The Day English Becomes a 'Ticket to Dreams'—A Family's Choice Seen Through Educational Migration and Scholarships
"That’s not fair!"
That was my son, then in fifth grade, shouting in the car.
He was having a serious argument with a classmate in English.
It was the moment he began to use English not as a "subject to study," but as "his own language."
To Okinawa. Our family's educational migration
The day all three of us enrolled in an international school in Okinawa,
I gave a small fist pump in my heart.
"Alright, now the kids can live a life where they connect with the world through English."
It was the moment something I had wished for for so long finally took shape.
The first month went perfectly.
The kids would report back with smiles, saying "Today I ate banana!" or "My teacher is funny!"
And I, too, felt relieved, thinking, "This choice wasn't wrong."
But that peace didn't last long.
A call from the school.
Yes, it was my eldest son (laughs).
My eldest son's 'mischief' and a mother's realization
My eldest son has always been a bit of a handful.
He's the type who prioritizes his own conviction over fitting in with those around him.
"Why do I have to sit cross-legged?"
"I already understand what the teacher is saying, so why do I have to listen?"
He is a child who asks such "too straightforward questions" with a serious face.
When I was working full-time, I was always scolding him.
But when I started looking for a "different way of life" as a mother and as an individual,
this child's existence led me out into the wider world.
"It will surely be painful for this child to live in this society.
If so, I will take him to a world where there is a different 'correct answer'."
Having decided that, I chose educational migration to Okinawa.
Fighting in English? — The moment language 'comes alive'
It was about half a year after we started attending the international school.
When I asked my eldest son, who seemed a bit grumpy in the car on the way home from school,
he said, "I had a fight with a kid in class."
That alone is a common story.
But I doubted my ears at his next words.
"I told him off in English."
…What? A fight in English!?
He apparently shouted "That’s not fair!" in the heat of his anger.
And the person he was fighting with was—a popular half-American boy in the class.
It turned out that boy was the son of my eldest daughter's teacher, Mr. Pat.
I couldn't help but laugh, yet my heart felt deeply warmed.
They aren't just 'studying' English; they are 'using' it.
And they are doing so with their own emotions behind it.
'Being able to convey emotions in English'
—that was the moment I felt what true 'speaking ability' really is.
Eiken Pre-1st Grade is a 'Ticket to Dreams'
My eldest son is now in his third year of junior high school.
He has passed Eiken Grade 2 and is studying to aim for Pre-1st Grade.
Actually, he had no interest at all until the summer of his second year.
But because I kept sharing information little by little about 'scholarships,' 'study abroad,' and 'diverse career paths,'
one day, it seemed like a 'switch' flipped inside him.
'I want to go to an American university. To do that, I'll pass the Eiken.'
The moment he said that, I nodded quietly.
An Era Where English Proficiency 'Pays Off'
Today, Eiken Pre-1st Grade is more than just a qualification.
It is a 'passport to your dreams.'
There are also routes where you can gain eligibility for entrance exams at top-tier universities
using Eiken Pre-1st Grade plus an essay (or one subject).
Furthermore—
depending on your Eiken score,
there is a chance to receive hundreds of thousands to millions of yen in non-repayable scholarships (grant-type).
Learning English is a 'practical investment' to open up the future.
And scholarships are 'social support funds' that back those efforts.
Scholarships are 'Investments in the Future,' Not 'Debt'
Many people tend to think 'scholarship = debt,' but
in reality, there are many 'scholarships you don't have to pay back (grant-type).'
For example—
JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) grant-type scholarships
Support systems unique to local governments and universities
Grant systems based on Eiken or TOEFL scores, etc.
These are 'mechanisms to support students who work hard.'
Depending on whether you know the information or not,a difference of millions of yen can be created.
Educational expenses are not consumption, butan investment in the future.
By gaining the power to learn, children
turn it into a 'lifelong return.'
What you can do as a parent
Learn about scholarship systems and application methods.
And teach your children 'how to choose information'.
Whether it's Eiken, studying abroad, or pursuing higher education,
the start always begins with 'knowing the information'.
I believe this moment is the most important.
Just having information can reduce anxiety.
And it increases the 'future options' available.
Education is not a 'privilege of the wealthy',
but an opportunity open to anyone who has the 'courage to know' and the 'power to act'.
Conclusion: Education is the best asset investment
Eiken Pre-1st Grade, scholarships, educational migration—
though they may seem unrelated, they are all connected to the 'power to design the future'.
Education is the most long-term and reliable investment.
Its results remain with the child not as numbers, but as 'life skills'.
I will continue to share the reality of 'Education x Money x Way of Life'.
So that we can design our children's futures with our own hands.
Written by: Mai Urano | Happy Education Money Consulting Room
A 'Professional in Education Expenses x Mother of 3' whose motto is: Education is the best asset investment!
Based on my background working at a securities firm and over 20 years of financial experience,
I design 'scholarships, education expenses, and study abroad funds' from the perspective of the entire household budget.
I have been involved in over 5,000 financial consultations to date,
proposing optimal education funding plans from both the family's aspirations and the numbers. After moving to Okinawa for educational migration and raising three children,
I face both the reality of the educational field and household finances every day. Because I am currently raising children,
I am well-versed in the latest domestic and international educational trends and career information.
I deliver 'ways to invest in children's futures'
in a way that is easy for anyone to understand.
💌 Delivering the latest information on scholarships and education expenses every Friday!
Click here for inquiries
Email→info@uranomai.com