College in Japan

[Ewokish]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to these forums after doing quite a bit of lurking. I am 21 and I am very seriously considering finishing my education in Japan on a student visa. I am in love with the culture and to be quite honest I am sick of the way other people behave and carry themselves in America, and quite a few bad things have happened to me here. Plus the thought of this adventure and dealing with these changes excites me to no end.

Right now I am half way to my Associates degree at my community college but it's slow going right now because I get screwed out of aid and work my rear off to pay for it myself. I just have some questions and concerns about possibly making this transition. Please bear with me, I have a tendancy to get long winded

The school I am looking at is Hal Institute, probably either Osaka or Nagoya as Tokyo would probably be too expensive. There I would like to complete my education for Game art and Programming. They have a website, but I cannot read Japanese and the translation I used for it was very poor, so I did not find this info there. I heard from somewhere else though that they do not actually give a Bachelors or anything like that but just give a diploma for either their two year or four year programming, is that true? I was considering the four year program but I do not know if it would be worth it to not get at least a Bachelors degree out of it. If I go to school there and decide 'wow, I don't want to leave this country' does that mean I could not get a work visa to stay because they don't give degrees? Is there another school you know of similar that does give degrees? I know zero of programming, so they would have to start from basics for that, because I am in an Arts aspect right now as far as degrees go.

I read that many native english speakers in Japan get jobs teaching English. Would it be possible for me to do this with an associates? Is it possible to find a very part time job doing this (like under 10 hours a week) and balance school full time? What are some good reference guides about properly and effectively teaching English (like books, etc.)? What are some scholarships offered to foreigners attending school in Japan?

I know very little Japanese and it sounds like pretty much every college there requires you to be at a JLPT 2 level or better. My community college offers Japanese 1-4. Levels 1 and 2 are 75 contact hours each for the semester. Levels 3 and 4 are each 45 contact hours over the course of a semester. While I know this may be difficult to answer because you don't know what my schools course is like, but does this sound like enough education time to get to the JLPT 2 level?

Then, I am stereotypically a large american. Though I have lost a good bit of weight so far, what is a good weight to be at so I would not stand out as much aside from being a foreigner in Japan? I know the woman there are usually very small, so it may sound silly but it is something I am a little concerned of. I'm 5'6 (average height for an American girl) so theres nothing to be done about that How well do the Japanese treat their woman? High regards, Equal, Low? I am white and have dirty blond hair, would groping or any form of sexual assault be a problem for me? Sorry if those are some silly questions in there but I am ignorant to some things about the culture despite all my research I've been doing.

I do not want to accidentally do anything rude if I study in Japan. I am considered friendly and mannered in my country and I would like to be considered that if I go to Japan too. Does anyone know of any good resources that explain in detail the different mannerisms or is this something that should be taught in language class?

Lastly, in the US I am a drop out and GED recipiant. I went very astray in my youth because I came from a poor and ill-mannered family. I worked very hard to put myself where I want to be, and I am on the right track now, but will my troubled past be an issue in Japan? They can't tell I have a GED right? Is it something I should be open about if asked or keep quiet about should I seek work in Japan?

Again, sorry if I asked so much. I would be really appreciative of anyone who could touch up on some or all of my questions. Heck, I might have even forgotten a question or two Oh well. Thanks for your time!