I'm primarily focused on learning how to read Japanese. Being able to understand the spoken language is secondary for me. I live in the Silicon Valley and don't have any close friends or relatives who speak it, nor any who are seriously interested in learning it. My wife overhears bits and pieces as I'm doing my exercises.
I am somewhat of an introvert, and most of my interactions with those who speak my native language (American English) has been in written form (mostly online) for decades.
I have been to Japan three times, two weeks each, over the course a year and a half, back around year 2000; I learned a few dozen common phrases and how to read a tiny fraction of the most common public signage back then. But, of course, such superficial learning fades without reinforcement.
During those business trips (teaching professional Linux systems administration and operations, right down to the level of patching and building custom kennels) I did experience firsthand how hospitable the Japanese people are towards 外人 (foreigners).
Tokyo might be the safest city in the world for drunken foreigners to find their way back from 飲み会 (social drinking) to their hotels. During the first trip I stayed in Ebisu. Second time it was near Shinjuku, and for the last trip it was a tiny room in Akihabara. It was a progression towards less touristy and more modestly priced accommodations on each trip.
Every trip I made one dinner out to this nice Indian restaurant near the top of the Yebisu Garden Tower; also spent at least one afternoon every weekend at a little kissaten which was dedicated to clientele seeking opportunities to practice their English.
This year I decided to try for slow, steady consistency as much for the experience with modern tablet teaching apps and for the mental break from programming and other technical materials, as anything.
I'm hoping to retire within a couple years here, with sufficient health and affluence to be able to take my wife on long trips to places like Japan.
Answer Guy / JimD
npub1tr…pe2z6
2023-05-31 00:42:03
in reply to nevent1q…x0d5
Author Public Key
npub1trhp4evegd6sgavspfytt2d6j20s0duxqpxvpkrs8lje67tfdrqs8pe2z6Published at
2023-05-31 00:42:03Event JSON
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