Learning Japanese Independently in the US

Finding Japanese people in America is nearly impossible. Especially in the state where I live, the Japanese community is mostly concentrated in the downtown area, and since I can't drive, I have absolutely no opportunity to interact with them offline. This means online interaction is the only option, but for someone like me, with limited resources, even that presents a significant challenge. My conclusion is that when studying a language, you don't necessarily need to be surrounded by people from the same region.

Instead, I can use SNS, NHK World Japan, and numerous helpful YouTube channels to learn not only the Japanese language but also about Japanese culture, food, and travel information. So, actually, I don't find the self-learning process boring at all; I'm enjoying it quite a bit. If I were to aim for a Japanese language proficiency test like the JLPT, I might end up giving up on studying Japanese. Of course, if a good opportunity arose in Japan, I'd have to continue, no matter what.

Like English, my listening comprehension is my weakest point in all languages. That's why I get the most nervous when listening to Japanese news, especially the "number listening" parts. Earlier, I was imagining myself in Japan, paying for something at a convenience store or supermarket, and the clerk saying, ‘The total is...’ I would definitely panic and just say, ‘E-go onegaishimasu!’

On the other hand, my strongest skill in all languages is writing. This isn't a talent that everyone possesses. Surveys show it's a very low-scoring skill, and many students and ordinary people struggle with writing. But to me, writing is the easiest thing in the world. That's why I'm able to write this smoothly, without any preparation.

So, this year, I've been challenging myself to practice Japanese translation once or twice a day. I've been actively participating in the largest Japanese language learning community on SNS, and I reached the maximum points on January 1st this year. I just tried translating a poem a short while ago, and after doing this consistently for over a month, my confidence in Japanese is growing, and I'm even more grateful that I'm making fewer mistakes, and some people are even sharing my translations, whether they realize it or not.

People say you improve a language by constantly using it in real life, but as I mentioned earlier, I have zero opportunities to meet Japanese people (I do have one acquaintance who is married to a Zainichi Korean, but we're no longer part of the same community, and I only contact them a few times a month). Since living in America, I've only heard native Japanese spoken three times. Once at a famous tourist spot and twice at Japanese restaurants. But I felt it would be rude to approach them and speak, so I only said to myself internally, ‘Ah, I understand what they're saying.’

Therefore, the conclusion is that, like many other Americans, Japan remains a ‘dream country’ for me. I hope that someday a good opportunity will come along, whether it's travel, studying abroad, or immigration. Working Holiday visas are impossible for me due to age restrictions.