Learning Chinese For Free on a Government Scholarship?

[Chomskyan]

About two years ago I started studying Japanese; six months later I moved to Japan to work as an English teacher. Since there isn't so much work at my english teaching job in the middle of the countryside, I've basically spent all my time here outside of work studying Japanese. Last summer I took the JLPT N2 and passed.

 

Here's the rub: I had assumed that an N2 certificate would be a good entry way into a translation job, but that hasn't turned out to be the case. Translation jobs here require experience which I don't have. If I plan to stay in Japan I'll probably have to keep teaching English, which I don't really enjoy. Teaching English also interferes with my language studies (I don't speak any Japanese with my students). During that time I could build up a translation portfolio and maybe after a lot of stressful job-hunting land an entry level translation position.

 

On the other hand, I've had a plan to study Chinese on the back burner since I started studying Japanese two years ago. I love studying languages, and the East-Asian region interests me. I can't really explain why, it just does. A friend told me a while back that the government of China gives out full ride scholarships to study Chinese like candy. So with my prospects in Japan looking weak in the short term, I've been thinking maybe it would be better to just study Mandarin in China, and build up my Japanese translation portfolio.

 

Getting to the point:

 

If I decide to study Mandarin in China, what would be my best strategy for getting a scholarship? I have about 1,000,000 Japanese yen saved up, or around 8,500 US Dollars depending on the exchange rate on any given day. If I applied for a scholarship through the CSC what would be the best school to apply for? The best program? I'd like to aim for the HSK 6 in two years (yes, I know this is very optimistic) so a place where I could really buckle down and focus on studying would best. Could I make it two years with the funds I have?

 

I don't want to repeat the mistakes I made in Japan so I'd like to gather as much information as I can before I go. I appreciate any advice you folks could give me.

[ZhangKaiRong]

Are you from the US or a European country? There are several bilateral agreements between US and the EU/ European Union countries. There is a big quality difference between Japanese and Chinese schools, and the latter one is the worse, so if I were you I wouldn't really emphasize getting enrolled to top schools, because there is no difference between the level of language education. I recommend you to pick a city and apply for a mid-tier school, this helps to increase your chance of being accepted. Normally I would also recommend you to go to a small provincial city with as less foreigners as possible, because it would help your progress greatly, but you mentioned that you would like to do some Japanese translations, you should head to a somewhat bigger city with Japanese companies present (my recs would be Qingdao, Hangzhou, Xiamen).

You can also consider Taiwan, for several reasons: they have good scholarship schmeses as well, they use traditional Chinese, and they have a lot of Japanese companies there, where you can do your translation services.

[The_]

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[Chris Two Times]

Chomskyan,

 

Welcome to the forums!

 

Would you be eligible for/interested in graduate studies in Japan on a Monbukagakusho scholarship? Are you a US citizen? How about gunning for a Blakemore Freeman Fellowship?

 

I was thinking along the same lines as The_Globe above. Why ditch Japan all of a sudden to start all over with Chinese in China, even though you have had this on the back burner for a while? China and Chinese will always be here and aren't going anywhere. They'll be here for the taking at any time. How possible would it really be to establish your Japanese translation portfolio in China with a shifted focus on studying Mandarin from nothing to HSK6?

 

I was thinking in order to "break into" translating in Japan, one would need at least N1 and a fair bit of experience. Why not stay an extra year, despite disliking English teaching, and try to get N1 and a bit of translating experience somewhere/somehow in Japan? Means to an end/goal, that sorta thang.

 

Are you in the JET Programme? If so, do they still offer the translation/interpretation course during the year? If so, also, would you be able to somehow go from ALT to CIR? CIR gigs offer a lot more work with the language; it could be attractive work and a way to slowly "get a foot in the door" of translation work in Japan. If not, why not apply for a JET Programme CIR gig for 2017-2018 (upcoming year app. deadline already passed)? CIR gigs could be good stepping stones to future interesting work that involve more use of the language.

 

I know that what I have written above doesn't really meet your "getting to the point" section, but this was all off the top of my head when I read your post and just felt like getting it out. Apologies. In the meantime, do check out the "CSC 2016 Applications" thread here on the forums under "Life, Work and Study in China in General".

 

Nice work on passing N2 and putting some yen aside in the meantime, always a good move.

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times

JET Programme ALT, Shizuoka-ken (2007-2011)

JET Programme PA, Shizuoka-ken (2011-2012)