Joshua Hume, a former student, talks about his motivation for studying Japanese


Truth be told, my initial motivation for studying Japanese was nothing more than to obtain the necessary foreign language credits to graduate from high school. It wasn't until well after I began studying Japanese that I developed any real interest in the history or culture of the country. What encouraged me to keep studying was the never-ending challenge of learning to express myself in a completely unfamiliar language and learning to communicate in the context of an entirely different culture. The joy of learning the language itself is what keeps me studying Japanese to this day.

More than anything else, studying Japanese has afforded me the opportunity to work and live in Japan. Having a solid grounding in the language and a basic understanding of the customs and culture of Japan, it was quite easy for me to adjust to life in my new home. Since moving to Japan I have made lifelong friends with people that I never would have met had I not learned the language.

Studying Japanese has also helped expand my understanding and appreciation of different cultures from around the world. Learning a foreign language gives one the ability to view the world from the window of a different society, and through that experience one is forced to look at their own culture through a new set of eyes. Once someone has gone through that experience I think it is much easier to value and cherish our differences.

Learning a foreign language is one of the most difficult and challenging things a person can do, but it can also be one of the most rewarding. If at first learning Japanese seems like an insurmountable challenge, keep at it no matter how frustrating it can be at times. Once you have developed a basic sense for the language, I think you will be surprised by how rapidly your comprehension and ability to communicate improves. Making friends with native speakers is a great way to develop a sense for the spoken language, as well as a great way to learn about Japanese culture. Regularly reading in Japanese also helped me a lot. Once you have learned the basic structures of Japanese, try reading children's books, gradually moving up to more and more difficult literature. When studying Japanese in college I made it a habit to read at least one newspaper article in Japanese every day. This is a great way to rapidly improve and reinforce your vocabulary. Above all never give up!

(February 2010)