Learn Japanese - My learning, My tips

Thanks for all the overwhelming support for my last article. It gave me motivation to write a little more. As people asked me about learning Japanese in more details, I thought of putting down my ideas and my learning on paper. Though I would like to clarify that there are so many people who learned faster and better than me, and everyone has his own story and lessons, so the following are from mine :

- Do not waste your time - After you are in Japan, if you want to learn Japanese, the sooner the better, Taking 2-3 months gap is OK, but delay would usually mean reducing the motivation and also might add unexplained gap in the resume. And of course, if we are not in a job inline with the career, we do get out of touch with the latest technologies and working ways.

- Volunteer Classes are good, but probably only for people who have a lot of time and who want to learn basic conversation level in months. I am not against them, but if you want to learn and learn quick, they are not close to enough. For me it was actually a waste of time. I went to the local volunteer classes and after 3 months, when I went to the school(that I talked about in the last post) and took the Japanese level check, I knew that I didn't know anything. Volunteers try, but they are not experts and they go with the speed of the slowest person. I remember they showed us a picture card, and told us it was 'Koen', now no one could explain what it was except the picture which was a water fountain. So that day I learned fountain is 'Koen'. But months later, I got to know, Koen means park. The picture was supposedly showing fountain as parks have them. that was an eye-opener!! :-(

- Take long hours frequent classes, as much as possible. As mentioned in my last post, Immerse yourself in Japanese. And try to choose a school where you do not have a friend and there are less English speakers, so that you are left we no option but to speak Japanese. I totally started with sign language in my new class, pointing to things, if I needed any help! 

- Talk as much as possible! Since you are in Japan, you have the edge, use it! Talk to shopkeepers, neighbors, and everyone you can. They do understand that we are learning, and would be able to help. Whenever I had time, I would just go downstairs and sit on river side... with my Japanese books in hand. Though I wouldn't study much there, but everyone who saw me with the books, talked to me ... in Japanese :-) So I owe a lot to the uncles and aunts !! 

- Write and Read - Though you might feel like learning only for conversation, if you can read, you can learn faster! and for learning characters there is nothing better than writing practice. Enjoy Kanjis.. I know it is difficult initially but once you know say around 300, then its more compounds of kanjis rather than standalone and each kanji has its story.. for me story means the meaning by the combination of kanjis... and there it becomes a game.. !!

- Keep realistic targets. We know our capabilities very well. Some people work better with deadlines and some do not. So make you own target and keep trying for it. Do not compare with anyone else as everyone is different and we are good at things which others are not, and everyone's situation is different! Also do take the tests as they tell us where to improve upon！

- Enjoy your life - Whatever you do, you will be better at it if you are happy! Do not stress too much all the times. Keep the schedule, if you give 2 hours to Japanese a day devote it fully, but than do not worry about it in the minute after that.Rest and others things are equally important. For my example, after the time in school, I didn't even touch my books at all. Would do the homework also within the school during the extra time so that I can spend my time with my husband and friends, after they are back from office :-)

Happy learning! and do share your thoughts and stories!