| Having grown up with my Japanese grandmother (and a bilingual mother), I have been surrounded by the Japanese language and culture (while living in the US) from the time I was born.
I attended Saturday Japanese school from pre-kindergarten until I graduated from the high school program (all classes taught only in Japanese using the same textbooks as public schools in Japan). Most of my classmates were the children of Japanese businessmen, researchers, etc who needed to be up to speed/keep up when they inevitably returned to Japan (and resumed going to school in Japan). In addition to focusing on schoolwork, the school integrated many important cultural traditions, events and activities outside of school, to which I was exposed.
This foundation in the Japanese language and culture has allowed me to open many doors to amazing opportunities, such as living in Japan for a total of about 6 months, participating in an internship at a hospital in Kyushu (southern Japan), working as a freelance translator, and being able to help those interested in learning more about Japan (both the language and culture).
I'd be more than happy to share about my experiences with you (or not... it's up to you! ;) ), and whether you want to learn Japanese because of anime, upcoming travel, or simply because you're interest in Japan, I will do my very best to help you achieve your goals. |