SENIOR VOICE

I have enrolled in Yomiuri Science & Engineering Medical Welfare College as part of the Two Year Nursing Care & Public Welfare Program. One of the reasons I have decided to move to Japan is to become a caregiver.

I was originally interested in social issues regarding public welfare and how I can lend my own strength to the people around me have been my drive to learn more on the topic. Social Security System in Japan has been highly acknowledged worldwide and the two years I spent in vocational school had some struggles. But knowing the set of core values of my classmates and teachers was a great learning experience. All in all, it was very rewarding for me.

After graduating, I passed the national licensure exam and became a certified careworker. I was employed in a nursing home facility. I haven't been working longer than a year but I am planning to be promoted and maybe someday be capable of having my own facility.

A facility where you can build a relationship with the residents enough to gain their trust and never get their families be worried for their well-being. I also want to delve into supporting people from abroad who are interested in working as a caregiver here. And if any opportunity arises, I would like to share my experiences and the things I learned to my home country, the Philippines.

I decided to go to Japan having no prior knowledge of the Japanese language. It might look like an irresponsible act of attempting something new but I have no regrets. Thanks to the class activities like group discussions and shadowing Japanese conversations held by the teachers, my interest in learning the language grew. The atmosphere of the class are very fun and the teachers created a safe space where you can challenge yourself freely and initiate conversations. And for that, I am very grateful.

When I enrolled in TCJ, I know nothing but to write the first five Hiragana characters, but I was able to pass JLPT N2 level by the time I advance to vocational school.

I hope my experiences have been helpful reference. Best of luck for your future endeavors!