Is Educational Migration a 'Yes' or 'No'? Four Practitioners Discuss the 'Decision-Making Criteria Found After Hesitation' — A Story of Realistic Choices, Neither Glamorous nor Desperate — [Educational Chat Snack: Signpost]
"So, what is the deal with international schools and educational migration, anyway?"
We have received this question many times.
And every time, what we felt was—
there is no 'single right answer' to this question.
The country, the child's personality, the family situation, and the parents' values are all different.
That is precisely why what is needed is not 'success stories' or 'tales of failure,' but
the process of how that person, amidst their hesitation, made their decision.
In this relay series,
four people who have actually experienced educational migration
spoke from their respective positions, without sugarcoating anything.
In this article, we will introduce parts ① through ④ together.
What we wanted to convey in this relay series
What these relay articles have in common is not
'we want to recommend educational migration' nor
'we want to say you should stop'.
There is only one thing we wanted to share.
More than the choice itself,
how you think about it and how you take responsibility for it was what mattered
—that is the realization we reached.
Introduction to each article
① Real-life Mencius's Mother: Betty
Why educational talk that doesn't provide answers is what's needed most right now.
[Relay Series/Four Perspectives on Considering International Schools, Educational Migration, and Career Paths ①]
From the perspective of someone who has experienced educational migration four times,
・Why it doesn't last if it's only 'for the sake of English'
・What happens when parents take on too much
・The reason why I can still say 'I'm glad I went'
I have written about these quite frankly.
▶︎ Click here for the article
② Mai Ura
Is that education really leading to a 'future'?
[Relay Series/Four Perspectives on Considering International Schools, Educational Migration, and Career Paths ②]
The gap between ideals and reality that became visible while actually living there and facing my children.
・Things that were lacking even though I thought I had prepared
・The moment when the parents' values were tested
・An honest reflection that includes the choice to 'return'
is told calmly, yet very realistically.
▶︎ Click here for the article
③ Yuriko
It wasn't 'safe just because you're abroad,' nor was 'English proficiency the top priority'
[Relay Series / Four Perspectives on Considering International Schools, Educational Migration, and Career Paths ③]
Educational migration does not equal success.
The struggle when realizing that, and the re-selection that followed.
・How the child's signs were received
・The reason it wasn't dismissed as a 'failure'
・The realization that the experience connects to the present
are written in quiet words.
▶︎ Click here for the article
④ Chikako Dean
The reason why you can't find a job even if you speak English.
──The perspective of education calculated backward from a career
[Relay Series | Four Perspectives on Considering International Schools, Educational Migration, and Career Paths ④]
From the position of having received numerous consultations,
why do I consistently give the same answer
to the question, 'Is educational migration a yes or no?'
・English
・Career path
・Organizing parental values
The differences in the scenery seen when making each of these the goal
are structurally organized.
▶︎ Click here for the article
What has become visible through the stories of these four people
All four have different positions and situations.
However, what they had in common was—
Gathering information and taking action while still feeling uncertain
-
Not arriving at the 'correct answer' on the first try, but pausing to observe the child's condition each time, including both what went well and what did not
That not only the child, but the parents themselves are being questioned
as a point.
Educational migration is
neither a 'magic spell that fixes everything if you go',
nor a 'failure if you quit'.
I believe it is
one experience for creating decision-making criteria unique to that family.
Finally
If you are currently,
just starting to think, 'Is educational migration a good idea?',
and are feeling conflicted without being able to decide yetalready taken a step forward, but
are confused by the gap between reality and what you imaginedlooking for not just the conclusion, but
wanting to know what kind of hesitation led to it
If you are one of those people,
please read (1) through (4), either in order or starting from the parts that interest you.
You will surely find
'material for thinking'.
And, today from 10:00 PM 📺
To those who have read this far,
paused even for a moment,
or thought, 'What about in my case?'
The educational chat bar 'Snack Michishirube'
is not a place to bring answers.
It is a place where you can bring
the hesitation and discomfort you are feeling right now, just as they are.
You can ask questions by participating in real-time!
Listening only is also fine.
Joining midway is no problem at all.
It starts today at 10:00 PM, but
there is still time to join.
Precisely because you are in the midst of hesitation,
why not try putting it into words together?
[Held this week on Friday the 19th at 10:00 PM JST!]
Educational Chat Bar Snack Michishirube: Held on the third Friday night of every month, you can ask questions on the spot by participating in real-time!
The next 6th session is, surprisingly, free to attend!
The theme is,
December 19, 2025 (Fri): 10:00 PM–11:00 PM JST [Free Admission]
'How much is needed by age 18? A night to talk about the ROI of education expenses and grant scholarships with numbers'
・How much can our family spend on education? Teaching you how to think about it!
・Information on scholarships that only those who know benefit from!
・Surprising scholarships and their eligibility requirements, etc.
Over 100 million yen in education expenses we have spent, please listen to our story for free!
Of course, you can also ask questions via chat!
Click here
to apply (If you cannot attend in real-time, you can watch the recording later. If you apply before the event, we will also answer your questions after you watch the archive).
📘 Information on Related Books |
Educational Chat Snack Signpost Vol. 1
Social media is full of glamorous information.
But actual overseas education and choosing an international school
are not that simple.
No sugarcoating!
No biased opinions!
The educational chat 'Snack Signpost'
is a summary of the digest from the first 'Snack Signpost' session, where
four international school moms shared their real-life experiences
of educational migration to various places!
Hong Kong, Malaysia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Okinawa.
We talk honestly, without any pretense, about what went well
and what was different from what we expected.
Because it's not just about the glamorous stories,
you can calmly think about 'What would we do in our family?'
This is a book I want those interested in overseas education
or international schools to pick up!
▶Educational Chat Snack Signpost Vol. 1
Our thoughts on this publication are here
Parent-Child Future Strategy Newsletter [NEXT2035]
In the free NEXT2035 newsletter, we deliver information that serves as
your child's 'future decision-making criteria', including the
realities that only experienced people can share about educational migration and overseas parenting, as well as the latest insights on education costs, career paths, and careers in the AI era.
The more you read, the more your anxiety about the future will ease, and the path forward will become clear.
Why not expand your child's future options?
📩 Click here
to register for the free newsletter. Delivered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
We look forward to deepening our learning together with you.
Please feel free to join us.