I Want to Study Abroad
I went to Japan in 2015 to improve my Japanese skills... Went to school for two weeks but FAILED miserably!
Not because Japanese is hard.. Actually, I think it's an easy and fun language to learn, but I failed because the teachers well all so freaking strict!!! VERY STRICT!!
If you know a bit about Japanese culture, you know how important respecting your superior is!! Bow to them, formal language, they are the boss in the room..
And it was a real cultural shock!! The first day, I was the newbie in class. People spoke to me in Japanese, and I was so clueless because they spoke fast. The moment the teacher came in, one of the students called for the entire group to stand up. Thanks to my basic Japanese knowledge, I understood the order and stood up..but why?
We had to greet the teacher and bow to him until he found it satisfying!
We had tests EVERY freaking DAY! Always the same test!! Why? Because the teachers wanted us to master the order of the strokes in the hiragana and Katakana alphabet.. You would take that test until you reached the 100%!!!
You couldn't speak in class! Yeah, that's something that happens in every classroom, but if you dared speak without permission, you were kicked out of the classroom.
The teachers wouldn't accept your homework if you didn't give it properly. Handing it with your two hands, slightly bowing your head..
You couldn't use informal speech with your teachers or they would start lecturing you. Respect is very important for the Japanese !!
If you had a question, you had to ask it in Japanese or else, he/she would answer it. HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO ASK A QUESTION IN JAPANESE WHEN IM A BEGINNER????
At the end of the day, we had to stand up, thank him/her for teaching and sharing their knowledge with us and bow again until they were satisfied.
It was a rough experience, but I learnt so much. Leaving school, some classmates would ask me if I wanted to join them for some karaoke or go at the Game stations, but I always had to decline. So much homework to do. When I came home after school, my host mom would ask me about homework and what we learnt and then start giving me more Japanese lessons. I had supper with the family and they always turned on the TV and asked to translate some sentences to see if I understood. It was hard!! After supper, had to go to my room and start studying until 23:00 then take a bath and sleep.. All that to learn Japanese and because I Didn't want the teachers to get mad at me.
Not every Japanese language school is like that. It depends on the level of time you want to give to studying that makes the difference. If you want an easy learning pace, the teachers won't be as strict as fast learners teachers.
Anyway, it's an experience I will never forget. A good but strict experience! ^_^
Not because Japanese is hard.. Actually, I think it's an easy and fun language to learn, but I failed because the teachers well all so freaking strict!!! VERY STRICT!!
If you know a bit about Japanese culture, you know how important respecting your superior is!! Bow to them, formal language, they are the boss in the room..
And it was a real cultural shock!! The first day, I was the newbie in class. People spoke to me in Japanese, and I was so clueless because they spoke fast. The moment the teacher came in, one of the students called for the entire group to stand up. Thanks to my basic Japanese knowledge, I understood the order and stood up..but why?
We had to greet the teacher and bow to him until he found it satisfying!
We had tests EVERY freaking DAY! Always the same test!! Why? Because the teachers wanted us to master the order of the strokes in the hiragana and Katakana alphabet.. You would take that test until you reached the 100%!!!
You couldn't speak in class! Yeah, that's something that happens in every classroom, but if you dared speak without permission, you were kicked out of the classroom.
The teachers wouldn't accept your homework if you didn't give it properly. Handing it with your two hands, slightly bowing your head..
You couldn't use informal speech with your teachers or they would start lecturing you. Respect is very important for the Japanese !!
If you had a question, you had to ask it in Japanese or else, he/she would answer it. HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO ASK A QUESTION IN JAPANESE WHEN IM A BEGINNER????
At the end of the day, we had to stand up, thank him/her for teaching and sharing their knowledge with us and bow again until they were satisfied.
It was a rough experience, but I learnt so much. Leaving school, some classmates would ask me if I wanted to join them for some karaoke or go at the Game stations, but I always had to decline. So much homework to do. When I came home after school, my host mom would ask me about homework and what we learnt and then start giving me more Japanese lessons. I had supper with the family and they always turned on the TV and asked to translate some sentences to see if I understood. It was hard!! After supper, had to go to my room and start studying until 23:00 then take a bath and sleep.. All that to learn Japanese and because I Didn't want the teachers to get mad at me.
Not every Japanese language school is like that. It depends on the level of time you want to give to studying that makes the difference. If you want an easy learning pace, the teachers won't be as strict as fast learners teachers.
Anyway, it's an experience I will never forget. A good but strict experience! ^_^
26-30, F
