Long-Term Study Abroad
I knew speaking would be more challenging than reading or writing Japanese. That's why I chose HAJL who puts focus on speaking practice.
- Name:
- LI RUOYAO
- Kansai University Graduate School
A friend from university was interested in Japanese language, so we started learning Japanese together.
I thought that talking in Japanese is the hardest part, not reading or writing, so I chose HAJL since it has many conversation practice.
It was fun to improve my Japanese through the help of the teachers and my own efforts.
The teachers are kind and polite. They taught me a lot of things.
When I came to Japan, I encountered a lot of problems. But now I can do simple legal formalities. I also studied for the university entrance exam, and managed to get into graduate school.
After I finished graduate school, I want to go back to my country and become a history teacher.
The teachers are kind, they taught me not just for my Japanese study, but also a lot of things for daily life.
- Name:
- ZHANG YI
- Saitama University Graduate School
When I was a student, a senior I got along well with went to study in Japan, and I heard many things about Japan from him.
I also like Japanese movies, so I thought I should learn Japanese.
When watching movies, I watch them while understanding the meaning of the Japanese dialogues said by the actors.
Speaking in Japanese is difficult. When I came to Japan, I couldn't even read katakana, so I had a hard time ordering food from restaurants. But recently it became much easier.
The teachers are kind, they taught me not just for my Japanese study, but also a lot of things for daily life.
My dream now is to get along with everyone in the grad school's environmental control.
I was inspired by the lines and words the characters use in Anime, and decided to start learning Japanese.
- Name:
- SHERPA WANGCHHU GYALBU
- Sundai Business College for Hospitatily & Foreign Languages
I used to watch a lot of Japanese Anime back in Nepal. I was inspired by the lines and words the characters use, and decided to start learning Japanese.
The concept of Keigo (a former way of speaking) was very new and interesting for me. Since I do not adjust or control the way I speak based on whom I speak to in Nepali, I imagined that it would be fun to speak Keigo like the Japanese people do.
The hardest part of learning Japanese was Kanji. Since I came from a country that does not use Kanji, the process of learning how to write it was never easy, but the teachers were very nice and patient with me along the way.
When I first got to Japan, my Japanese was not so good that I did not make a lot of friends. Today, however, my Japanese improved and I can now even talk to strangers with confidence.
My first goal is to enroll in higher education, and then I will pursue my career in hotel industry to become one of the best concierges in Japan.
My future dream is to visit another country to learn Interior design.
- Name:
- NGUYEN THIEN THAO NHAN
- HAGOROMO UNIVERSITIES OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
I actually had my application approved by a college when I was in Vietnam, but I was not so excited about it. In one part of me, I always wanted to study in Japan. Not knowing what to study at first, I learned a lot in the past two years and come to decide to learn Interior design at Hagoromo Universities of International Studies.
At first, I was enrolled in the beginner class, starting from learning Hiragana and Katakana. I was not prepared for living in Japan nor capable of having daily conversation.
Thanks to my teacher at that time who would always put on a smile and taught me patiently, I could move up to advanced class. She did not only teach me Japanese, but also the culture, history and society of Japan in general.
I was good at taking notes and writing things down repetitively to memorize. Kanji was one of them. Improving my reading ability, however, was not easy for me, so I challenged myself to read lots of books. Among them are the books about interior design, which also helped me prepare for the college exam.
On the early stage, I was not so motivated to study Japanese. My teachers encouraged me to study harder, but all I did was watching movies and TV shows.
It was not until last May or June, when I started to realize that I should really get myself prepared for the college entrance exam, and I started to take my lessons seriously.
My future dream is to visit another country to learn Interior design. By accumulating more and more knowledge, I would like to become an interior designer one day.
You are expected to interact and speak in class. I had so many opportunities to speak Japanese during the lessons.
- Name:
- ZALESNAIA KSENIIA
- WOVN Technologies
When I was a middle school student, a friend of mine introduced me to a Japanese Anime. I was very interested in Anime ever since. When I turned 20 and got a job, I was looking for something new to learn, and thought to myself, “Why don’t I learn Japanese”. That is how my journey started.
People say that ‘Kanji’ is the hardest part of learning Japanese, but for me, it is the most fun part. If you know Kanji, you will be able to guess most part of the sentence even if you are not familiar with the words contained. Kanji is visual. If you could visualize it and connect it with what you already know, it will all be self-explanatory.
The hardest part for me was the grammar. It is so different from the way European language is structured that once you try to translate it the way it is, it will make no sense at all.
I already had JLPT N3 at the time I arrived at Japan, so I decided to challenge myself not to use Russian. It was difficult at the beginning, because I put pressure on myself to use only Japanese and English.
Taking classes in Japanese Language School is a completely different experience from that of high school in Russia. You are expected to interact and speak in class. I had so many opportunities to speak Japanese during the lessons.
I used to work for an IT company back in Russia, but I was not passionate about it by the time I left. However, I discovered that the work environment and culture were very different in Japan even for the same IT industry, so I regained my passion for working in IT related business again.
Today, I work for a Japanese company, and I am highly motivated to seek innovation and bring new product to the world.
Regular classes
Although studying Kanji is difficult for me, studying grammar is a great fun.
- Name:
- GIL MAESTRE ANGEL SEBASTIA
I came to Japan after marrying a Japanese lady. I like Japanese foods and writers. I decided to study Japanese in Human Academy because I heard a good reputation from my Spanish friend who has taken 1 year studying in this school.
The school is located in a convenient place for commuting, and the class is also fun. Human Academy allows me to learn from various methods and give me new perspectives because they assign more than one teacher to a class. That is something I did not get when I was taking classes back in Spain from a single teacher. Although studying Kanji is difficult for me, studying grammar is a great fun. It’s difficult for anyone when they first start learning, but once you feel that you are making progress, it will soon become an excitement. Don’t give up, do your best!
Preparatory School
The tutors in the Preparatory School department are very reliable. Each student will get their own tutor to consult.
- Name:
- ZHU BOXUAN
- Nihon University for Science and Technology, Tokai University for Oceanography
The tutors arranged a mock test for EJU at a very early stage, when we still had a lot of time until the actual exam. Each time they would give me a detailed feedback after the result came out, point out and help me fix the questions I missed, and even advised me to make my own drill for reviewing purpose.
After the Covid-19 hit the world, the tutors worked hard to make it possible to take the exams online. The tutors in the Preparatory School department are very reliable. Each student will get their own tutor to consult with. They cheered me up and gave me specific advises based on where I stood at the time. It was very helpful that they taught me what I should work on at each phase of preparation, and in the meantime, showed me the path to take.
When it was finally the time to apply to my first-choice graduate school, my tutor made a list of possible questions I might get at the interview, and also helped me fill out the motivation letter. My tutor asked me a lot of questions for practice, all of which I wasn't ready to answer. Then they helped me develop the answers to any possible questions. I am very thankful to the tutors who stood by me patiently.
If you listen to your tutors advise, and follow as they say, you will be able to enroll in the school of your dreams. Also, keep in mind that the interview counts as much as your school grades in Japan. I wish all of you will be able to achieve your goals.
- Name:
- XU YUEMING
- Tokyo University for Fundamental Science and Technology,
Waseda University for General Culture,
When I arrived at Japan, I was not sure how to prepare for the University entrance exams. As much as I wanted to get ready in short time, I was pretty much at lost. I was very lucky to get the opportunity to join one of the basic classes where they taught not only about how to gather information on Universities, but also how to write a research plan.
Also, a teacher from the course helped me find the right University that suits my desired research field. He offered me all the information I needed about the University, helped me plan the schedule for the exam, and gave me feedbacks on the research plan.
Last but not least, if you keep in close touch with your teacher, work hard on the assignments, and above all, keep faith, you will earn the results you want.
For the JLPT
If there is anything you are interested in Japan, you will understand much better once you learn the language.
- Name:
- LI YIZHEN
- Waseda University Graduate School
I studied English in high school when I lived in Taiwan. I realized that I wanted to study a new language, and decided to enter a university in Japan. My major is very difficult, and it has always been hard for me to take a time to study Japanese on my own. That is when I decided to take a course in Human Academy. In school, I can always ask the teacher when I do not understand, and they would teach me what to learn in the right order.
Learning Japanese could be challenging sometimes because the grammer is different when you write and when you speak, but it is so much fun when you understand what your Japanese friends are speaking, or what the actors or the TV hosts are saying on the screen. If there is anything you are interested in Japan, you will understand much better once you learn the language. The teachers in Human Academy are very nice, and they teach on a perfect pace. I wish you all have a great experience of learning Japanese in this school like I do.
Special Interviews
We brought Kasi san who took an online course at Human Academy Japanese Language School to ask why he decided to learn Japanese, and what it was like to study at Human Academy. The following is the interview.
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Q
- Why did you decide to learn Japanese?
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I was in charge of the Asian region at my previous company and had the opportunity to travel to our partner companies in Japan.
After visiting Japan many times, I was amazed at how different it was from other countries, how buses and trains arrived on time, and how polite the Japanese people were, and I loved Japanese culture so much that I decided to study Japanese.
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Q
- How did you find out about Human Academy Japanese Language School?
- When I was doing a research for a school, my Japanese colleague was taking a English class, and his English teacher recommended me HAJL.
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Q
- How did you feel about learning Japanese online?
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I can learn hiragana and katakana on my own, but I think it's good that Human Online Japanese allows you to learn practical conversation-based skills.
I admire their teaching method, where students are expected to learn Japanese the same way you learned your own language as a child.
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Q
- What is your goal after learning Japanese?
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My first goal is to pass the JLPT N2 exam in July.
In this Autumn, I will be enrolled in Hitotsubashi MBA program, and after getting MBA, I am off to look for a job in Japan.
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Q
- Message to those who are learning Japanese
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Japanese is very different from other languages.
I think it is better to plan your study strategically instead of rushing to learn.When studying for a long period of time, it is important to have your own motivation because if you are told to do it by others, your motivation will not last.
I also think that the frequency of study is important.
I only speak my native language with my family, but if I don't speak it for a long time, even my native language will be forgotten.
It is important to learn Japanese on a regular basis.
