I worked as a nurse at a hospital overseas after I had acquired a nurse qualification in the Philippines. Since I liked Japanese anime, I decided to come to Japan when I heard about EPA Candidates Program in 2011. I didn't get much culture shock because I kind of knew what Japanese culture was like in anime, but it was hard to learn Japanese. But Ms. Kobayashi took me out sight seeing every holiday. I experienced dressing up as a "Maiko" and went to Universal Studios Japan. They are some of the best memories! Those experiences made me want to study Japanese more.
The support I received in Japan was very satisfying. I had a room near my work place and I didn't have to worry about meals. When I held a party, staff members came to my place with Japanese food. I like life in Awaji Island so much, so I will continue to live here.
I had full study support for three years before I passed the national exam. They adjusted my work hours so that I could focus on studying and that led me pass the national exam. I work in the same condidion as the Japanese staff after passing the exam. At first, I sometimes felt working as a nurse in Japan was hard but positive comments by patiens, like ""You are so sweet!", made me feel so rewarding. I used to be in the position of learning, but now, I teach EPA candidiates nursing and other kind of jobs as a leader. I am so happy that Ms. Kobayashi counts on me and there are more EPA staff members.
It is almost 10 years since I came to Japan. I am planning to gain Japanese citizeship so that I could work in Japan as a nurse. At the moment, we don't have any new EPA candidates, so we hope they come to our hospital. Japan is a very nice country to live. We have 14 EPA candidates and EPA qualified nurses in total. You will have many peers to support you, so why don't you try and join us?

I went to a nursing school in Vietnam but didn't find any job after graduation. That was when I heard about EPA Candidates from a friend of mine and decided to apply. I wanted a job in the field of care for the elderly. I also admired my aunt who was a nurse.
I started working with another Vietnamese candidate at Tokoen. At first, it was hard to communicate with staff members and facility users, but I made good relationship with them as my Japanese improved. It was difficult to work and study for the exam, but I received a lot of support. Both Japanese, and national exam specialized teachers came to Tokoen to teach candidates, and our senior collegues made materials for the exam. They let the candidates attend outside trainings and I gained a lot from them.
We have a very good relationship at Tokoen. I feel comfortable to talk about anything there, so I consult with leader or chief about work related matters and ask Mr. Ishikawa for advice for daily life.
It was fun to attend a local festival and made Vietnamese spring rolls. They were a big hit and we were asked to attend another festival. It was a good opportunity to let the local people know about Vietnam and Tokoen, so I felt very happy.
This March, I got married to a Vietnamese lady who I had met at EPA training sessions. Our homes are 600km apart in Vietnam, so maybe I was lucky to find her in Japan.
My goals are to try and get qualifications for assistant nurse and nurse using the knowledge I gained through my study. I didn't become a nurse in Vietnam but I would like to try to be one in Japan. My message to new EPA candidates is to study Japanee very hard. I know it is a difficult language to learn but I learned a lot from Japanese books, movies, or watching dramas. Now is a good time to come to Japan because many facilities are open to foreigners and quite a few of them have good working conditions. Don't miss this opportunity and study hard.