Just Another Kid Wanting to Go to College

[chiisu321]

Unfortunately the only answer i can give to that is simply, that's not the road i want to take. I have schools in the states that i wouldn't mind attending, but I would prefer to transfer out of them after freshman year. (most likely)

I try to come up with good compromises because i can't exactly say you're wrong, but by no means has this changed my goal. I still want to study and live in japan.^_^ The trend seems to be that my japanese has to be very strong. So, I'll add more study hours and look harder for a tutor.

[keatonatron]

Well, I'm more than happy to support you in doing whatever it is you want to do, I'm just trying to minimize the possibility of disappointment It sounds like you've already got everything all figured out.

[chchan45]

Such is the energy and enthusiasm of youth. It reminds me of my student days when I thought I could achieve anything I want, then I took an engineering degree and got a job ......

Nowadays I limit my ambitions to short-term goals and build on them little by little. After listening to my boss jabbering endlessly on "blue-sky thinking", I have become sceptical of it.

I didn't say any of this in a disapproving way at all.

[chiisu321]

I think it's exactly right in a sense. I'm young and the sky is the limit. I want to persue this now while the options are endless or else it'll be to late.

When i think about it, i'm reminded of a friend of mine. Ever since he was young he wanted to race motorcycles. He practiced and did exactly what he set out to do. His racing days are over, but he hasn't stopped riding. He says that because he worked for his dream and enjoyed every second of it, he can die happy knowing he did exactly what he wanted with his life.
He too has suffered from "boredom sendrom" (sp?) He has been all over the world and never regrets anything. (he's kind of my role model) I don't want to go everywhere, but i do want to go to Japan to have my own adventure my own way.


I feel stupid when i try to express it in words =/ -_-

[chiisu321]

keatonatron wrote:
Well, I'm more than happy to support you in doing whatever it is you want to do, I'm just trying to minimize the possibility of disappointment It sounds like you've already got everything all figured out.

>_< well thanx. I'd like to keep the possibility of dissappointment to a minimal as well. I'm taking in every comment and piece of advice. I especially like to read yours because it brings about new things to consider. (i've read your comments in other's threads about realted topics)

[Ezrach]

Visa paperwork is no walk in the park. If you intend to go to Japan as a student, you have to prove that you can support yourself, or that your family has enough funds to bail you out of any financial problems. (An official bank statement of funds, for example)

You're young, and full of optimism, which is good. Just don't let it take over your reality. When the truth comes knocking on your door, make sure you're ready for it. No one is saying you should give up your dreams, we're just saying you should be prepared for everything that life can throw your way. Don't dismiss any of the advice here, as most of us have been in your position at one time or another. We've been to / are in Japan. You're speaking with experience, here. We're trying to save you from the possibility of shattered expectations.

http://www.jasso.go.jp/index_e.html is the best resource you'll have to go off of. You will have to physically be present in Japan to take an entrance exam, which means a round-trip ticket and a place to stay. It's a rather large investment in an application, compared to, say, the University of California (any campus) that costs $40 and handling. And, in all honesty, you're going to need professional schooling in Japanese. (Even my bilingual friends from the States had grown up going to Japanese school after normal school was finished, every day)

Again, good luck, and stick to it.

[Shinjitsu]

I dont know very well, but i think than if you get marry whith a japanese you get the citizenship, right?
I dont mean you go to japan and look for somebody you can use, because its not right, and maybe it doesnt work like that in japan, does it?

[keatonatron]

Shinjitsu wrote:
I dont know very well, but i think than if you get marry whith a japanese you get the citizenship, right?

Yes and no. If you marry a Japanese citizen, you can apply for a spouse visa. It isn't exactly citizenship, but you can live in Japan until the day you die and you get all the same benefits as a Japanese person (except I think you can't vote, and you have to pay taxes to both countries).

When you apply for your spouse visa you have to prove that you got married because you really love each other and not because you wanted a visa. You have to provide proof that you've been together for a considerable amount of time and a few other things.

[Ongakuka]

Yes and no. If you marry a Japanese citizen, you can apply for a spouse visa. It isn't exactly citizenship, but you can live in Japan until the day you die and you get all the same benefits as a Japanese person (except I think you can't vote, and you have to pay taxes to both countries).

When you apply for your spouse visa you have to prove that you got married because you really love each other and not because you wanted a visa. You have to provide proof that you've been together for a considerable amount of time and a few other things.

Is there no way to become a citizen? I'm quite happy to get married in Japan and so on (not as a desperate attempt for the visa of course) but I want to be proud of the fact that I am a Japanese citizen. Is there really no way for gainjin to overcome this? Even those who can prove their nationalism?

[Ezrach]

Ongakuka wrote:
Is there no way to become a citizen? I'm quite happy to get married in Japan and so on (not as a desperate attempt for the visa of course) but I want to be proud of the fact that I am a Japanese citizen. Is there really no way for gainjin to overcome this? Even those who can prove their nationalism?

You can become a citizen, sure. It's not too difficult. Some of the requirements are simply "not a criminal", and you have to demonstrate that you are "Japanized". An inspector will even come to your house and make sure you are using mostly Japanese goods, so that your lifestyle doesn't look like you've just imported your entire house from your homeland.

Oh, the major kicker of it, though, is that if you become a Japanese citizen, you have to give up your native citizenship, no questions asked. You can read all about the most famous person who has gone through it - http://www.debito.org.

[AJBryant]

You can read all about the most famous person who has gone through it -

Fame should not be determined by the amount of noise one makes.

Surely the most famous naturalized Japanese citizen would have to be Koizumi Yakumo (aka Lafcadio Hearn).


Tony

Tony

[keatonatron]

Right, giving up citizenship is kinda dumb. If you want to do something as simple as go home to visit your mum you have to enter the country as a tourist and keep your passport with you at all times. If you only have a long-term Japanese visa, you get the best of both worlds.

Yes you can become a citizen, but no one does it because it's pointless.

I don't know if Britain has a good social welfare program where you can get money when you retire, but America does. Japan's system is totally drained due to the large number of older people. That means retirees now have to work as parking lot attendants and janitors just to stay afloat. If you become a Japanese citizen, you'd be giving up that governmental help and entering the Japanese system where you're probably gonna have to work literally until the day you die.

[chiisu321]

i do believe that it would be best to get a perminant (sp?) residence visa. I haven't looked into it extensively, but it sounds like if you get one of those you can stay in Japan as long as you want (under some conditions). You wouldn't be a citizen, but it's probably less of a hassle to have one instead of a long term visa that you would have to get renewed.
But like i said i don't really have information on it. I just stumbled on the topic one day.

[Ongakuka]

You can become a citizen, sure. It's not too difficult. Some of the requirements are simply "not a criminal", and you have to demonstrate that you are "Japanized". An inspector will even come to your house and make sure you are using mostly Japanese goods, so that your lifestyle doesn't look like you've just imported your entire house from your homeland.

Oh, the major kicker of it, though, is that if you become a Japanese citizen, you have to give up your native citizenship, no questions asked. You can read all about the most famous person who has gone through it - http://www.debito.org.

Right, giving up citizenship is kinda dumb. If you want to do something as simple as go home to visit your mum you have to enter the country as a tourist and keep your passport with you at all times. If you only have a long-term Japanese visa, you get the best of both worlds.

Yes you can become a citizen, but no one does it because it's pointless.

I don't know if Britain has a good social welfare program where you can get money when you retire, but America does. Japan's system is totally drained due to the large number of older people. That means retirees now have to work as parking lot attendants and janitors just to stay afloat. If you become a Japanese citizen, you'd be giving up that governmental help and entering the Japanese system where you're probably gonna have to work literally until the day you die.

Phew! This information has really helped me, so thankyou very much. I'm not going to make a desicion yet- but I have a lot more perspective now.

[keatonatron]

Ongakuka wrote:
I'm not going to make a desicion yet

Good choice. You haven't even found a Japanese wife yet