Here is a good news to share; I passed JLPT N2 !! やっと日本語能力試験Ｎ２級に合格したよ！！
After a two and a half months of literally vigorous and focused study at JLPT Academy that started from April 14, 2018 to June 23, 2018, I took the N2 exam on July 1, 2018 in first attempt. Before the exams, I used to search on the internet to get tips on how to pass JLPT N2 (Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level N2) in 6 months. Their posts were inspiring and when I realized that the time is not enough, I started searching to check if it is possible to pass JLPT N2 in 3 months. It was unbelievable while reading the blogs written by those people who had achieved their target in 6 or even 3 months. Now, it is possible to say that if your current level is N3, you can pass level N2.
The first thought to try for the JLPT N2 exam surfaced on the mind somewhere in December 2016, but came to know from one of my sensei that I was not even near to the Level N3 (After her evaluation of Japanese reading/listening ability). Before those classes, in 2015 and 2016 I had attended a few classes at a volunteer organization in Gyotoku. The classes were conducted by an organization that supports 'Hikikomoris'. Those classes helped me to refresh what I studied for JLPT N4.
In December 2016, one of the ads in Craiglist offering Japanese language lessons for 1000 Yen per hour triggered my desire to prepare for the N2 exam. I contacted the sensei who had given the ad and went for the trial lesson/interview. Though my desire was to start preparation for N2, I was informed by the Sensei that my level of Japanese was not sufficient to read and understand the text books for Level N3!! That was tough for me to accept, but unfortunately that was the fact.
A gap of more than 6 years, it was too hard to bring back the interest in Japanese language study. The classes started in February 2017, were in Yokohama and I had to travel from Higashi Ojima on weekends. More than one hour travel to the classes, I had to keep myself motivated and energized on weekends. Support from wife and kids were commendable. Continued the classes for almost 6 months, which in total had given me around 80 hours of study of materials for Level N3.. At the end of the lessons, I had started talking in Japanese.
Later I realized that level N2 is not a simple task and need more focused and systematic preparation. In February 2018, I came across an ad of JLPT Academy in Facebook regarding their JLPT preparation courses. Applied for N2 exam in March and started the power-packed JLPT N2 level preparation course from April 14. The nearest train station I used to reach the classes was Ogawamachi in Toei Shinjuku line. The lessons were on Saturdays, starting from 9:30 in the morning and ending at 5:45 in the evening with a one hour lunch break.
All grammar, vocabulary, Kanji, Reading and Listening practices were included in the classes, taught by two teachers, one in the morning session and another in the afternoon session. In total, ours was a group of 3 students. Initially it was hard to catch up to the tight schedules and targets that the teachers set on us. A lot of homework and self study were required to memorize especially the new vocabularies learned in the classes.
