Q

Please tell us about your current job.

A

I work as a home care provider for people with disabilities. We also provide time for hobbies, which is not often seen in home-visit care for the elderly. We prepare meals, provide daily assistance, offer physical care, and also provide medical care such as suction.

Q

What made you decide to work in nursing care?

A

My father is actually disabled. When I was 3 years old, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and is now paralyzed on his right side. I have been caring for him for a long time and have been interested in the welfare field. When I was in middle school, I joined a volunteer organization and was active. However, in the Republic of Korea, there is a strong image that nursing care work is done by older women as a second career in life, and it does not feel like it is a job for young people. I also had no intention of working in nursing care myself. When I was in the third year of junior high school, I became interested in Japan after studying Japanese, so I went on to a high school where I could study Japanese more. There, my teacher told me, "A Japanese employment/admission fair will be held in Korea, would you like to go?" When I went there, I learned that young people also work in nursing care in Japan. After doing some more research, I became really interested in the topic, and I also wanted to work as a care worker in Japan. so I decided to study abroad in Japan.

Q

How did you find out about Keiyo Care and Welfare College?

A

Actually, I first went to see the largest school near Chiba Station. However, I was told that I would not be able to enroll unless I had a record of attending a Japanese language school for at least three months. Since I was already able to speak Japanese to a certain extent, I thought it would be a waste of time and money, so I looked into other good schools and found Keiyo Care and Welfare College.

Q

Why did you choose Keiyo Care and Welfare College?

A

First of all, it has good access from the station. I think this is quite important. The less time I spend commuting to school, the more I can concentrate on studying. I also thought the photos of the training room on the website were very nice. I thought that I could enjoy studying in this environment. This was the biggest one.

Q

What did you enjoy most about your school life?

A

I always liked going to school, so I enjoyed every day. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, I was only able to attend for one year. but I enjoyed the sign language class the most. I've always liked studying languages, but it was refreshing to learn that sign language has a different way of thinking than spoken language. The teacher was very kind and the class was interesting.

Q

Have you ever had a hard time?

A

Writing a training diary. The training was great because I was able to experience a nursing care setting and I really learned a lot, but I had to write a training diary every day. Since I'm a foreigner, it took me twice as long as other people, and that was the hardest part. When I looked back on it later, I was able to recall that something like this had happened, so I was glad that I had worked hard every day, but at the time it was really tough.

Q

Did your teacher support you with your difficulties?

A

Honestly, I might not have been able to get through it without teachers. I told them that I was weak, and there were times when I cried because I thought what would happen if I couldn't do it. There were times when I worried for about an hour on days when my teachers were making rounds, so I might not have been able to graduate without their support. They encouraged me and told me it was okay, and gave me advice on what I should do when making assessments and care plans, and they provided me with a variety of on-site support.

Q

What did you do the most in your school life?

A

I was studying steadily at school, so studying for the national exam came naturally to me, so I'm really glad I did my best.

Q

Did you receive any support from your teacher regarding your studies?

A

Even the smallest questions were answered politely. and the teachers did their best to research things they didn't understand on the spot, and the next day they told me, "I looked it up, and this is what I found." The teachers were very kind, and when I had questions about things other than the exam, they always answered politely, which was very helpful.

Q

Is what you learned at Keiyo Care and Welfare College useful in the actual field?

A

I don't think I would have been able to work if I hadn't studied here. School taught me the basics well, so I can apply them in the field. They also taught me practical tips and tricks, which was also helpful.

Q

Do you have any future goals?

A

I think Japan is more advanced than the Republic of Korea when it comes to welfare. I would like to learn various technologies and systems in Japan, and eventually improve the welfare of the Republic of Korea when I return there. If possible, I would like to be a bridge between Korea and Japan in the welfare field.

Q

Message to international students aiming to become care workers

A

I think there are a lot of really difficult things going on. You may feel a language barrier, such as terminology that is difficult even for Japanese people, and the names of muscles and bones in the body. But if you have passion, purpose, and heart, anything is possible! So, please don't forget your goal and do your best with a strong heart.