It was a great dream of mine to learn Japanese. I was already an exchange student in Japan and at that time I fell in love with the country. Back in Austria, my goal was to return to Japan as soon as possible, for at least a year.

Go! Go! Nihon helped with the visa, the registration at the language school, in getting a room in the dormitory, and they answered every question quickly. My coordinator Davina was very nice and I could meet her at ‘Japan Day’ in Düsseldorf because Go! Go! Nihon had a stand there. I’m sure that Go! Go! Nihon is the best and easiest way to get to Japan. Without their help it’s not impossible to come to Japan, but it’s very difficult.

The Fukuoka Foreign Language College has really good teachers; they will motivate you to learn Japanese. I was surprised at how well everything is organized. Everyone is very helpful. You meet a lot of people from all over the world. I recommend the school because your Japanese will improve quickly. There are also some events where you can participate and improve your Japanese. If you would like, you can get a Japanese buddy. There are no electives, but if you want to practice more conversation, kanji, or grammar, the school provides information on getting free or very inexpensive Japanese lessons, often taught by volunteers. I wanted to find a part-time job as quickly as possible. Even without knowing Japanese, you can find a job. In the process, your Japanese can improve quickly. Fukuoka is fantastic. The city is underrated. You’ll find everything you need in Fukuoka. Here you’ll find nature, the sea, the mountains, and party. The right thing is there for everyone.

My tip for future language students: just do it! If you would seriously like to learn Japanese, you must be in the country.

I wanted to study Japanese in Japan, because I was looking to improve my proficiency in the language as much as possible over the summer holidays. However, I had never been to Japan before and I had no idea how to go about organising such a trip. In fact, the whole idea was quite daunting. Luckily, as I was researching online I stumbled upon Go! Go! Nihon’s website by chance. All the various services provided by Go! Go! Nihon made the whole process so much easier than if I had tried to do it alone. From finding a language school and accommodation, to organising shuttle services from and to the airport, I had such a good experience with Go! Go! Nihon that I used their services again a year later for a second trip to Japan!

Go! Go! Nihon helped me find host families to live with during my stays, something that was important to me, because I wanted to really immerse myself into this new environment in order to learn as fast as possible. I was really welcomed into the family each time, to experience everyday life with them as a quasi-family member, rather than just as a foreign guest. From going on family outings to helping me at the post office; my host family members were always friendly and helpful, and were eager to show me around. In short, both of my homestay experiences were fantastic in almost every way! I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone wanting to experience life in Japan!

Well then, should we sum up this fabulous experience? Yes, because it really was fabulous, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Right from the start, it was well planned and organized, thanks to Go! Go! Nihon <3 They helped me with the forms for school, with researching accommodations, with the paperwork for a student visa (which I sadly had to give up on). They really supported me a lot during my entire three-month journey. They were always available to clear up any questions I or my parents had, from the simplest of things to more complex matters. On site, they were prompt and energetic when I had a logistical or school-related sort of problem. I met them in person and we had a nice chat about my life in Japan and they gave me some suggestions for my future. They’re young people like us and they provide this service free of charge just to help us study and live in Japan.

It was an adventure I’ll never forget, and although I took a ton of photos, the emotions I felt every single day can’t be captured on film, but will remain in my heart forever. I grew up so much and now I’m much more independent. I felt comfortable at school despite the initial difficulties, the teachers are competent and they understand that if you’re here, you’re highly motivated! The dormitory was definitely on the small side, but it turned out be functional, and all things considered, it wasn’t bad at all there.

Well, in short, I’d do it all again 1,000 times over, since I know I wouldn’t be alone…! Thank you, Go! Go! Nihon for helping make my dream come true! ^_^