I wanted to give some advice and gloat a little. This is the only place I can be understood so sorry if it comes off bragging. I moved here just over 4 months ago by finding a job on an American base. It’s a long story but I work with mostly Japanese native or near native speakers.
I started off very timid and was nervous to even get lunch at a conbini. I’m still getting there but my Japanese teacher says I’m the farthest along of any of her students so that helps a little.
Today, I spoke on the phone and coordinated a Japanese delivery service and got all their facilities information done without a word of english. My coworkers regularly talk to me about all sorts of things too. I did several store transactions (even on base, the staff are usually japanese), and did a full 2 hour class session with only 3 words of english. This is the most confident I’ve ever been with my Japanese in my whole life and I’m finally having some confidence in my ability.
Disclaimer though, I’m a half born in the US to a Japanese mother who still doesn’t speak english to me. But she also talks to me like I’m 10.
Advice I have for people is 2 things. 1, you have to talk to get better. Being shy only makes it take longer. 2, you have to read to get better. I still cannot read hiragana very quickly. So children’s books with my kids are challenging despite knowing over 1000 kanji.
7 comments
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience!
It’s always nice to hear of such experiences, and the advice is much appreciated. I’d love to hopefully study or at least visit there soon, maybe I’ll post about it here if that happens 🙂
One thing I wish someone told me before I moved to Japan was “Just because you’re in Japan you’re not going to magically absorb Japanese”. I had started studying two years before moving (before I knew I was going to move), then a year later I decided to move and for my second year I did pretty much 0 studying because “I’ll just learn it when I get there”. Fast forward to me moving to Japan in July of 2019, having a blast, enjoying life, stumbling around with very little Japanese and very little literacy, asking staff “英語でもいいですか？” in every store I went to (and often being told “no” with great pain), having a job in a 100% English environment (international company). Then around October 2019 (so like 4 months into it) I realized “wait, I’m not learning anything, I’m just living my life in English” and decided to change and actually get serious with my studies.
Turns out even while living in Japan, 90% of my “JP study” activities were the exact same as they were when I was back in Europe: read grammar guides, do anki, play videogames, read manga, and watch anime. (also thanks covid for destroying my chances of social life in 2020/2021)
Just my two cents. Also congrats OP, enjoy Japan 🙂
I totally relate to the even being nervous to get lunch at the combini thing. I was the same 3 years ago when I came here on exchange. Then I went back for 2 years, graduated, and am now working full-time here. I’m glad to say in the 2 years away I managed to get over the fear of speaking and now I’m not holding myself back so much anymore!
We’ll improve in no time now
頑張ってね
Last month I couldn’t even muster up the courage to try to talk to the lady at the gift shop in the Japan section of Epcot World Showcase, so shyness in trying to converse with people when I visit next Tokyo next year is definitely something I need to overcome.
I had the same experience when I lived on a base in Japan. The key is to force yourself to speak to develop fluency. Honestly it sounds like you’re a little beyond what I managed but I have at least developed a level of comfort in casual conversation. If you like to collect figures make sure you check the hobby off stores in the area and the hard-off stores too. Funny names but they’re second hand stores where people sell used figures which are in perfect condition most of the time