Four months have already passed since I came back to Korea. I cannot forget my life and memories in Japan, for it was the first time I lived on my own. Through this article, I would like to give some tips to students who want to stay in foreign countries alone.
In 2011, I was just a junior in Keimyung University. I woke up early in the morning, went to school, and took classes and exams. I was beginning to think this was not my dream campus life. At that time, I read an article about working holidays in the Keimyung Gazette. I said, “That’s it!” and I decided to go to Japan.
The working holiday program is a program which enables people traveling abroad to make money legitimately for travel expenses. Korea has concluded these agreements with many Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, and other countries including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland. Japan chooses candidates four times a year. Fortunately, I was chosen on the first try, so I went to Osaka, Japan, on March 26, 2012.
Looking back on it now, for two months, I had a nice time alone without my parents’ interference. I thought I could get a part-time job quickly. In reality, I was wrong. I applied and interviewed for cafeterias, restaurants, McDonald’s, Starbucks, and so on, but they said, “Sorry, better luck next time!” Finally, I had no choice but to ask my parents for financial help. Here is the first tip. Don’t overrate yourself. I overrated my Japanese skills when I went to the interview. I could not understand the Osaka dialect, and they speak too quickly. If you aren’t good at a foreign language, you should study more even when you are staying abroad.
My most memorable workplace was Tsuruhashi, one of the biggest Korea towns in Japan, in Osaka. When you go into Tsuruhashi, you can have the illusion you are in Korea. There are also Japanese who have affection for Korea. I can never forget a gray-headed old woman who had Korean idols’ pictures in her bag. At that time, I felt Korean culture is more ingrained in Japanese lives than I thought.
I stayed for 11 months in Osaka. Although it was a short time, I grew familiar with Japanese culture. It is very interesting to live in another country and to experience their culture. In addition, when I traveled in Kyoto, Kobe, and Nagoya, I met good friends, and I still stay in contact with them using SNS. It is also another charm of a working holiday. I recommend a working holiday if you want to experience new cultures.
