Success Stories: People Who Did a Working Holiday After Studying in Cebu

Even when people want to take on the challenge of going overseas on a working holiday, many say things like, “I'm not confident in my English” and “I'm anxious about suddenly working abroad.”

That is why **studying in Cebu first and then going on a working holiday** is attracting attention. In Cebu, one-on-one-focused lessons and a strict, intensive curriculum let you build your English in a short time, making it ideal preparation before you travel.

In fact, many people have built a solid foundation in English in Cebu and then succeeded in work and life on their working holiday. This article introduces **real success stories from such people** and explains concretely the benefits of studying in Cebu plus a working holiday.

A, a third-year university student, decided to study in Cebu, thinking, “I want to acquire English before job hunting.” A had never been good at English and struggled to hold a conversation even on overseas trips.

• **Experience in Cebu** A chose a strict course of 9 hours of lessons per day. Living in a full English-immersion routine from morning to night, A thoroughly strengthened grammar, conversation and listening, mainly through one-on-one lessons. By the third month of study, A had grown to the point of handling self-introductions, shopping and everyday conversation without problems. Above all, a major achievement was that A's “resistance to speaking English” disappeared.
• **Results on the Working Holiday** After studying in Cebu, A went to Sydney, Australia. A passed an English interview and was hired for a part-time job at a local cafe. Through daily customer service, A gained the ability to converse naturally with customers, improving English and customer service skills at the same time.
• **In Their Own Words** “If I had gone straight to Australia, I probably would have given up. It was because I built a foundation in Cebu that I was able to seize opportunities there.”

B, who had worked at an IT company for 5 years, thought, “I want to advance my career with English as a weapon,” and decided to study in Cebu before changing jobs.

• **Experience in Cebu** B chose a business English course. In intensive lessons of 8 to 9 hours per day, B thoroughly learned the expressions needed for meetings, presentations and email writing. Over 6 months of study, B grew to a level of being able to handle discussions and negotiations in English.
• **Results on the Working Holiday** After going to Canada, B was hired as a support staff member at a local IT company. All conversation within the team was in English, and B was also entrusted with dealings with overseas clients. During the working holiday it was not merely a part-time job: B succeeded in building a career that could be listed on a resume as **“practical work experience.”**
• **Career Afterward** After returning to Japan, B's English and overseas experience were valued, and B moved to a foreign-affiliated IT company. Because B was able to approach the English interview with confidence, the hiring reportedly went smoothly.
• **In Their Own Words** “What I learned in Cebu was confidence, more than just English ability. Work in Canada was tough, but I think I was able to get through it precisely because I had prepared in Cebu.”

C, who had just graduated from a vocational school, took the step of studying in Cebu in a state of “wanting to experience life abroad but having no confidence in English at all.”

• **Experience in Cebu** Starting from zero English, C chose a curriculum centered on everyday English conversation. In lessons of 7 to 8 hours per day, C repeated basic grammar and conversation practice every day and gradually got used to English. After 2 months, C could enjoy everyday conversations in English with teachers and classmates, and came to feel English not as “study” but as “a tool for communication.”
• **Results on the Working Holiday** After going to New Zealand, C took on a farm job. C worked alongside colleagues from all over the world and came to the point of joking with them in English during breaks from work. Being able to put into practice right away the phrases learned at school greatly boosted C's confidence. As a result, it was not just a part-time job: C gained **life experience connecting with multinational colleagues**.
• **In Their Own Words** “I didn't need perfect English at all. There were friends who laughed with me when I made mistakes, and if you muster the courage to speak, you will always get through. I think I could truly enjoy life abroad because I had practiced speaking in Cebu.”

The stories of people who stepped from studying in Cebu to a working holiday share common points. Keeping these in mind greatly raises your chances of success.

1. Create an English-immersion environment

In Cebu, you can study 7 to 9 hours per day through one-on-one and small-group lessons. Creating the environment yourself, for example by “speaking English outside class too” and “not using Japanese,” leads to results.

2. Clarify your goals for the working holiday

• Wanting to gain part-time work experience
• Wanting to polish your English further
• Wanting to make use of it in your career By making your purpose clear, the way you study and prepare during your time abroad will also change.

3. Value your connections with fellow students and fellow working holiday makers

You make many friends while studying in Cebu, and those connections become a great support at your working holiday destination as well. You can exchange information such as “which cities have jobs” and “what types of work you can try,” and many people have actually widened their opportunities this way.

4. Don't aim for perfection; have the courage to speak first

What the stories had in common was that “the courage to speak even if you make mistakes” was the key to success. Cebu has an environment where even beginners can speak with peace of mind, so it is important to “get used to speaking” there.

People who took on a working holiday after studying in Cebu have gained not only English ability but also confidence, friends, and experience that connects to their future.

• A built a foundation through **9 hours of strict lessons per day** and succeeded in getting a cafe job in Australia.
• B **mastered business English** and used the work experience in Canada to advance a career.
• C **overcame everyday English conversation** and enjoyed international exchange in New Zealand.

What they have in common is that **what they learned in Cebu became the foundation for success on the working holiday**.

“I'm not confident in my English, but I want to work abroad.” “I want to make use of a working holiday in my career.”

For such people, studying in Cebu is the ideal preparation step. It will be a shortcut to building your English in a short time and taking on a working holiday with confidence.