[naruru]

Hi I have been studying Japanese since junior high up to college (am now an alumni haha ._. )

I have advanced the language and I'm very proud of myself. However, I'm not improving from where I stopped. I learn the kanji, then I forget within 3 days. I learn the same one again, I still forget. Even if I use it in a sentence I type or when I talk, I still forget. I look up in a dictionary and find a word I've been using that I have completely forgotten!! Even if I try to learn it for more than a year I still forget. ;; I only know up to 350 kanji...

I've been trying to plan to go to Japan since I was in my first year of college. But I can't reach that dream (and still can't) as I'm still trying to save a lot for trip and, hopefully, for living there. And as you can see I can't advance the language unless I have Japanese friends here. BUT when they are here, they only speak in English more than Japanese, more like 80% English, 20% Japanese. I asked them for ideas of how to improve my Japanese. They said to read, read, read. Also watch anime with no subtitles. I've tried that, but the words wouldn't stick to my mind for 6 months, the words often used in books and anime like "futsuu". And then finally, a month ago I remember the word "futsuu" but then the hard part comes like I have said before: KANJI! @_@ That will take more than 6 months. orz I tried writing every day and then a month later, I forget that kanji. Even if I try to read that kanji every day I would just say "something" and skip to the next alphabet/word. Going to my dictionary and then pronounce that kanji is great, but if you keep on saying it every day and then you ultimately forgot how to pronounce it, then...I'm no good lol ;;

Now since I'm living outside of Japan and have no way to improve my Japanese, what's the best technique to improve it without even going to Japan?