed me to tell me you got in! Every time I get the email, it makes my day. And since we're well into Christmas season, I thought it was time for a more reflective post.

Here's a pretty but completely unrelated painting to start. 

Recently, I got a comment from +Zahratul Amanah my Post-Exam Wrap-Up post. If you don't remember the post, basically, I was sad because my results were not as good as I wanted them to be, and I was feeling a lot of pressure about what to choose for my university.

Of course, two years down the road, you all can see that I'm absolutely happy with my choice of Kyudai, because I have awesome classes (Studio Ghibli class anyone?), good class, and loads of chances to travel. And wear pretty kimonos.

I'm not saying this to rub salt in anyone's wound, but I'm trying to encourage you guys. It might seem like a big deal, but it's really not the end of the world. Tani-sensei has said this before, that we foreign students come here thinking only of Todai. We think the only good university is Todai (and maybe Kyodai). But actually, it's this gradually sliding scale. There are loads of good universities. Hokkaido University, Kyushu University, Osaka University, Hitotsubashi University... there is more to life than Tokyo University. Plus, move out of Tokyo and your living costs go way down - that means more money for things like fun and traveling.

And remember, MEXT chose you to get the scholarship for a reason. You may not understand why, in fact, I still don't understand why I got the scholarship. Especially when it seems that everyone else are much smarter than you. But the fact is, there's something special about you that stood out. Don't you ever forget that.

So yes, study hard, don't even think about cheating and choose your university wisely. But please please please, don't stress about it too much. And if you guys ever need to talk about university applications or stress or whatever, feel free to comment/email me. I'm always here to support you guys. 一緒に頑張ろう！

Here's a pretty picture from Mount Aso - PLEASE CONSIDER KYUDAI! 

ACS (Independent) Study in Japan booth!

I spent today at my old JC (Junior College = high school) to talk about studying in Japan! The idea was proposed by Austin, and since I had the email of one of the guidance counsellors, we managed to get it all set up!

*Dances about* I really want more juniors here in Japan!

Also, the school gave us water and a bookmark (with the school logo on it, of course). First time we've ever received these kind of things!

It definitely feels different going back to school with a purpose other than visiting teachers. Speaking of which, I didn't get to meet a lot of teachers, so I will have to go back again soon~

Our booth

We set up a booth in the SAC with a never-ending slideshow, some sweets, brochures and Austin's name card.

Us being hardworking

Amazingly, quite a few students came over to talk. Of course, I have to thank my awesome cousin, for bringing a few of her friends over. One of them was really interesting, he introduced himself as a "weaboo". Really funny guy ^^

But there was also another guy that came really well-prepared, he knew about the monbukagakusho scholarship and everything! The only thing is that he applied in the wrong country >< I hope he still gets to go to Japan though!

Most of the time though, we just answered questions about life in Japan, and what we feel are the advantages of studying there. These juniors might not have considered studying in Japan, but I hope we opened their minds to the possibility!

Plus, I saw two of my juniors (though I didn't recognise one), and met a few of my ex-cohort mates. Most of them couldn't recognise me immediately though, it normally took a few minutes. I wonder if bangs really make such a big difference?

For lunch, we shared (like I shared on Google+) PRATA APOCALYPSE! I was actually planning on introducing Austin to the C4, but then I saw the Apocalypse and had to try it. The uncle was really friendly too, and I found out that the prata store has a Facebook page too! Times have really changed...

Prata Apocalypse

Today was really fun! We gave out quite a lot of the namecards and brochures, so hopefully, some students will contact us, and one day come to Japan to study! I'll be going to RI on Friday for the same thing, hope it goes well too!

Frequently Asked Questions III

Pic unrelated. But Ajisai season was just over! 

Are you shocked? After doing on FAQ a year, I'm suddenly releasing a third one, what, 3 months after the second one came out. Well, I've been getting a lot of questions lately, and I realised that applications are around now. (Singaporeans, your application deadline is 25th July (Friday) )

Scholarship-related:

Is there a bond? (This questions is specific to Singaporeans)

Nope, there is no bond, but if you decide to take up the scholarship through the Singapore government, you do have to serve a bond. I believe it's about 6 years. You also get a bit more money is month.

Do you have to pay the scholarship money back?

Nope, not at all.

Who wrote your applications? Your teacher or your principal?

I'm not too sure, since I didn't open the envelope to check (it was sealed), but I think my teacher wrote it for me, and then the principal signed off it. It makes sense after all, because my teacher knows me better than my principal.


University related:

What is your opinion on the English language programs vs the Japanese language course? Is it riskier to apply to an English language course?

I'm in the Japanese course, so I'm obviously biased to that. I think, if you want to master the Japanese language by the time you graduate, you should go for the Japanese course. In the English course, there is less opportunity to intensively practice and study Japanese - there are Japanese classes, but things like reports do require lots of practice, I'm still learning about it!

As for the risk, I have no idea. I'm not MEXT and I didn't apply to any English course, so I can't help you there.

Are most Economics/Business related courses internationally recognised?

Probably. If you go to a public school, and especially if you go to an ex-imperial university, your degree will probably be recognised worldwide.

(By the way, Econs/Business people should consider Kyushu University (Kyuda) because we have QREC)

Does Japan have a double-degree program?

Sadly, no. But in Kyudai (at least), you can get an additional degree (actually, a diploma) with your bachelor's degree. Examples include the EUIJ program (stay tuned for more information), the 21st Century Challenge and the Japan-Korean college. I'm in the EUIJ program, so I can tell you that if you choose your modules carefully, you can graduate with an extra diploma without having to take extra courses. I'm not sure about other universities though, you'll have to check with them.

In your opinion, how academically rigorous is university in Japan (in reference to the Tofugu post about university being the spring break of life)?

So you saw Austin's post! Todai seems very very lax, but I study more than him (I think). Then again, Austin is also smarter than me so.... Personally, I think it depends on the major. For Kyudai Engineering students, they need a high GPA in order to be able to specialise in the area they want. But for Economics students, there's not GPA requirement (we do have to pass some modules). But I do believe some exchange programs require a minimum GPA.

Life in Japan:

How expensive is it to live in Japan? Is the scholarship money enough?

(This answer is the updated answer from the first FAQ)
The answer is: it depends. Tokyo is expensive, Fukuoka, not so much. While I was in a dorm in Tokyo, and in Fukuoka, the scholarship money is enough. Of course, if your rent takes up half your allowance, like in Tokyo, then it's probably not going to be enough :p

Are we allowed to do part-time work?

(Again, updated answer from the first FAQ)

The answer is "no" for TUFS and "yes" for university (after you apply for a permit for part-time work. It will limit the number of hours you can work per week - but be careful not to fall into the trap and work too much. Japanese students can afford to fail/retain, but I think we have to at least pass/graduate on time).

What is the weather there like? Is it dangerous to live in Japan? (Mudslides/Tsunamis/Earthquakes etc)

It depends on which part of Japan you're at. I haven't felt an earthquake since I moved to Fukuoka, and even the recent typhoon decided to avoid us. So I live in a safe area (with regards to natural disasters). I do remember experiencing more earthquakes in Tokyo though, although I hear that the recent typhoon was a non-event there too. (It was terrible in Okinawa though)

By the way, weather is... seasonal. I'm not sure how to describe it other than that. There's spring, summer, autumn and winter. If you're from a tropical climate, I guess it could take quite a lot of adjustment.

Is it tough living in Japan by yourself?

What a loaded question, I honestly think my answer will differ depending on my mood. But basically, it depends on the person. I'm fine, but there are people who find it tough. It depends on your lifestyle now and whether you feel homesick and all that.

(Also, I'm so tempted to do an in-depth post about it one day)

Personal questions: 

Why did you choose to study in Japan?

To cut a long story short (hmm... maybe I should blog about it one day?). I went to Kyushu for my ROCS3 program in school and fell in love with the place. Then in JC, I learnt about Kaizen, 5S systems, read Shusaku Endo and decided to come study here

And of course, I really wanted to learn Japanese, and for me, the most effective way is by immersion. So, uni in Japan it was! :D

Many thanks to Sagar, Seany, Keefe, Drew and others for the awesome questions! And thanks to everyone who wrote in with their experience and questions, I love hearing from all of you :D

Please check out the first FAQ, the second FAQ and the anti-FAQ as well. If you have any questions not covered by the FAQs or any past blog posts, or you want to read about a certain topic in-depth, let me know in the comments or through email.

Do My Bank Books Hate Me?

I was actually about to blog about Tosu Premium Outlets today, but then this happened.

When I say this I mean to say that I had to get a new bankbook. This makes it my fourth bank book, and I'm only entering my third year here.

Now, these bank books are insanely useful. I didn't use them very often in TUFS, but since I moved to Fukuoka and started to pay things through my bank account, I've found them to be very helpful in tracking my spending habits. Withdrawing money through the ATM card is convenient, but it doesn't tell you if you're withdrawing money too frequently, or if there are other purchases you made but forgot about.

And for some reason, ever since I moved here, I've had three bank books die on me. It appears that something went wrong with their magnetic strip at the back of the book.

So, for all of you living in Japan (and all of you to come), here is the advice that I've gotten from the people at the Yuuchou bank:

• Don't put two or more bankbooks together. Apparently the magnetic strip is very sensitive and the fiction can spoilt it. 
• In that vein, placing pieces of paper (like receipts) and such with your bank book is also a rather bad idea. 
• In fact, you should totally keep it in the plastic case they gave you. 
• And because these magnetic strips are so sensible, don't keep them in your bag with your handphone for long periods of time. Apparently the handphone will ruin your magnetic strip. 

Now that I know all this, here's to hoping that my fourth bank book will last much longer than the previous three. 

Misc. News.

1) +InasWH, my junior studying at TUFS now has made a video about studying in TUFS. For all your prospective scholars curious about MEXT/TUFS, you should definitely go watch it!

2) Today is commonly celebrated as International Labour Day, but you might not know that this is the day that Minamata disease was officially diagnosed (the things I learn in the doctor's office). Minamata disease, if you didn't know, is one of the four big pollution diseases of Japan and came about due to companies not caring about the environment. If you're ever in Kumamoto and near Minamata, you should go to the Minamata Disease Municipal Museum. If you're not, well, I did transcribe an account that I heard from a survivor. You can find it here. Let me warn you though, I only transcribed it, which means the grammar is a little choppy. 

Frequently Asked Questions II

SPRING :D 

Hey everyone! It's been a really long time since my previous FAQ (I think it was almost a year!) and since there are still lots of questions to be answered, I've decided to make a Part 2. So, I sent an email asking for questions to people who recently emailed me and dredged through my inbox.

Before I start, Inas, Sara and Valerie, thank you so much for replying!

Ok, on to the questions! They're all mostly about studies and MEXT, but to be honest, if you have questions about living (and to a smaller extent travelling) in Japan, feel free to ask me. I'll probably turn the questions into Part 3.... next year (looking at how I procrastinate :p)

MEXT Scholarship Questions
What are the chances of furthering my studies after MEXT?
From what Sara and another senior told me, it is possible to further your studies under MEXT. For example, if you're in the undergraduate program, you can study to a Masters degree. For a graduate, you can go to a PhD. I'm not too sure about the details though, so please check with the embassy/university.

What happens if you fail the December exam?
Oh no! Ok, this is a matter of how badly you've failed. If there's a university that will take you in, you will go there. If no university wants you (which means you must have skipped all your lessons or something), then I think you'll have to go home. The school will do its best to help you get in.

Related Question: What happens if my first choice university rejects me? 
The school will help you find another university. I'm not sure how this is done though.

How do you pick your university?
There are a few stages (this is TUFS specific. If any Osaka people could chime in, that would be awesome):
Stage 1: You get back your results (and then you celebrate or mope around - no prizes to the correct guess for my experience)
Stage 2: You go for a consultation with the teacher (In TUFS' case, Tani Sensei) as to which universities you can probably get in.
Stage 3: You apply and wait for MEXT to give it's approval.
Stage 4: If MEXT gives the green light, you either go for the exam/interview (if there's any) and then continue waiting for the official university letter.

How are the students divided? Can you choose your language school?
I'm not too sure, although we're divided pretty evenly between Osaka and Tokyo. And no, we can't pick our language school.

How many people get in overall?
There were about 60 people in my year, so I'm guessing about 120 people worldwide. This is for my batch (those that came in April 2012), so I'm not too sure about the latest numbers.

What kind of language test do you get when you first arrive?
For TUFS, it was a general Japanese language test. Gosh, I just realised I forgot :O
I'm pretty sure reading, writing, speaking (like conversations with the teacher) and listening are all tested though.

Life in Japan (Language and other stuff)
How good should my Japanese be?
Erh, erh, you're asking me? My Japanese friends still have to help me check every single one of my papers for grammar mistakes *blushes*. Just rest assured that by the end of the one year, you should be good enough for university. And the language schools will teach you from zero, so there's absolutely no need to worry.

Osaka people: is Kansai-ben very different from Standard Japanese?
I'm not sure why I was asked this, but let's just say it's different. It's not like Chinese, where knowing Mandarin doesn't help with Cantonese or Hokkien, but you will have a few problems understanding. At least, that's my experience with Hakata-ben and Kita-kyushu-ben.

Are there any student mentors when you first arrive?
Yes! There's an advisor on each floor of the dorm, and he/she will help you settle in, bring you to get your yuuchou bank account set up and all that. In fact, my advisor was the person who helped me find a doctor when I was sick and checked up on me.

Should I bring my laptop over? and Is a laptop necessary for the first year?I
It's up to you. It's not that necessary for your first year, although I'm using it for school assignments a lot more since I entered university. If your laptop is new, it may be worth using an adaptor for at least the first year. If your laptop is old and you were thinking of getting a new one anyway, wait till you come before you buy a laptop (and there are normally lots of student discounts in April, when the new school year starts).

Is it expensive to live in Japan? Do I need baito?
Living expenses vary from region to region. Kyushu is actually pretty ok, I managed just fine without baito for my first year. I just started teaching English, but that's because I made a few extravagant purchases this year. It's pretty normal to have baito though.

What can you buy at the 100yen stores?
EVERYTHING. Notebooks, snacks, drainage nets (get those, they are insanely useful if you hate scrubbing the plastic draining thing in your sink), little boxes, house slippers/house socks, etc. The only thing I would caution you against buying there would be cooking utensils, because I heard a horror story (from my senpai) about them melting under heat.

How do I pay my rent/set up my bank account?
When you first arrive in Japan, TUFS will help you set up a bank account. From there, they'll deduct the rent (automatically). You can set it up so that your water bills, electricity bills, phone bills, etc are all deducted automatically, but you'll have to fill in a separate form for each.

Personal Questions
How do you cope with homesickness?
It probably varies from person to person, but I find that going outside and doing something helps immensely. The whole point of this is to leave your house/room and get some fresh air. So at the very least, walk to a nearby store/conbini (you don't have to buy anything). Better yet, go do something, like kendo practice. Be warned, you will not feel like going out, but you should force yourself to do so. I normally feel this sense of inertia before kendo, but I never regret going.

I hope this was useful! Let me know if there are any other questions that isn't covered in this FAQ or the previous one.

Also, I'd love to do an FAQ for Kyushu University, to try and convince more of you to come here. So ask away in the comments or email me with your questions!

Introducing Inas!

Alright all you future (and current) MEXT scholars. If you're a visual/audio person, or you just want more information about MEXT, let me introduce my kouhai Inas, a MEXT vlogger.

Inas got this year's MEXT scholarship (she's coming to Japan this April) so she just started, which means that:

a. There's not a lot of back-load for you to watch (So the "I don't have enough time excuse is not available)
b. You can follow her and say you were "one of the firsts".

She's also a really nice girl (I've been emailing her) so that's another reason to follow her. You can find her channel here.

Here's her introduction video:

She also has a video on the application process (sorry I can't seem to embed it) so go watch!

I've already asked her to make a vlog of TUFS so yay! 

Welcome to Japan Inas! 

Pssst, if you're a scholar and you want to guest post on my blog/want me to talk about your blog, don't hesitate to contact me!