I graduated from the University of Florida’s East Asian Languages & Literatures – Japanese Program in 2009. After that, I joined the JET Program, where I facilitated communication between non-Japanese speakers and the local board of education in a small city in Saitama Prefecture, while also teaching English at five elementary schools, one junior high school, and a preschool. I was able to refine my Japanese language ability during this time, and now I work as a translator at a general trading company in Tokyo called Sojitz Corporation.
It is no exaggeration to say that my education at UF laid the groundwork for a career in Japan. Without the analytical understanding of language afforded by my Japanese classes, the opportunity to practice using Japanese with native speakers studying at UF, and the cultural understanding of not only Japan, but greater Asia which the program provides, I would never have achieved my long-held dream of working in translation.
Please explore the CLAS Japanese major for more information.