I know this may sound horrible, but I'm trying to figure our where I want to study in the spring. I was thinking about taking a semester at the Temple University in Toyko, but I can't speak Japanesse. My advisor told me that most of the people over there speak english, but something is telling me that she lied to me. I would like to learn Japanesse, but I don't have the time considering I'm only able to study aboard in my junior year because I have to student teach in my senior year.I don't want to seem like an arrogant american, but I would love to see the education system in Japan while I'm in college. Any help? Thanks!
Hello Bumble: I hope those websites would help you: http://www.jpss.jp/eng/index.html http://www.japan-guide.com/ I dont think most Japanese ppl can speak English but most of them would help you when you ask for help. It depnds on which course you're going to choose, if you chose some internatinal class, the students around you can speak some English. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2232.html I hope you will have a great stay in Japan. Good luck!
It sounds like your advisor was being extremely arrogant and probably never travelled to Japan. Having lived in Japan last year, I can tell you that most people will speak a few words in English, but don't assume it will be like going on holiday and everybody being able to speak English, because it definately Aint. You will have to learn to speak basic Japanese and it will come in useful if you can read Hiragana, Katakana and basic Kanji. It's not so hard to learn, if you've got willpower. If you live in Tokyo, it will be an advantage because tokyo is constantly full of touristy wankers. However, once you're out of Tokyo, you'll need your Japanese even more because the trains don't have English translations etc.
Oh man... me and my partner are hoping to go to Japan on holiday in the next year or so and we were hoping that most people would be able to speak English... I realise that was a pretty arrogant and ignorant thing to assume. We will brush up on the language although it will be difficult!
It's not that difficult to be honest (you've just got to think in Japanese and not in English) and if you're going as a tourist you won't need to know that much Japanese as I'm sure you will be going to places like Fuji-san, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima etc, highly gaijin infected areas. (foreigners everywhere).
