When it was finally time for me to graduate from high school, I hadn't yet achieved a sufficient score on the TOEFL, and I still hadn't decided where I would continue my education. To achieve a higher TOEFL score, I had two options: either go to the U.S. and enroll in a university's preparatory program for international students, or attend an American university’s Japanese campus. According to a 1990 survey by the National Land Agency, there were 33 American university campuses in Japan, with about 10,000 students enrolled at the time.
I decided to enroll in the Japanese campus of West Chester University, which was located in my hometown of Fukuoka. I was able to enroll after taking a simple test. However, despite being a Japanese campus of an American university, it was more like a private preparatory school, and enrolling there didn’t mean I would automatically enter the university or transfer to it. Ultimately, I still had to achieve the required TOEFL score and complete the study abroad procedures, just like other international students. I didn’t intend to stay long; I only saw it as a temporary position until I could achieve the necessary TOEFL score.
Although the American university campuses in Japan later declined due to various issues, at the time, they provided valuable opportunities to speak directly with English teachers dispatched from the U.S., and I made an effort to take full advantage of that. While many students would go home as soon as classes ended, I made a point of frequently visiting the teachers' offices to engage in English conversations.
Many of the American teachers had lived in Japan for a long time, so they were patient with my broken English and kindly interacted with me. I may have been seen as a bit of a nuisance by some teachers and students because I was so persistent in visiting the teachers' offices, but the English conversation skills I developed during that time proved to be extremely valuable later on.
To be continued.