Studying or Traveling Abroad to Japan

This one, in my honest opinion, is particularly important, especially if your goal is to be able to Speak Japanese Fluently. 

Many people take Japanese for many years in school because it is required to take a foreign language.   They take the tests, read the books,  and study the vocabulary.  On the surface, it seems as though they are retaining the information pretty well. 

But imagine this situation:  You're in the doctor's office and a young mother comes in with her ill child.  She tries to communicate what her child's problem is but the receptionist can't understand her because she only speaks Japanese and very little English.  So you think, "I'll save the day and be the impromptu translator!"  So you approach and offer to attempt to translate.  They both heartily thank you and then the young mother begins to talk.  Slowly at first, then with increasing speed as all the words start jumbling together and it sounds like the words are going a million miles an hour.  You can't understand anything she is saying.  

How do you think that's going to make you feel?  Embarrassed, I would think...

Would you believe me if I said that a surprising number of people who took Japanese in school are experiencing these very situations more and more?

There is a big disconnect between the Japanese language you are taught in school and the Japanese that people actually talk in the real world.  The level of competancy they teach in schools doesn't even come close to the fluency needed to be able to converse with real Japanese Speakers.

Okay, now picture this:  You're living in the heart of Tokyo, all your friends are Japanese, and all you eat is sushi.  What language do you think you're speaking?

Japanese, of course!  When you are immersed in that world, when all you hear is Japanese every single second of every single day, it is so much easier to absorb it and learn it and live it. 

So how do you know when you've truly learned Japanese?

...When you start dreaming in Japanese!   

"Hold on! I don't have the money or the time to travel to Japan!"  Okay, okay, I hear you.  And that's a valid point to bring up.  A lot of people aren't able to either afford it financially or logistically.  That's why it's so important that you surround yourself with Japanese people around where you live, so that at least you can practice with them.

And remember, don't ever let anyone hold you back from achieving your goals in life. 

P.S. If learning Japanese has always been a dream of yours, you owe it to yourself to get the Rocket Japanese program to help you learn everything from basic grammar and vocabulary to advanced speaking techniques.