Going to Japan for 2 years to study the language

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by jasonbvr

Eight hours! Whoa! That is even more hardcore than the Chinese course I took in Beijing. I had four hours a day of class and like three hours of homework. This was for only three months too, but I learned enough to have the level of two years of study in the US.

I'll give it to you Nyororin. A course like that and you should pass the JLPT 1 with ease if you stick to the books and away from the bars. I should really get my lazy@$$ in gear and study more.

Whoa, trust me, I`ve never *personally* taken a class like that. I`ve never actually taken a real Japanese class in Japan at all, let alone something intensive like that. I just know a couple of people who did. (After the fact of course - I seriously doubt they`d have had time to meet me otherwise!) I guess the classes were 9am to 1pm - then 4pm to 8pm. So, at least there was a good gap there in the afternoon to do all that stuff that you can only do earlier in the day.

If you`re really determined and really work hard on what they`re telling you to study - after a full year of it you should be pretty advanced.

[samokan]

just like what Nyororin stated, intensive classes usually takes about 8 hours per day. Well that's the purpose of it. You need to be able to master Japanese language in just 1 year so it has to be that intensive. I think they need to memorize 10 kanji per day, so in about a month they should be able to memorize around 200 kanji, both reading and writing , or more on reading.. This is applicable to those taking the undergrad courses. But for those taking masteral or phd its a bit different depending upon the school and your field.

Like my bestfriend who was an took up masteral sponsored by jica was here for 2 years and I know for a fact that he can only speak basic Japanese. Enough to ask for direction . They have interpreter at school and his adviser can also speak english. His thesis was all in english.

it all really depends upon your school, field or your interest in learning the language...

[Lonewolf]

Well anyway, I have thought long and hard about it (had some sleepless nights too) and I have decided to stay here in England and do my degree first before I go to Japan. It would be awesome to go to Japan next year, but I've realized that I won't have enough money and it will be near impossible to survive without a degree or fluent Japanese. So yeah it sucks, but I think it's the better decision. At least my dream of going to Japan will motivate me to study extra hard. So I guess I'll probably then move to Japan some where around 2012-2013. Sigh it seems so far away when you actually say it out loud. Oh well....

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

Well anyway, I have thought long and hard about it (had some sleepless nights too) and I have decided to stay here in England and do my degree first before I go to Japan. It would be awesome to go to Japan next year, but I've realized that I won't have enough money and it will be near impossible to survive without a degree or fluent Japanese. So yeah it sucks, but I think it's the better decision. At least my dream of going to Japan will motivate me to study extra hard. So I guess I'll probably then move to Japan some where around 2012-2013. Sigh it seems so far away when you actually say it out loud. Oh well....

Good luck to you.
I know it sounds far away, but you`ll be much more prepared when that time rolls around.