Student Interviews

From childhood, I was very interested in Japanese culture and language and wanted to learn more about it. After I started my career at a library, I decided that I wanted to work with Japanese materials and at that point I really needed to learn the language well. The major reason I decided to enroll in this school is that I can obtain a degree here. Moreover, as I researched different language schools, including those in Tokyo, I learned that Fukuoka has many museums, a rich history, and also has a lot of greenery. These factors also led me to choose this school.

I mostly try to focus on studying. In the morning, I do homework and study, and in the afternoon, I attend classes for about four hours. In the evening, I spend time studying or talking with my family. On weekends, I work one day and the other day I try to do more recreational things to experience the city. A particularly memorable experience was when I took trains and buses with my classmates to see the volcano in Aso (in Kumamoto). I had never seen anything like that. In the future, I would like to join the school’s agriculture club.

For a person like me, easily embarrassed and hesitate to start a conversation, getting over the initial embarrassment was crucial. Life became so much more satisfying after I was able to overcome that fear and interact with people, and start having real experiences.
Particularly when I started working, I was asked many questions by my colleagues, which gave me the opportunity to really consider how to convey my life and experiences. Even if it's scary and difficult at first, keep trying. It's absolutely worth it.

My class is one of the largest Japanese classes at school. We practice listening and speaking a lot in addition to reading and writing. Speaking Japanese is particularly difficult. When writing, I can focus on grammar, but in conversation, there is no time to consider grammar because I need to come up with the answer quickly. The classes are very helpful in overcoming this as we practice conversations in different sets of situations. Also, I can always go down to the lobby floor to ask my Japanese friends for help.

The most enjoyable moment was the entrance ceremony. Although it was my first day at school, I had a lot of fun meeting and singing along with teachers and other students. Another great memory is going to the amusement park with my classmates.

I want to become a translator between Japanese and Spanish. Before coming to Japan, I worked as a translator between English and Spanish. I don't have a concrete idea yet, but I'm currently discussing it with my homeroom teacher.

At first, it was difficult to make Japanese friends. I was worried about saying something inappropriate or feeling embarrassed, so I couldn't engage in conversations. However, through meeting Japanese people with overseas experience and people from other countries at this school, I gradually overcame this. Now, I have learned to value others' experiences, thoughts, and opinions, which has helped me adjust to life in Japan.

My purpose for coming to Japan was to find employment, so I consulted with an agent who recommended FFLC's career course, which is said to have nearly a 100% employment rate. Additionally, I had previously lived in Japan and heard many things about Kyushu, which made me want to live in Fukuoka, so I decided to enroll.

After classes, I don't go home right away. Instead, I stay at school to do my homework and interact with students from other courses. In the lobby, there are students from various courses, so we help each other with homework. Besides homework, I also receive help from a friend I met there for procedures like opening a bank account. I work part-time at a barbecue restaurant. Since there is a restriction of 28 hours per week for international students, I balance my work and studies within that limit.

I participated in various school events, but the most memorable was the volunteer activity with children that the school posted for recruitment. It was an event where we made a movie with children, who took on the role of directors, wrote their own scripts, and the adults acted according to the scripts to create a movie together. It was a lot of fun.

It's been two years. I studied Japanese in Nagoya for about a year and a half before coming to Fukuoka.

The way garbage is disposed of was surprising. In Nepal, we dispose of burnable and nonburnable garbage together, but in Japan, everything is sorted. Also, I was surprised that toilets are free everywhere in Japan. I think garbage sorting and free public toilets are great initiatives.

I'm currently working part-time at a hotel, but I used to work night shifts for a different job. At that time, I struggled with a lack of sleep, which made attending classes tough. Financially, part-time work is necessary, but balancing it with classes is difficult. When I was looking for my current part-time job, I consulted the school, and they introduced me to a hotel job, so now I have a better daily routine.

I think the most important thing is Japanese language skills. I struggled a lot at first because I didn't understand Japanese. So, I think it's best to study as much Japanese as possible beforehand. The teachers here are all kind, so don't hesitate to ask them anything. Don't give up and do your best!

Initially, I planned to come to Japan as an exchange student, but my Japanese language school teacher recommended FFLC's preparatory course if I was considering university admission. As I researched the school, I liked the idea of being able to interact not only with Japanese students but also with other international students, so I decided to enroll.

My best memory is going to Dazaifu and making traditional sweets with everyone from school. It was a joyful and memorable experience.

I plan to attend a university in Fukuoka. After graduation, I want to work in supporting international students and foreigners living in Japan.

In high school, I wanted to work in a hotel and attended open campus events for hotel vocational schools. However, I decided to enroll in this school because it offers the opportunity to broaden my perspective beyond the hotel industry and learn a wide range of subjects using English.

Most of the people in my class are from Japan, but there are also people from other parts of Asia. The class is not very large, so I feel really close to the teachers, and it creates an environment where no one feels left out. Recently, I have also been studying Korean, and I got to know a Korean person who is in the advanced course at the school. We walked together partway home, and gradually we became friends. Now we even study together at cafés. If you want to speak a certain language, you can just go to the school lobby and easily meet someone from that country.

Initially, I was thinking about getting a job, which is why I joined the career class. However, now I am considering transferring to a university in Korea. I saw on the school’s website that it's possible to transfer to an overseas university. When I told the teacher about my change in plans, they immediately said they would contact a former student who had transferred to a university in Korea. You don't have to get a job just because you’re in the career search class, as the school is flexible in supporting what you really want to pursue in the future.