UPDATE | May 25, 2023
How should international students attending school meet Japanese people and make friends? Moreover, I was embarrassed by my Japanese level, so I had a hard time speaking to people in Japanese. What should I do in such a case?
――You have finally come to Japan.
I can finally see various strange places in Japan with my own eyes. And of course, you can spend your days actually using the Japanese that you have studied so hard.
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What do you like to do when you are not studying?
My hobby is painting. Drawing alone is fun, but it's even more fun with someone else. Rather, I wanted to do it with someone. Besides, even if you don't understand Japanese, you should be able to enjoy what you like.
With that thought in mind, I mustered up the courage to sign up for apps and sites that allow me to interact with circles and people with common interests. Through that, I found a drawing club, and when I actually participated, the Japanese people talked to me very kindly, explained what I didn't understand, and supported me.
To summarize this step, it's a good idea to think about what you're proud of or what you like and then search for meetups on sites and apps. Even if you don't have any particular hobbies, there may be interesting social gatherings (cafe tours, board game parties, etc.).
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Have you ever walked down the street and seen an information board? I didn't notice it at all for a long time, until one day I stopped in front of such a bulletin board to see what was there.
Of course there were neighborhood rules and advertisements, but there were also unexpected events. For example, thanks to the bulletin board, I learned about events such as recruitment for participation in foreign speech contests, announcements of puppet shows, and so on.
The good thing about town bulletin boards is that they list events happening in the neighborhood. So you don't have to go far. Another point is that there is a high probability that you will be able to learn about unexpected events that you would not even try to search for.
If you can't find the information bulletin board in the city after searching, you can also search for "○○ Ward Event" and "○○ Station Event" on SNS such as Instagram and Twitter.
After reading this far, you may be wondering what to do if the other person is not interested in me, even if I am interested in them. If you are having trouble, I would recommend finding a student who is studying your native language.
I think there are various ways to find it, but I will introduce the method I actually tried. After checking the website and syllabus of the university I belonged to, I found a teacher who teaches my mother tongue, Russian. There was also E-mail address listed, so I sent an email saying, "I'm a native Russian speaker, but if the class you're teaching needs a native speaker volunteer, would it be possible for me to participate?" I received a polite reply.
Think about where you can teach your native language. For example, check the website of the university you want to go to, a nearby university, or Professional Training College, and send an email to your teacher. Also, I think it would be possible to use SNS to post a notice saying, "I'm a native speaker of ○○ language, but feel free to talk to me!"
I live in Tokyo, but when I searched the internet for things like "○○ Ward Volunteer Japanese Class", "○○ Ward Volunteer International Exchange Meeting", or "○○ Ward Volunteer Japanese Language Support" A group of volunteers will emerge. It may vary by region, but you may find a similar volunteer organization somewhere near you.
Also, if you are interested in volunteering yourself, you may want to search for "○○ regional volunteers". If there is something you can do, you may not only find friends, but also contribute to the community.
School classes are the basis for learning Japanese. However, if you really want to practice your Japanese, why not consider a part-time job? And of course, you will have the opportunity to make friends while working part-time with your colleagues.
However, if your goal is to make friends, not just to earn money, you should be careful about the type of part-time job and its characteristics. If you do a part-time job such as filling out a database alone online, you will not be able to contact anyone, so I recommend choosing a part-time job that you can do face-to-face and in a team.
However, there are some things you should know before looking for a part-time job. For example, you have to get permission from the Immigration Bureau. If you want to know more about the rules and precautions regarding part-time jobs, you can checkアクセス日本留学article "There are rules for international students working part-time! Check them before starting a part-time job". Also, if you are interested in part-time job types, hourly wages, and applications,[Life in Japan] What international students should be aware of when working part-time in Japan” article.
Even if you only have one friend, ask that friend to introduce you to someone else. By the way, even if you are a friend of foreign nationality, there is a possibility that the friend of foreign nationality already has a Japanese friend. It may be embarrassing to ask such a request at first, but I am sure that it will be a good experience for the future as a practical networking practice.
After reading this article, some of you may think, "This is difficult...should I stop?" But I guarantee you won't regret it if you try making Japanese friends. Not only will you have someone to help you practice your Japanese, but you will also have the opportunity to come into contact with Japanese culture and make friends who will provide advice and support in your daily life. Also, regardless of nationality, having friends makes life more fun!
One step is enough, so let's make some Japanese friends!
An employee of ACCESS NEXTAGE Co., Ltd. Career Support Division for Foreigners. Originally from Belarus. She will come to Japan in June 2021 and will participate in the government-sponsored research student program at Ochanomizu University until March 2023. His hobbies are PC games, drawing, and international exchange.
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