In Australia, w orking h oliday m akers (WHMs) form the largest group of Japanese who live there temporarily . For many young Japanese WHMs , one common motivation for going on a w orking h oliday w as related to their desire to seek new experiences and learn English , the native language of the imagined West. Indeed, th e desire for English competency is part of a longstanding trend in Japan. It involved the combination of two major factors. One was an association with the imagined West, believed to enable one to become more cosmopolitan and thus improve one ’ s sense of self. The other was a quest to acquire new skills that would increase one ’ s marketability in Japan. Commonly, s eeking access to cosmopolitan jobs is one way of trying to attain “ something better ” . But this proves more difficult than expected. English language proficiency is one barrier. However, returned WHMs feel a sense of frustration when they wish to earn a living using their English skills and cosmopolitan experience . Typically, WHMs have an elementary to intermediate level of English when they arrive in Australia, and their subsequent experience is often insufficient to dramatically improve their language skills. In fact, t he overwhelming majority worked for local Japanese businesses, mainly in the hospitality and tourism industry. Furthermore, employers who offer cosmopolitan white-collar jobs view language ability as a tool for a ccomplishing the required tasks, rather than a qualification in itself. This attitude is expresse d clearly by a recruitment officer for a major international company : “ I often receive inquiries from people who say ‘ I’m looking for a job that I can use English for ’ . My usual answer is ‘ English is used in all sections of the company, so it is a simple requirement. By the way, what else can you do?’ ” For most WHMs, the question “ what else can you do?” proves a difficult one to answer, because of their focus on conversational skills in everyday English and lack of plans about what to do with them. The opportunity of a working holiday is attractive for many young people, because it seems to offer open-ended possibilities. A hope for something new and unknown is part of the deal. From the business world’s point of view, however, a returned WHM may not demonstrate desirable employee qualities.