Hey guys. I kind of need some advice. Simply put I am currently on the eighth month of studying abroad in the Kansai region. I recently got informed that my exchange university would be able to transfer me and I would finish my degree here. I am majoring in Japanese, Chinese, and Asian Studies. My home university is a southern state university and isn’t really able to accommodate my major. So I’m really heavily deciding on weather I should move to Japan or return to America. My dream is to work for the United States consulate in Osaka.
Moving to Japan:
Pros:
-Better Program for major
-Will finish fluency
-Continue immersing myself in a culture I love
-Will continue to enjoy my hobbies such as kimono and goshuin collecting.
-Possibly able to finish my five year degree in four years instead.
-Cheaper tuition
Cons:
-Non American degree
-Leaving behind boyfriend and family (I met him in Japan as a fellow exchange student from the United States)
-Will need to arrange proper housing
-Will need to work
I’m just really stuck on the fence right now. My family will be upset and my boyfriend, though I believe he will be supportive, will also be upset. Thank you guys for taking the time to read my post if you got this far.
Edit:
Thanks guys for your comments! So, I was looking to go the FSO route meaning FSO exams/consular fellows. I know that getting placed in Japan is nigh impossible so I was mainly focusing on fluency and aspects of my degree that could build a career for future government/consultation work. I planned also to extend my degree in the United States to make room for studying for the FSO exams. I think having looked over the comments along with the program acceptance notification being in June that I am going to return to the United States to finish my degree. Especially since I am currently looking into graduating with my masters and undergraduate degrees at the same time. Thank you guys for all your help, and if anybody else has any suggestions for wanting to go the FSO route, I would greatly appreciate those. 😊
7 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
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**Moving to Japan?**
Hey guys. I kind of need some advice. Simply put I am currently on the eighth month of studying abroad in the Kansai region. I recently got informed that my exchange university would be able to transfer me and I would finish my degree here. I am majoring in Japanese, Chinese, and Asian Studies. My home university is a southern state university and isn’t really able to accommodate my major. So I’m really heavily deciding on weather I should move to Japan or return to America. My dream is to work for the United States consulate in Osaka.
Moving to Japan:
Pros:
-Better Program for major
-Will finish fluency
-Continue immersing myself in a culture I love
-Will continue to enjoy my hobbies such as kimono and goshuin collecting.
-Possibly able to finish my five year degree in four years instead.
-Cheaper tuition
Cons:
-Non American degree
-Leaving behind boyfriend and family (I met him in Japan as a fellow exchange student from the United States)
-Will need to arrange proper housing
-Will need to work
I’m just really stuck on the fence right now. My family will be upset and my boyfriend, though I believe he will be supportive, will also be upset. Thank you guys for taking the time to read my post if you got this far.
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So, are you asking for advice on whether or not you should prioritize yourself or your relationship?
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Your family know you’ll move out at some point. Bf can visit.
Do it!
The more important task is managing your eventual career into the Japan Consulate. These positions are like hen’s teeth.
Are you planning on working as a government employee or as a local hire? They both have quite different career paths (the latter will require some other type of residency status — the consulate will not sponsor your visa). Local hire salary will be significantly less.
If you plan on becoming a US Government hire, I’d recommend looking at the internship route (Tokyo only). Getting a government job without an inside contact or other previous government/military employment is notoriously difficult. The FSO path is highly regimented and IIRC you may not be able to pick your first location.
I don’t think a Japan or US university will negatively impact your path, but it may narrow your choices in the future. Working will be challenging as finding a job CV worthy in Japan as a student is nigh impossible.
>My dream is to work for the United States consulate in Osaka.
If your dream is to work in the Foreign Service your pretty much ***need*** to return to the US for the rest of your education. The FSO exam is notorious for its difficulty and the Foreign Service itself is insanely competitive. If that’s the path you want to take you *need* to attend a US school that can adequately prepare you for the exam.
Also: Like u/ResponsibilitySea327 mentioned: You won’t get to pick your first posting, especially if you want to work in a popular location like Japan. You’ll have to either get *insanely* lucky or build up some seniority before you’re likely to end up in Japan.
How long have you had this “dream”? A couple months?