hey guys hello Greg is back with me
hey guys hello Greg is back with me

again today because lots of you
again today because lots of you

requested that you want to see him in my
requested that you want to see him in my

videos again yay are you happy
videos again yay are you happy

yes um so I've been getting tons of
yes um so I've been getting tons of

questions about going to school in Japan
questions about going to school in Japan

what it's like how I got into a
what it's like how I got into a

university in Japan and like a million
university in Japan and like a million

things like that so I decided we should
things like that so I decided we should

do an updated version of my school in
do an updated version of my school in

Japan Q&A so that's what we're going to
Japan Q&A so that's what we're going to

do today and I asked on Twitter um for
do today and I asked on Twitter um for

your guys' questions and you sent me
your guys' questions and you sent me

tons of good ones so thank you so much
tons of good ones so thank you so much

so I'm going to be looking at my phone
so I'm going to be looking at my phone

and reading your guys' questions off
and reading your guys' questions off

here so let's get
here so let's get

started okay so first of all how did you
started okay so first of all how did you

guys get into school in Japan um well me
guys get into school in Japan um well me

and Greg both did different programs um
and Greg both did different programs um

actually I started off with the same
actually I started off with the same

program that Greg did which was a
program that Greg did which was a

one-year language program just to come
one-year language program just to come

here and learn Japanese language and
here and learn Japanese language and

culture and then I transferred into the
culture and then I transferred into the

school to finish my bachelors so the
school to finish my bachelors so the

process is a little different um in
process is a little different um in

Greg's case he started off at American
Greg's case he started off at American

University right and then how did you
University right and then how did you

end up here uh well I talked to my
end up here uh well I talked to my

Japanese teacher about one to study
Japanese teacher about one to study

abroad in Japan and then she's the one
abroad in Japan and then she's the one

that referred me to our International
that referred me to our International

Center and then from their International
Center and then from their International

Center since most schools usually have
Center since most schools usually have

sister schools with schools in different
sister schools with schools in different

country um I came here to Tokyo so I
country um I came here to Tokyo so I

studied here for one year Japanese in
studied here for one year Japanese in

the Japanese culture yeah that was how I
the Japanese culture yeah that was how I

started off I I was was enrolled in a
started off I I was was enrolled in a

university in Canada and then I just
university in Canada and then I just

went to the international center and
went to the international center and

asked them what kind of programs they
asked them what kind of programs they

have for coming to Japan and they gave
have for coming to Japan and they gave

me a list of I think three schools to
me a list of I think three schools to

choose from um and I just chose to come
choose from um and I just chose to come

here for a one-year Japanese language
here for a one-year Japanese language

program to start off with and I was
program to start off with and I was

planning on going home but I really
planning on going home but I really

liked it so I stayed here and I
liked it so I stayed here and I

transferred to the university um but
transferred to the university um but

having that one-year experience here um
having that one-year experience here um

in just the Japanese language program I
in just the Japanese language program I

made lots of connections the university
made lots of connections the university

and I I think it made my transfer
and I I think it made my transfer

process a lot easier um the people in
process a lot easier um the people in

the office were willing to help me out
the office were willing to help me out

when I had problems with the forms I was
when I had problems with the forms I was

filling out and stuff and um I think it
filling out and stuff and um I think it

was just a good idea to come here for
was just a good idea to come here for

the short program to start off with just
the short program to start off with just

to see if you like it and to build those
to see if you like it and to build those

connections with the school um you can
connections with the school um you can

transfer directly into a Japanese
transfer directly into a Japanese

University if you want to but I feel
University if you want to but I feel

like the process would be more difficult
like the process would be more difficult

so um personally I recommend coming here
so um personally I recommend coming here

for a short Exchange program to start
for a short Exchange program to start

off with is tuition in Japan really
off with is tuition in Japan really

expensive especially since you're a
expensive especially since you're a

foreigner um well actually the school we
foreigner um well actually the school we

went to they gave us a discount cuz we
went to they gave us a discount cuz we

were a foreigner um my university in
were a foreigner um my university in

Canada they would charge foreign
Canada they would charge foreign

students like I think twice or even
students like I think twice or even

three times the price for tuition we
three times the price for tuition we

were really lucky our school here gave a
were really lucky our school here gave a

discount to foreign students so I'm not
discount to foreign students so I'm not

sure if it's like that everywhere in
sure if it's like that everywhere in

Japan it could have just been the school
Japan it could have just been the school

we went to but it's possible that it is
we went to but it's possible that it is

so what were the requirements for
so what were the requirements for

entering the school did you have any
entering the school did you have any

requirements for entering no language
requirements for entering no language

program we had to write like two or
program we had to write like two or

three essays actually um the director of
three essays actually um the director of

my school actually came
my school actually came

and interviewed us also okay I didn't
and interviewed us also okay I didn't

have any interview um when I entered the
have any interview um when I entered the

language program I did write some essays
language program I did write some essays

just why I'm interested in going um that
just why I'm interested in going um that

was about it for entering the language
was about it for entering the language

program but when I wanted to transfer
program but when I wanted to transfer

into the school to finish my degree I
into the school to finish my degree I

needed to fill out maybe 30 forms they
needed to fill out maybe 30 forms they

love forms in Japan they'll spend lots
love forms in Japan they'll spend lots

and lots of time filling out forms for
and lots of time filling out forms for

everything you do um I did that and I
everything you do um I did that and I

had an interview with about three
had an interview with about three

different um
different um

teachers um basically just asking me why
teachers um basically just asking me why

I wanted to study in Japan why I thought
I wanted to study in Japan why I thought

it would be a good idea to finish my
it would be a good idea to finish my

degree here uh what I want to do in the
degree here uh what I want to do in the

future Etc as for language requirements
future Etc as for language requirements

um you don't need any Japanese for the
um you don't need any Japanese for the

school that I went to but I wanted to
school that I went to but I wanted to

take some classes in Japanese so in that
take some classes in Japanese so in that

case I needed to have the jlpt and2
case I needed to have the jlpt and2

level um to be able to do that um that
level um to be able to do that um that

was about it for requirements um good
was about it for requirements um good

grades you probably need to have good
grades you probably need to have good

grades but that's kind of a given yeah
grades but that's kind of a given yeah

that's for it how hard is it to make
that's for it how hard is it to make

Japanese
Japanese

friends I don't know I feel like
friends I don't know I feel like

Japanese people and maybe like American
Japanese people and maybe like American

people are very different when it comes
people are very different when it comes

to being able to make friends it's a lot
to being able to make friends it's a lot

easier to make friends in America even
easier to make friends in America even

for a lot of my um Japanese friends that
for a lot of my um Japanese friends that

went abroad but to make friends in Japan
went abroad but to make friends in Japan

it's kind of hard or you don't really
it's kind of hard or you don't really

see them so much but they still consider
see them so much but they still consider

you like oh but we're friends and maybe
you like oh but we're friends and maybe

they don't talk to you so much yeah I
they don't talk to you so much yeah I

think like the definition of friend is
think like the definition of friend is

different here like in Canada you'd make
different here like in Canada you'd make

a friend and you guys would hang out all
a friend and you guys would hang out all

the time like on the weekend you'd
the time like on the weekend you'd

always text each other but here you can
always text each other but here you can

be friends with someone and maybe
be friends with someone and maybe

they'll they'll never invite you out
they'll they'll never invite you out

anywhere or they'll never invite you to
anywhere or they'll never invite you to

their parties but you'll see them at
their parties but you'll see them at

school and you'll wave to them and maybe
school and you'll wave to them and maybe

they'll come over and talk to you at
they'll come over and talk to you at

lunch sometimes but I feel like it's
lunch sometimes but I feel like it's

it's really hard to make like a really
it's really hard to make like a really

good friendship here making
good friendship here making

acquaintances and people that'll come
acquaintances and people that'll come

hang out with you at lunch and talk to
hang out with you at lunch and talk to

you is really easy but um making a
you is really easy but um making a

really good friendship where people are
really good friendship where people are

going to invite you out to hang out on
going to invite you out to hang out on

the weekends and stuff I don't yeah I
the weekends and stuff I don't yeah I

feel like that's
feel like that's

harder yeah would a teacher smash your
harder yeah would a teacher smash your

cell phone if they saw you using it in
cell phone if they saw you using it in

class definitely not this guy said that
class definitely not this guy said that

he saw a video of a Japanese teacher
he saw a video of a Japanese teacher

smashing a student's cell phone um that
smashing a student's cell phone um that

was probably in high school I would
was probably in high school I would

definitely believe that that happened in
definitely believe that that happened in

high school here so they're so strict um
high school here so they're so strict um

but to make up for how like horribly
but to make up for how like horribly

strict they are in high school the
strict they are in high school the

universities are just
universities are just

ridiculously Le lenient yeah like I'd
ridiculously Le lenient yeah like I'd

say a good 80% maybe 90% of the students
say a good 80% maybe 90% of the students

in our classes will just be like staring
in our classes will just be like staring

at their phone playing games talking to
at their phone playing games talking to

their friends watching videos or
their friends watching videos or

sleeping so yeah but the teachers are
sleeping so yeah but the teachers are

very they just let you do whatever you
very they just let you do whatever you

want but um it's up to you if you want
want but um it's up to you if you want

to study and get a good grade you can do
to study and get a good grade you can do

that or if you want to sleep through the
that or if you want to sleep through the

whole class and fail you can do that the
whole class and fail you can do that the

teachers will just let you do whatever
teachers will just let you do whatever

you want Financial stuff how did you pay
you want Financial stuff how did you pay

for school you had scholarship I had
for school you had scholarship I had

scholarship too right yeah so did I I
scholarship too right yeah so did I I

got a really good scholarship um from an
got a really good scholarship um from an

organization called jasso I will link to
organization called jasso I will link to

it down below um I got believe it was
it down below um I got believe it was

like
like

$800 the equivalent of about $800
$800 the equivalent of about $800

Canadian a month for one year
Canadian a month for one year

so that paid for like all my living
so that paid for like all my living

expenses and then I just have to worry
expenses and then I just have to worry

about tuition and in Greg's case I got a
about tuition and in Greg's case I got a

scholarship from my school actually oh
scholarship from my school actually oh

you made a video about it right okay
you made a video about it right okay

I'll link to Greg's scholarship video
I'll link to Greg's scholarship video

here so if you want to hear more about
here so if you want to hear more about

that but maybe just tell us a little bit
that but maybe just tell us a little bit

about what it's called yeah so there
about what it's called yeah so there

were two scholarships I actually got
were two scholarships I actually got

there was one from my home
there was one from my home

University um that I think that was
University um that I think that was

about $2,000 so if you look into what
about $2,000 so if you look into what

your home University will give you to
your home University will give you to

study abroad maybe they have something
study abroad maybe they have something

to to and then the second one I applied
to to and then the second one I applied

for it is a US scholarship it's called
for it is a US scholarship it's called

the Gilman scholarship which I did make
the Gilman scholarship which I did make

a video about um and they gave me
a video about um and they gave me

$55,000 I think you can get up to $8,000
$55,000 I think you can get up to $8,000

to actually study abroad so yeah yeah so
to actually study abroad so yeah yeah so

look into scholarships from your home
look into scholarships from your home

University um your country and then also
University um your country and then also

look into ones the Japanese government
look into ones the Japanese government

offer or maybe the school in Japan
offer or maybe the school in Japan

offers there are really tons of
offers there are really tons of

different options and then once I
different options and then once I

transferred into to the school here I
transferred into to the school here I

got a scholarship from the University
got a scholarship from the University

here for about $500 a month um for a
here for about $500 a month um for a

year I had that for so it helps a lot so
year I had that for so it helps a lot so

definitely look into scholarships there
definitely look into scholarships there

are so many students that don't bother
are so many students that don't bother

looking into scholarships but some of
looking into scholarships but some of

them are really easy to get cuz just not
them are really easy to get cuz just not

enough people apply for them so if you
enough people apply for them so if you

apply you're like guaranteed to get it
apply you're like guaranteed to get it

so definitely look into scholarships is
so definitely look into scholarships is

bullying as big of an issue in Japan as
bullying as big of an issue in Japan as

it is in
it is in

America um we see a lot of stuff on the
America um we see a lot of stuff on the

TV about bullying in
TV about bullying in

Japan um I would say that it's probably
Japan um I would say that it's probably

around the same level as it is in
around the same level as it is in

America um it's probably the same as
America um it's probably the same as

where once you get into University that
where once you get into University that

kind of stops um it's really just high
kind of stops um it's really just high

school and middle school and Elementary
school and middle school and Elementary

School where you see a bullying problem
School where you see a bullying problem

in Japan I'd say I don't really notice
in Japan I'd say I don't really notice

anything in University at all University
anything in University at all University

no can you work as a as a
no can you work as a as a

student um I wonder if it's different
student um I wonder if it's different

per country depending on your Visa as a
per country depending on your Visa as a

Canadian is it same for Americans are
Canadian is it same for Americans are

you allowed to work uh yes allowed to
you allowed to work uh yes allowed to

work okay yeah like as a Canadian and
work okay yeah like as a Canadian and

American apparently um you're allowed to
American apparently um you're allowed to

work part-time with the student visa so
work part-time with the student visa so

I could work 28 hours a week um I'm
I could work 28 hours a week um I'm

going to make a video all about working
going to make a video all about working

in Japan though so I'll save all the
in Japan though so I'll save all the

work related questions for later I got
work related questions for later I got

lots of questions about my part-time
lots of questions about my part-time

jobs and stuff like that so um yeah I
jobs and stuff like that so um yeah I

will save that for a future video and I
will save that for a future video and I

will link to that video here when it is
will link to that video here when it is

made here most people party a lot and
made here most people party a lot and

fail are any people like that in
fail are any people like that in

Japan
Japan

yes I don't think it's cuz they're
yes I don't think it's cuz they're

partying they just they just don't do
partying they just they just don't do

anything a big chunk of students will
anything a big chunk of students will

just not try not show up to class at all
just not try not show up to class at all

my my like next door neighbors they
my my like next door neighbors they

always have people at their house I mean
always have people at their house I mean

I don't think it's like a full-on party
I don't think it's like a full-on party

but yeah parties here are kind of
but yeah parties here are kind of

different than they are in Canada like a
different than they are in Canada like a

ja party kind of like hang out at home
ja party kind of like hang out at home

and
and

talk and drink though and drink drink
talk and drink though and drink drink

like one beer
like one beer

each and it's over it's really not the
each and it's over it's really not the

kind of partying that you have as an
kind of partying that you have as an

image for like North American or
image for like North American or

european
european

Lifestyles but um I'd say it's not yeah
Lifestyles but um I'd say it's not yeah

it's just cuz they slack off if any of
it's just cuz they slack off if any of

them fail
them fail

yeah um is smoking allowed in Japanese
yeah um is smoking allowed in Japanese

schools yes yeah in our school when we
schools yes yeah in our school when we

first came there were I think maybe
first came there were I think maybe

three or four different smoking areas
three or four different smoking areas

like designated smoking areas um but
like designated smoking areas um but

they've brought it down to one now so I
they've brought it down to one now so I

think they're eventually trying to phase
think they're eventually trying to phase

it out
it out

completely um but at the moment yes it
completely um but at the moment yes it

is allowed but in designated areas
is allowed but in designated areas

um let's see well for Christmas we don't
um let's see well for Christmas we don't

get much of a vacation sometimes
get much of a vacation sometimes

Christmas day isn't even a vacation um
Christmas day isn't even a vacation um

it's not a holiday here um but how long
it's not a holiday here um but how long

did we get for Christmas vacation like
did we get for Christmas vacation like

two weeks yeah we usually have about two
two weeks yeah we usually have about two

weeks in that area the New Year's area
weeks in that area the New Year's area

and then the semester will finish in
and then the semester will finish in

February I just finished now at the
February I just finished now at the

beginning of February and then you'll
beginning of February and then you'll

have a break until somewhere around the
have a break until somewhere around the

middle of April so that's like your big
middle of April so that's like your big

break really is the February April
break really is the February April

stretch and then the school year
stretch and then the school year

officially starts in April in
officially starts in April in

Japan um you don't really have a much of
Japan um you don't really have a much of

a summer vacation either how much do
a summer vacation either how much do

we three weeks yeah three weeks or
we three weeks yeah three weeks or

something around August is it it's
something around August is it it's

really random it's a lot different than
really random it's a lot different than

the schedule but in Canada but basically
the schedule but in Canada but basically

Your Big Break is February April so
Your Big Break is February April so

that's usually the time that I use to
that's usually the time that I use to

travel around or go back to Canada all
travel around or go back to Canada all

right so that is the the majority of
right so that is the the majority of

your questions um the ones that I didn't
your questions um the ones that I didn't

answer were probably related more to
answer were probably related more to

work um in Japan so I will answer those
work um in Japan so I will answer those

in my work video so look out for that um
in my work video so look out for that um

thanks for joining us Greg you're
thanks for joining us Greg you're

welcome see you next time see you guys
welcome see you next time see you guys

soon bye bye
soon bye bye