I don't want to live in Japan.

[Rogozhin]

Originally Posted by YoshimiTheEthereal

From hatred, new hatred is spawned! Then, there is war! And more sin! Evil! Sorry . . . I couldn't resist.

People shouldn't say they hate countries entirely. That would be like me saying I hate Kentucky. I don't. I hate living here and I hate that I have no opportunities and no people with common interests, but I have family and there are people like me somewhere here . . . I guess . . .

Hatred is bad!

That`s true. I often say I hate Australia but then I try to imagine what life would be like if it disappeared, along with all the my friends and family that live there. It`s a sad thought.

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by YoshimiTheEthereal

How much college Japanese will I need to take to be fluent enough? I don't mean to get off-topic, but it's really important. The best I can do here in boring Kentucky is get a certificate, so for the last few years I have been teaching myself from books and websites (I am a senior in high school right now). How much more will I need?

Best to just goto Japan and goto language schools and go from there. You'll need at least JLPT Level 2 to get anywhere. This could take around 2 years or more living in Japan but it will vary depending on the individual.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by YoshimiTheEthereal

How much college Japanese will I need to take to be fluent enough? I don't mean to get off-topic, but it's really important. The best I can do here in boring Kentucky is get a certificate, so for the last few years I have been teaching myself from books and websites (I am a senior in high school right now). How much more will I need?

To be completely honest with you - I have met to meet a single person who could really get by with only university Japanese. Everyone who was a Japanese major in university had to come to Japan and take another language course here before they sounded like they were doing anything other than quoting a textbook. That`s not even to mention the incredibly poor listening comprehension.

Language is very very flexible. While studying is always a wonderful start, you`re never going to be any level of "fluent" through it. Because in real life, 95% of people don`t talk like they do in the textbooks - and even when they do chances are their accent is going to be different, they`ll be talking faster, etc.

I say to definitely spend a lot of time studying - just don`t count on fluency through it. It will help you a lot (unless the textbook is awful, the teacher is wrong, etc) when you are in a position to really achieve fluency - like actually being in Japan.

[noodle]

I don't think it's wise to talk about living in a "country" because from all the moving around I've done in my life, one thing I can be sure of is that there can be HUUGE differences from one town/city to the next in the same country.

People that are motivated to move abroad because they don't like where they currently live really ought to try moving to another town in their country first, especially in a country like the US. In general, Quality of life always seems to be a little better in the US compared to Japan, and on top of that I'm sure living in Boston or living in LA is totally different.

Immigration is a natural phenomenon. People always seek a better life. Before, this meant being able to put food on the table for you and your family, and for safety etc, but today, it seems that less and less people immigrate because they need to but rather because they have a "want" they need to fulfill (At least this is true when concerned with Japan).

Anyway, all that is to say that moving abroad, to any country is a big step. Sometimes you just have a feeling, like I did when I moved to France, and you don't even need a plan. Which brings me to another point. Many people said you need to have a plan in the sense that you plan your details in Japan. I don't think you necessarily need a plan, but rather a back-up plan. i.e. what will you do if you realise that Japan was a mistake. Going back home is the main plan for everyone, but if you've been away for a long time, you might find coming back being another shock since things move and change so fast..... Enough talk for now. The main point is that it's impotant to have a good reason to move abroad. A gut feeling isn't always a good reason!

[zed]

Well I would say that, I am iterested in living in Japan for a short period of time (three years maybe) but I have to agree the language is very important, I moved to the US not so long ago, and I had already studied various levels of english, but when I first got here it was hard to follow a conversation, I could only pic up simple words and some phrases, it took time for my ears to keep up but I tried to listen as much english speaking as posible, it costed me alot of trouble, I had to start working in places were conversation wasn't compleateley required, and with time and going back to study I can say my english is prety good and I am trying to nail my writing now, and that is what I am planing to do with the Japanese, though it may take a wile to learn enough so I can make the trip.

so comunication is the first priority when you are moving to another country, you just can't expect to get there and get what you want.

[burkhartdesu]

Zed, your English is better than most native-english people on this forum!

[YoshimiTheEthereal]

Yes, go Zed! I admire hard work and not giving up to get what you really want! So, I admire you, Zed! I want to be like you with Japanese!

How do I go about taking classes in Japan? Do I graduate from college, move to Japan, and apply to a special school there or something?

Man, we are soooo off-topic . . .

[ThirdSight]

Originally Posted by YoshimiTheEthereal

How much college Japanese will I need to take to be fluent enough? I don't mean to get off-topic, but it's really important. The best I can do here in boring Kentucky is get a certificate, so for the last few years I have been teaching myself from books and websites (I am a senior in high school right now). How much more will I need?

I wouldn't say you need to be fluent in Japanese before you go, but you'll need to know a hell of a lot. All of kana like your native language, a good amount of Kanji, and I'd say at least 2-3 years of rigorous study of the language. You learn a lot more in an environment of total immersion, so whatever Japanese you know will be used immensily in your first day there.

Originally Posted by MMM

If you hate America, the best thing to do is spend 6 months or a year or two away from America. I guarantee you'll find a new appreciation for home and the things you hate will seem like not that big a deal any more.

This is just a common human emotion. People realize how lucky there were in a relationship when it's over. People realize how important other people are when they've lost them. Most people, if not the majority of them, don't appriciate what they have when they have it, but only after they've lost it. It's the whole reason this thread was created: MMM compared what he'd have to sacrifice if he chose to live in Japan, rather than living in Japan without thinking, realizing only afterwards the small things he'd be giving up.

[Nagoyankee]

Originally Posted by superheel

I just don't know how I can live in a non-english speaking country.

lol You aren't even a native English speaker yourself!

[burkhartdesu]

I used to be one to blindly say things like "I hate America", but nobody knows their culture until they've been removed from it.

When I went to Japan I gained more respect and knowledge of my own society than I did of the Japanese-- which isn't to say I don't love Japan, but for once I don't hate being an American.

EDIT: 100th reply Woot!