Chul Kim ‘15, JFOU Fellow

Job hunting in Japan these past few months has been an unexpected chance at introspection and contemplation. Looking back on my past 1.5 years in Japan, I grow increasingly fonder of the many memories I’ve made as a Shansi fellow.

Chul Kim ‘15, JFOU Fellow

I was always confident in my ability to study in the classroom, and unfortunately believed that my Japanese ability would translate easily to the real world. However, I soon learned that I underestimated the determination and courage it took to shift from textbooks to real-life applications. I’ve had a lot of embarrassing interactions with native Japanese speakers, ranging from a normal exchange with a store clerk to conversations with new friends.