I'd like to learn Japanese (will offer help with English in return).

[sycayersou]

Okay, here goes.
I'd like to learn another language, preferably Japanese.
I have no real purpose for this, except that at some point in the future, I intend to travel and see the world, and I'd like to be able to speak a few of the languages.
Also, language+me= .
I like learning other languages.

But here's where my problem is; I need a teacher. "Teach Yourself *whatever*" books are all well and good, but they don't give me practical things to say, and I'm more of a "learn-by-doing" person than a "learn-by-reading-about-it-and-not-actually-putting-it-into-practice-at-all" type.
Yes, yes, I know, this is internets, so my pronunciation might suffer.
Let me deal with that (my pronunciation isn't actually all that bad, considering. I pick stuff like that up fairly well).

I just need a person who'll take me through enough basics that I can speak and read enough Japanese in question to get myself a Japanese penpal, or something (with whom I can then sharpen my skills).

Feel free to brush me off, but I can assure you I'm willing to put in some serious homework-doing.
(If you feel like having a slightly language-studies-loving student, PM me or some such).

Thanks for bothering to read this (assuming you did).