From Hong Kong, China
Kampus Nagano / Advanced II-1
What was your reason for studying in Japan?
My name is Kou Homan. My nickname is Seki, and I have come to Japan in April 2022 to study abroad for one year at Nagano School.
In Hong Kong, I worked at Disneyland for 13 years. During that time, I met Japanese friends and became very interested in Japan. I decided to study in Japan because I wanted to take a new step forward in life. In the future, I would like to work and live in Japan.
Before coming to Japan to study, I took Japanese studies courses at a local university to learn Japanese.
Why did you decide to enroll in Nagano School?
I had lived all my life in Hong Kong, a big city, so I longed for a place with rich nature and wanted to study in Nagano Prefecture.
I had several friends who were enrolled in ISI's Tokyo campus, but I ultimately chose the Nagano campus. The Nagano campus has the lowest tuition among the ISI group schools, and I thought it was attractive that I could receive the same level of educational services as in Tokyo while keeping costs low.
How is your study abroad experience in Nagano?
Before coming to Japan, I studied Japanese up to the N4 level in Hong Kong. Six months after coming to Japan, I took the N3 exam and advanced to the Advanced I class. I plan to take the N2 exam this December. Since I am in Japan, I feel that my language skills have improved, but I still need to improve my listening comprehension and conversation skills.
Life in Nagano is just as I had hoped it would be, with the peaceful countryside and beauty of the area. The school has a rich international flavor, with students from many different countries and regions. The Nagano school has a Japanese language department within the vocational school, so I was able to meet some senior Hong Kong students who are studying in the vocational course.
I don't usually think too much about joining a particular group and have a wide range of friendships. On weekends, I participate in an international student badminton team, which allows me to interact with students from other cultures while using Cantonese and Mandarin. There are also dorm residents with a variety of personalities, and I believe that living with them will help me hone my social skills and have a positive impact on my future life and work.
Now that I am gradually getting used to life in Japan, I am going to ask my school to introduce me to a part-time job and experience part-time life in Japan.
What are your plans for the future?
Since my main purpose of studying abroad is to find a job in Japan, I would like to obtain a Specified Skilled Visa through the Nagano School's Specified Skilled Workers and Employment Support Program and work in Japan after graduation.
I have worked in the front lines of the service industry in Hong Kong for many years, but now that I am in a new environment, I would like to try my hand at a completely different industry, such as aviation or agriculture. At first glance, these are seemingly different industries, but I am interested in both, and I think I can make use of my past experience in customer service.
After graduation, I would like to work in Japan if I can obtain a Specified Skilled Type I visa smoothly, and after working in Japan for 5 years, I would like to switch to another visa and live in Japan for a long period of time.
Please give a message to junior students who are considering studying in Japan.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Every place has its own unique culture rooted in the land. If you are living abroad, respect the local culture. The pace of life in Japan is very different from that of Hong Kong. Hong Kong is fast-paced, but in Japan, especially in Nagano where I live, the flow of time is slower and more peaceful.
Also, Japan is a country that is very particular about detail, but Hong Kong does not have so many detailed rules. If you measure a foreign country by the values of your hometown, you may feel uncomfortable and constrained. However, by viewing these feelings as culture shock that one encounters when living abroad, I believe that it will turn into a chance to enjoy the differences from one's hometown.
