How did you decide where to study abroad?
I wanted to make use of the international economics I’d studied at university in Vietnam by working at a Japanese company, so I decided to come to Japan to study Japanese. I’m not very good at foreign languages, but I was able to live my dream of living abroad.
How did you study Japanese after coming to Japan?
I first studied at a Japanese language school in Osaka for a year and a half, but I felt like I wanted to learn more, so I continued studying Japanese for three years at a vocational school, and passed N1 on the JLPT. After that, I wanted to study international economics more deeply, so I enrolled at the University of Hyogo’s School of Economics and Management.
We heard that you left school and started working. Why did you choose to leave school?
After my second year, I started working part-time at my present workplace, the International Department at Kobe City Hall. I was interested in doing things that contribute to society and relate to multicultural exchange, and I did that sort of thing in university, the work at the International Department allowed me to get more involved in a practical way. It’s also fulfilled my dream of being involved in exchange activities between foreigners and Japanese people. I felt that I couldn’t do the work I wanted to do properly while working part-time, so I decided to drop out early to work.
What do you like about Kobe?
I want to keep living in Kobe. Kobe’s closeness to the sea and its nature reminds me of Vietnam. There are also lots of places to go hiking and climb mountains, which are hobbies of mine. I hope you all can come visit Kobe, too!
Kobe City’s Kita-ku area, Tsukuhara Lake, and the wooden “BE KOBE”
Please share a message for other international students!
Living abroad, and searching for jobs are not easy things. But if you work to overcome the difficulties you’ll face, you’ll grow so much, and you’ll influence and give courage to those around you, too. Don’t give up, and come study and work in Kobe!