Quote:
Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery
Yeah, I really hate to sound condescending, but a large majority of people I've met fit into three categories.
- The asshole who thinks he can bang every girl and abuse the system
- The social outcast who thinks they can make it in Japan because they're gaijin
- The fresh worker who doesn't know what they want to do yet so they think teaching in a foreign country will be a pushover job
I've met some really lovely people and also some people I know who will be lifelong friends, but to say that the typical person who comes to Japan (to live) is worth my time is a bit of a stretch.
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So which one are you and what makes you special? playing Devils advocate
If I read correctly most of you guys all went to Japan knowing next to nothing of the language but have managed to pick it up.
I would state, Yes knowing Japanese prior to living in Japan would make life easier...What really you don't say? Yet many of you didn't follow your own pearls of wisdom, some things are easier said then done.
Fact is learning a language you are not immersed in will take you far longer and odds are you will still not learn the "correct" language.
So Wings, which courses and books would you advise he reads so he can have casual conversation with others in Japan...while your at it give him a time line on how long not being immersed in the language will take to be fluent.
@Bob Learn what you can to get you the basics, once there its sink or swim there will be difficulties but if you focus on learning it you will pick it up much faster and your Japanese will be the "Japanese" Japanese if you know what I mean. No book or college course will teach you that and like many things it is often easier to mold clay into a horse than turning a horse into a duck (meaning you wont have the bad habits or wrong usages of words messing up the correct ones you will learn).
I was able to find many friends to hang out with in Japan, there was no shortage of women who wanted to practice their English(helps being good looking
) It's pretty easy to find the ones that speak decent English they flock to the areas like Roppongi and Azubu Juban cause they know that's where the gaijin all are.
Good luck and have fun--as the others stated just be prepared for some difficulties. As long as you don't go in with ridiculous expectations you should be fine.