Why I left my Japanese language school after only 6 months

Summary

In this video, Kay explains why she left her Japanese language school after just six months. She discusses the intensity of the program, which was challenging but rewarding, and reflects on her personal goals for learning Japanese at her own pace. Kay shares her experience with the academic structure and how she felt about the language immersion in Japan. Ultimately, the decision to leave was driven by her desire to travel and explore the world, a lifelong dream she had put on hold due to the pandemic. Despite leaving early, Kay considers her time in Japan a positive and valuable experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Kay attended a Japanese language school in Japan from October 2022 to March 2023.
• 😀 Kay left the language school after 6 months, and the decision was influenced by multiple factors, including personal preferences and past experiences.
• 😀 The language school program was intensive, and Kay felt that the workload might lead to burnout if continued beyond 6 months.
• 😀 Kay's goal was to learn the basics of Japanese and not necessarily to live or work in Japan, as she was learning the language for fun.
• 😀 The language school applied for a student visa for 1 year and 3 months, giving students the flexibility to leave anytime within that period.
• 😀 Kay's experience was mixed with some classmates thriving, while others struggled or dropped out, as results varied based on personal capacity and effort.
• 😀 The program was challenging, particularly when learning verb conjugation and informal speech, which Kay found overwhelming.
• 😀 Kay was not ashamed of needing a teacher to guide her through the basic stages of learning Japanese, acknowledging the value of structured lessons.
• 😀 For Kay, the joy of learning Japanese was more important than achieving a specific proficiency level, with an eventual goal of N3.
• 😀 After 6 months in Japan, Kay decided to leave the school and focus on traveling, as traveling had always been her main goal since quitting her job in 2019.
• 😀 Kay felt that the time and money spent on the language school were well worth it, and she gained confidence, skills, and meaningful experiences during her time in Japan.

Q & A

Why did Kay leave language school after only 6 months?

Kay left the language school after 6 months because she felt the program was intense and feared burnout. She decided that after learning the basics of the language, she could continue her learning at a slower pace on her own.

Did Kay have a bad experience at the language school or in Japan?

No, Kay did not have a bad experience in Japan or at the language school. She mentioned it was a positive experience that helped her learn a lot, gain confidence, and meet wonderful people.

Why was Kay uncertain about how long she would stay at the language school?

Kay was uncertain because she wasn't sure if she would enjoy the experience or if she would be able to keep up with the intensive program. She left the timeline open-ended to keep her options flexible.

What made the language program at the Yamasa Institute intensive?

The program was intensive because it covered a lot of material quickly, including complex topics like verb conjugation and informal speech, which made it challenging for beginners.

How did Kay handle the challenges of learning Japanese as a complete beginner?

Kay worked hard to keep up in the program despite the challenges. She was in a class with other beginners and received a lot of support from her teachers, who made learning more engaging.

How did Kay feel about the intensity of the second quarter of the language program?

Kay felt overwhelmed and struggled with the material, especially as they started learning more complex aspects like verb conjugation and informal speech. She feared burnout, which was a personal concern due to past experiences.

Did Kay ever consider dropping out of the language program?

Yes, Kay mentioned that she was barely hanging on in the second quarter and had a classmate who dropped to an easier class. However, she didn’t drop out and decided to continue because she didn’t want to quit so easily.

Why did Kay feel the need to attend language school rather than learn on her own?

Kay admitted that she needed structured guidance to learn the basics effectively. She had tried learning Japanese on her own but struggled to retain information. She valued the support of teachers, especially in the early stages.

What was Kay’s long-term goal with learning Japanese?

Kay’s long-term goal was to reach a proficiency of roughly N3 level. She didn’t feel pressure to reach higher levels and was okay with progressing at a slower pace. Her main motivation was enjoying the learning process.

How did Kay balance her desire to travel with attending language school?

Kay viewed going to language school as a side quest while her main mission was traveling the world. After spending 6 months in Japan, she felt it was time to move on and pursue her passion for travel.