My next language learning challenge

Background

I’ve studied Japanese in various capacities since 2020. As my environment has changed over the years, I’ve also changed my language learning process to meet the needs of my current level and make the most of the resources around me.

I began my language journey from Portland, Oregon, and initially my biggest challenge was getting enough daily Japanese immersion. I discovered I really enjoyed listening to native Japanese podcasts, and burned through literally thousands of hours over just a couple years.

In 2024, I moved to Tokyo to attend language school for a year, and my study routines shifted yet again. Between homework, class time, and speaking Japanese with my homestay families, I had more or less created the perfect learning environment for myself. Not only did I get 4-8 hours of active learning every day by default, but I also had easy access to native Japanese media and an international friends group whose only shared language to coordinate our various adventures was Japanese.

After graduating from school and completing a quick stint in the U.S., I am yet again back in Tokyo. This time I’m living in my own apartment and working at a Japanese tech company. Surrounded by yet another new environment, my language learning approach is going to have to change again as well.

What worked before

In addition to listening to podcasts, there were a bunch of other learning approaches that worked really well for me in the past. I used Anki and other SRS apps to get me through my first 1300 kanji and ~6000 vocab words. I also worked with online teachers, produced a Japanese podcast, and wrote letters to friends in Japanese. I tried out reader apps, bought a bunch of Japanese manga, and listened to condensed anime audio, audio books, and music. I would also credit the stack of textbooks on myself for helping fill some important cultural and grammar gaps, though some of them were certainly a bit of a slog. 😅

What I want to try next

Since moving back to Tokyo, I’ve already tried a few things to jump start the next stage of my Japanese language learning journey. I haven’t been able to get back into podcasts like I was before, but I’ve found some new audio books that I’ve been enjoying. I’ve also really struggled to get back into any kind of SRS study routine with flashcards, but I found that carrying a small notebook with me at work helps encourage me to write down new words I hear in context. My hope is that, in time, I’ll come up with a routine for studying this new slice of Japanese that is directly applicable to my daily job. As an added bonus, interacting with my coworkers at work would then serve as the repetition part of my routine for free!

頑張りましょう！

Honestly, the hardest part for me right now is finding the energy and motivation to put in any kind of serious study time after a long day of work. Somehow I was able to do it before back in the U.S., but whether it’s the added stress of navigating a new job and setting up an apartment, or just a general waning enthusiasm for the steep road ahead of me, I’ve been really struggling lately.

Here’s hoping that keeping my ears open and my creativity cranked to 11 will help reveal the next path forward soon 🙏🏻 If you’ve learned a language while working in another country and have any tips you’d like to share, send me an email! I’d love to hear your thoughts. ❤️