Stepping into the professional and disciplined working environment of Japan is an exciting and challenging journey for HUFLIT students. From valuable lessons at work to exploring a unique culture, every moment in the Land of the Rising Sun brings memorable emotions and experiences. So what left the deepest impression in the hearts of HUFLITers? Let’s listen to genuine thoughts from 03 students Pham Thi My Linh, Le Thi Thanh Thao, and Pham Thi Ngoc Thuong (cohort 2020, Faculty of Oriental Languages and Cultures) when starting their 12-month internship at Ryoutiku Hotel, Oita Prefecture, Japan to better understand this memorable journey.
1. Challenges in the early days of internship in Japan
“The first challenge when working here is the amount of work to remember, and the language is a big barrier for me. However, with the knowledge equipped at HUFLIT and the enthusiastic help of my colleagues, I was able to quickly get through this stage. Besides, living far from family for a long time is also the biggest challenge for myself. However, this challenge is also a way to make myself more independent and stronger.”
“Listening and understanding Japanese is my biggest obstacle; people speak quite quickly and at length, so the first few days I was a bit confused. Therefore, I practiced listening more and learned specialized words commonly used. Thanks to that, after the first month, I was able to listen and understand well!”
“The first challenge I encountered was probably walking because in Vietnam I only traveled by motorbike. Although the distance from the dormitory to the workplace is only about 1km, in the first few days it took me about 30 minutes to walk because the road has quite a few slopes.”
2. Unforgettable experiences
Besides difficulties and challenges, HUFLITers also experienced novel things such as the weather and Japanese culture. Let’s see what features of the land of cherry blossoms impressed the HUFLITers.
Ngoc Thuong, My Linh, and Thanh Thao shared wonderful experiences during their first days of internship in Japan.
"Visiting Lake Kirin in the fairytale village of Yufuin is an unforgettable experience for me."
"I felt very excited to visit the Umi Jigoku hot spring (part of the Beppu Jigoku Meguri complex) and experience steaming Onsen eggs."
"An interesting experience at my workplace is taking an Onsen bath. Having heard about Onsen bathing before, when experiencing it in person, I found it very worthwhile. Food steamed with Onsen water also made me interested in Japanese culinary culture."
It can be seen that the internship journey in Japan not only brings HUFLITers challenges to train themselves, but also an opportunity to discover and experience a unique culture. Initial difficulties such as language barriers or cultural differences have helped students become stronger, more confident, and more flexible in their work and life. Above all, thorough preparation of knowledge and culture at HUFLIT has created a solid foundation, helping them easily overcome challenges and quickly integrate into the professional working environment of Japan. These memorable experiences will certainly be a precious luggage, helping HUFLITers step more firmly on their future career path.
Stay tuned for the next episode to hear Ngoc Thuong, My Linh, and Thanh Thao share about applying knowledge from courses at HUFLIT during their internships, along with practical experience for those who wish to intern in the “Land of the Rising Sun”.
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