Were My Two Years of Japanese Language School Worth It?

The steps to the Haguro temple, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

Blogs galore abound with stories of young people moving to the other side of the world to start a new life. However, many of those trips are just that: trips. A quick burst of adventure before embarking on a decades-long trek down the corporate road.

Then there are those who have something else in mind. Maybe they’ve started down a career path and thought, “Wait a minute, no way I’m doing this non-stop for forty years!” Maybe out of college they decided they couldn’t live without satisfying their curiosity for a far away culture. Maybe they’re rich and can do whatever they want without long-term financial consequences.

Whatever the reason, these are the kind of people who end up in language school. I was in that first category, and my language of choice was Japanese.

What’s a language school?

There are plenty of ways to learn a new language as an adult, but like getting a six pack, the only way that actually yields results is through hard work and discipline.

At least that’s what I’ve been told by people with six packs.

Language school is the linguistic equivalent of military-style boot camp. You’re signing up for at least twenty hours a week of intensive language lessons, complete with homework, tests, and…