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We always here that being able to speak at a level equal to the Japanese Proficiency Test Level 2 (1 being highest) is considered practically fluent; level one being almost unattainable by many Japanese natives. Then why is it that applying for a job with the best credentials and a level 2 proficiency doesn’t get you the job: YOU’RE NOT JAPANESE. Think about it. If this were America, and a Japanese applied for a job with great qualifications and great English ability yet has not lived in the country but for 10 or 15 years and is not a citizen AND another applicant has the same qualifications but is a citizen and native, who would get the job? Of course there are variables involved, but we can see it would sway to the native. What I see here in Japan is that gaijins don’t understand that they are gaijins. We grow up never thinking that we would ever be an ESL student. We see ourselves as “world citizens” and “travelers” although in reality we are simply foreigners lookin’ for a good ride. PS: I don’t know who made the woodblock print. I found it on wikipedia.
Comments:
3 Comments posted on "Should you be fluent in Japanese?"
Vecko on January 13th, 2008 at 1:30 am
yep thats why you must the best of the best. people have a bigger chance of success in their home town or country. to get a full time job in a foreign country, that can pay the bills and you can live a decent life, your cridentials must be BEYOND what the people that you are trying to get hired by, are expecting from you. so in in the end you have a degree that would get you the most sweetest job back home but you have a job that you could have been doing with a high school diploma back home.
Sakuraba on January 16th, 2008 at 3:23 am
^ That sucks. Too bad. Fluent is a tall order. I took French immersion for 7 years and I’m not even close to fluent.
The Warrior on January 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Always a tough question. If you can at least being pretty good in the language of the country that you live in your life will be much easier. Also, Gaimusho (Japanese State Dept.) is talking about requiring Japanese language skills to extend long-term visas. The idea is really focusing on Brazillian-Japanese who come on the Japanese ancestry visas, but I wouldn’t be suprised if it was extended to other long-termers in the future. You must be logged in to post a comment. |
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No problem. Glad to hear from you. I hope you can join our little circle of friends who are curious about living in this country of mystery.
so uhm yeah, greetings from an half irish half arabic guy that lives in germany! ah and start making more podcasts, like 3 a week 
it was still good 
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