Comments on: Back to Kyoto

By: Jade Oc

Jade Oc — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:05:50 +0000

This language course is offered or at least run by the university you are assigned to, right? A bit different than the Gaidai one I assume. At least from what I have heard. But yeah, you want to make sure you don’t get roped into it. Were you a degree student or a non-degree student? – if you have a BA from a Japanese university you shouldn’t be made to take a language course. That is, MEXT should realise you have the language already.

By: Aceface

Aceface — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:27:27 +0000

“Please come up to Tokyo asap. There are a lot of people waiting to meet you.”

Yeah,let’s do some book-hunting at Jinbocho again,Roy.

By: M-Bone

M-Bone — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:10:50 +0000

I did the language course because I needed it, but I also heard about a research scholar who got roped into doing one despite the fact that they claimed their Japanese was “fine”. That “fine” could very well have been judged “not so fine” by the Monkasho people, but for Roy, it may be better to check this out sooner rather than later. I’m sure that getting stuck in 6 hour a day language classes starting out with “Watashi ha Mutant Frog desu” is not your idea of fun.

By: Jade Oc

Jade Oc — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:03:04 +0000

For the research student, I don’t think they have language courses per se. Though they may have an optional (?) six-month one. I never had a research student one (the undergrad and the postgrad instead) so am not sure, mind you. The hard-core language course at Gaidai’s school is for the undergrad schol.

By: Bryce

Bryce — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:50:24 +0000

Wow, ex-mombusho gathering! Welcome to the club Roy. Life really is good on the scholarship – well better than working for three years, anyway. Are they going to place you in language courses? Normally that part is required, but I’m not sure you need it.

By: M-Bone

M-Bone — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:55:02 +0000

Congrats. I am also a Ministry of Education scholarship veteran (and I’m also going back to Japan rather soon as well). It is an amazing opportunity. Will you be starting out as an enrolled MA student, or as a researcher? What will you be studying.

By: Jade Oc

Jade Oc — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:48:09 +0000

Those Ministry of Ed schols are sweet. I suckled at their teat for seven years. Back when I first started it wasn’t paid into your account, but handed over by the university as cash – brand new, crisp, sweet-smelling bills…. Then they started doing bank deposits, which just wasn’t as satisfying really. Actually, I’ve heard they’ve gone down a bit in the past few years, by about maybe 5,000 yen.

So what will you be studying in Kyoto, and why Kyoto?

By: Roy Berman

Roy Berman — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:20:46 +0000

I knew it! You and Shoko adopted foster children while I was gone.

By: Adamu

Adamu — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:13:43 +0000

Welcome back, Roy!

Please come up to Tokyo asap. There are a lot of people waiting to meet you.

By: tdp

tdp — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:26:14 +0000

I also might be going to Japan soon and was wondering if you have advice for those of us that don’t have a place to crash for a few weeks. Since I plan on being there a few years I want to go ahead and get an apartment but I’ve heard that you need an alien registration card to sign a lease. Is that true? Last time I studied in Japan it took quite a while to get this card so I’m not sure what to do until then.