Dreaming about a hyper-convenient life in Japan
Japanese games, anime, and manga are popular in Indonesia, so I grew up exposed to Japanese culture. Immersing with Japanese content, especially in Japanese games, made me love Japanese culture as part of my childhood. It showed me how different life could be with well-developed train systems and having tons of strategically located convenience stores. My fascination drove me to deepen my knowledge of Japanese culture and technology.
My love for Japanese games also fed my fondness for gaming and software development, later leading me to major in computer science at my university. Game development, mobile app development, and VR’s various aspects intrigue and excite me. Finding out that Japan puts a priority on developing programming and software engineering skills and that they are keen to hire foreigners, made it easy for me to connect the dots. Working in Japan would allow me to grow in the industry I am most passionate about.
ASIA to JAPAN’s Japanese classes powered me through tough times
After entering university, I self-studied Japanese using Duolingo, a language-learning app on my smartphone. Within a month, I mastered hiragana and katakana and acquired a foundational understanding of the language.
During my second year of university, I participated in the free Japanese language classes offered by ASIA to JAPAN’s at Bandung Institute of Technology for a year.
Due to the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic at that time, all classes were online. Online classes often struggle with being fun and engaging but ASIA to JAPAN’s teachers were so kind and kept classes so interesting that Japanese lessons became the highlight of my days. Amid the troubling coronavirus period, because I got to immerse in Japanese culture, these classes gave me respite.
Japanese Job hunting aided by FAST OFFER International
More than the enjoyable classes, ASIA to JAPAN gave me another opportunity. They introduced me to their program, FAST OFFER International. True to Japanese culture, they paved for me an efficient path. While studying at my university, the program would help me simultaneously find a job at a Japanese company. From the beginning of 2023, I started earnestly preparing for employment in Japan.
It was a mix of enjoyable and challenging moments throughout. As fun as the classes were, they could also be difficult. My native Indonesian language does not use kanji characters, so kanji posed a significant hurdle for me. It was also an extremely hectic season in my life. I had to juggle multiple requirements. The interview period in April and May coincided with midterm exams, and I had to juggle university projects and group assignments with my classmates. On top of my already busy schedule, I enrolled in ASIA to JAPAN’s month-long Japanese Business class for international students to improve my Japanese.
As hard as things got, I never lost sight of what a rare and precious chance it was to work in Japan. I kept working hard because FAST OFFER International supported me throughout.
FAST OFFER International equipped me with knowledge on Japanese Corporate Culture for the interviews so I can be confident
Before the job interviews, I was anxious about my still-developing Japanese skills. The interviews were to be fully in Japanese. So, I thoroughly prepared in advance through FAST OFFER International’s mentor sessions. My mentor was incredibly kind and supportive, dedicating around three hours each session to practicing interview scenarios with me. During these mentoring sessions, I learned about company knowledge and how to answer interview questions. I also received pre-interview questions from the interviewers, allowing me to prepare accordingly.
Thanks to all the aided preparation, during the online interviews, I answered questions with confidence. Everything went smoothly, and the interviews concluded quickly. I was pleasantly surprised when I received the job offer after the interviews. It was hard to believe how fast things happened. As it sunk in, I felt my happiness blossom. I was going to work in Japan!
I am bubbling with excitement over the life that awaits me in Japan
I am scheduled to start work in April next year, so I have approximately six months remaining from when I wrote this. I am so excited for the completely new life that awaits me in Japan. I finally get to be part of the Japanese culture I so admire. During the summer holiday this year, I participated in a two-week short-term Japanese language program at Meiji University, where I studied N4-level conversational Japanese with students from all over the world. Currently, I am also enrolled in external Japanese language classes. I aim to pass the JLPT N3 exam in December.
Once I join the company, there will be a period of training, and I am determined to give my best and absorb various skills and knowledge. After that, I aspire to be involved in development work within the company. I want to deepen my programming skills and enhance my ability to work effectively within a team. I am eager to experience personal growth and make the most of every opportunity.
Go for your dreams with hard work and gratitude
To everyone who dreams of working in Japan, I encourage you to pursue your interests and aspirations! Although it requires significant effort, I genuinely believe that you will eventually feel grateful for your hard work. Therefore, always remain grateful for these invaluable opportunities and strive to give your best!
If you are already here reading my success story, then I hope I helped you realize how precious this opportunity is. ASIA to JAPAN has provided me with numerous exceptional opportunities, including free Japanese language classes at university, experiences to deepen my interest in Japanese culture and job opportunities in Japan.
ASIA To JAPAN alleviated my worries about being Muslim in Japan
I am so grateful to ASIA to JAPAN whose support went beyond just helping me find a job. They also answered my questions and helped alleviate my worries regarding my concerns about life in Japan. They demonstrated remarkable understanding regarding my religious circumstances.
As a Muslim, I had concerns about practicing my faith while working in Japan. However, the staff showed great kindness and provided support throughout the selection process, considering our religious sensitivities.
So, if you have any concerns about job conditions, please do not worry. Just reach out to the ASIA to JAPAN staff, and they will undoubtedly assist you. Plus, the current culture in Japan will enable you to find ways to continue practicing your religion. Approach the challenge with confidence and without any worries.
