Bilingual

I know I am far from being fluent in Japanese, but it is fair to say that I have reached a certain level since coming to Japan. While my Kanji level is severely lacking, I can communicate in Japanese pretty well. I think that this elementary ability is good if I plan on staying in Japan for only a year, but if I want to live indefinitely in Japan it is not enough.

In America for example there are tons of immigrants (Mexicans, Chinese, etc.) who have a very basic understanding of English. Sure they can communicate in elementary and sometimes childish English, but it really does not say a lot to their intelligence. There is being able to communicate and then being fluent. I really want to strive to being fluent and having a good grasp of the language.

Lately I have been studying honorifics in the Japanese language. Before coming to Japan I read a few books on how a Japanese company is structured. In a professional company the language used plays a very important role in how you are treated. Foreigners in general are usually at a disadvantage in Japanese companies, however in reading all these books it seems that the more you try to assimilate in the company (pretty much act Japanese) the more respect that you get and in result more responsibilities. This is why I think it is important to study honorifics.

Talking with a couple of Japanese friends from work about how they speak to their bosses, the universal response is that they use keigo (a very polite, honorific way of speaking). I think that I as a foreigner would not be expected to use this type of language, however, this is the thing; I want to break this expectation. Since I want to live in Japan after I graduate I will not be content with simply being able to communicate. In any Japanese class,　keigo (Japanese honorific language) is taught towards the end. After my experience at working at a company I can say that the language ability plays a very important role.

Anyways I still have a long way to go with my Japanese study. I have been stepping it up a bit within the past couple of months. I have been doing more language exchanges, practicing while watching TV, and also attempting to read a newspaper every day. I suspect it will take at least a couple years of living in Japan and intensively studying until I can even consider to be "fluent."