So... yeah..., (the story of my life this month)

[Primushead]

A few days after the earthquake I had plans to travel to Hokkaido to see my old host family. There was nothing really wrong with doing so, so I went ahead and did it.

While I was there, my advisor from my school in America said that they recommended me to stay at the other Japanese university my school has a program with in Osaka. I said that I didn't have a whole lot of things with me, so I wanted to return back to Tokyo first and decide. My advisor said that was fine, until the next day when she said that they are are now making me go to Osaka on the day that I was supposed to return to Tokyo. They would pay me back for the flight from Hokkaido to Osaka. After getting a call from my own mother, I decided to.

I was in Osaka for about two weeks. I had almost nothing with me, so I had to even buy a few extra t-shirts and underwear and socks. Although I got to see some friends from back in America who were going to that university, it was really annoying being stuck in a place that wasn't my home.

While I was in Osaka, I got another email from my advisor saying that if I came home I could graduate. I declined her request because I wanted to get a job in Japan and I'd rather use the time to improve my Japanese. Plus my girlfriend and other friends were here so I didn't want to leave them while this was going on.

A few days later I got a very strangely worded email that basically said that we had to come home or the school won't take responsibility for us anymore. The email was really hard to understand, so I said that I wanted to stay. Then, that night I got a call from my mom in hysterics saying that the school saw I had enough credits and graduated me. And if I didn't come home, the loans would be due instantly, and there's a possibility that they would cut my visa and all my financial aid would be gone. For the other two students they also said that their financial aid would be cut if they didn't come home.

So because I was forced home, I agreed to do it. ONLY because they were giving me my degree and if I went home I can plan things even faster to come back. It was an incredibly chickenshit move what they did, but I have no choice.

Now that I've returned to Tokyo, it seems everything is fine, and now I'm even angrier that I need to come home. There's no reason. To add insult to injury, the two other people from my school are going to stay, but they were nowhere as serious as studying Japanese as me.

If you have any other questions about what's going on, I'll try my best to answer them.

[Toptube]

sounds like a breach of service to me. I'd take that up to a high level.

It sounds like someone at the school is freaking out over possible insurance and liability costs. But that's what that stuff is for and students pay lot for it. As long as you aren't behind on payment, you should be entitled to stay for the term you've payed for.

*in short, don't eat this. fight it. talk to whoever you have to.