When I tell people I teach Japanese, the reaction from everyone is always,
“You teach Japanese?”
I wasn’t born in Japan, didn’t start learning it seriously until I was 15 and have probably only spent about 2 years total in Japan. Why would you ever listen to what I have to say about the language?
I have JLPT N1, I have a major in Japanese from a good university, I failed 漢検 at level 6. Does that matter to anyone? If you make judgements about someone’s ability based on whatever piece of paper they can show you, particularly in the world of language competency it’s probably not that good of a predictor.
So what’s my elevator pitch to you? Well of course seeing as I’ve got to a certain level of competency, I can at least offer that I can tell you the things that I know, explain them as a fellow learner and be the kind of living proof that such a thing is possible. For example, I can chat to Japanese natives about topics or events that I am not familiar with, ask questions and understand the responses at native speed. See for yourself:
“Not bad”, you say. “But so what? You edit the videos and these are your friends so they’re just being nice and speaking in easy Japanese”.
At this point, I can only offer you anecdotes and personal experiences and you can judge for yourself (if you are willing to believe that I am telling the truth). When I worked in Japan for a year at a hotel, I had to answer the phone and direct customers from wherever they were to the lobby so that I could check them in. This resulted in the regular occurrence of guests coming in, seeing me behind the desk, then walking back out the doors to check they had the right building. Generally after I greeted them and got them to do the paperwork came the inevitable,
Wait, that was you on the phone?
This has happened in other various ways, for example I was in some place chatting in Japanese and someone behind me turned around and saw who was speaking, and was surprised not to see a Japanese person but me.
So can I offer you the guarantee that I speak perfect Japanese and can read the equivalent of Shakespeare in Japanese? No.
Can I coach you to improve your Japanese and show you the way to get to the same level as what I outlined above? Yes.
Have I helped many people get over hurdles with Japanese that they had been stuck on for years? Yes.
Send me an enquiry through the website or acejapanese@protonmail.com and get started on truly learning Japanese today.
