Meet Cindy, from Indonesia, captivated by Japan’s unique culture, breathtaking scenery, and warm-hearted people. Studying at Higashikawa Japanese Language School in Hokkaido, she immersed herself in the language and embraced the town’s natural beauty. Now working in the hotel industry, Cindy’s dream is simply to live happily. She advises future travelers to embrace the challenges and joys of studying abroad in Japan.
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Interview – Story in Japan
- WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
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Indonesia
- WHERE DO YOU LEARN JAPANESE LANGUAGE?
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Study at「Higashikawa Japanese Language School」
- WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JAPAN?
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Japan has a very unique culture, a take-your-breath kind of scenery, and the kindest and modest people you have ever met of course, like mostly of people that interested in Japan, I too not exception love anime, manga, variety shows, and songs.
- WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO STAY IN THIS CITY?
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Higashikawa is a small city in Hokkaido and I think there, would be a great place to study the Japanese language as most of the citizens are not able to speak English. I heard from many of my friends who learned Japanese in Tokyo or other Japan’s big cities that Japanese people there would also like to learn and practice English with foreigners.
To avoid that and to be able to do a deep dive into the Japanese language, I chose Higashikawa.
However, once I moved, I was astonished by the nature of Hokkaido. The tallest mountain in Hokkaido which is Asahidake is located in Higashikawa and because of that, the town is blessed with the freshest water that flows down from the mountain. Higashikawa is also called the town of photography, and once I saw it with my own eyes, I understood why Higashikawa is crowned with that title, as the nature that surrounds Higashikawa is breathtaking.
- WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST WHILE STAYING ABROAD?
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First-hand experience of culture, people, nature, and language.
Once I got stuck or had no will to study, I usually took a walk or run with a rice field and a mountain as a view during the summer. In other seasons, the view and environment are always changing, which definitely makes me never bored of this city. And the most memorable were the people. Firstly, the teachers at the school are incredibly supportive and always give their best for the students. The friends that I’ve met there have become very valuable friends in my life. Although we have now separated and spread to different cities in Japan, we are still in contact and help each other if needed. I also enjoyed part-time (Arubaito). I part-timed at a family-owned izakaya as a chef helper. I felt that my Japanese skills improved a lot there as I needed to communicate with the chef, waiter, and sometimes with the guest. Everyone was very kind and patient with me although many times I didn’t understand or made mistakes due to the language barrier.
- DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS AFTER YOU START YOUR JOURNEY?
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Yes. Now, I’m working in the hotel industry in the Niseko area as a concierge. I am not only communicating with English-speaking guests but also with Japanese guests; although not perfect, I’m still learning. Learning the language by being in the country really helps me a lot. I learned a lot about the culture and the people while studying Japanese, which made the transition easier while working.
- WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?
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To live happily 🙂
- MESSAGE TO OUR FRIENDS WHO WILL GO TO JAPAN.
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Going to another country to study is not going to be as exciting, smooth, or easy as we probably all think and expect. There will be ups and downs for sure. Once it feels hard, it’s okay to take a break, have a walk, find new friends, go on an adventure while you can, and find new energy to study again.
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