Like many in my generation, I developed an interest in Japanese anime, manga, and games early on. Rather than listen to English translations which contain some liberties and creative interpretation, I resolved to study the language in order to understand the original works. After a year of light self-studying, I realized it was going to take more formal teaching to reach a reasonable level of fluency.
պ’s Japanese courses not only provided the learning foundation needed to gain fluency, but also the confidence I needed to realize “I can actually do this!”. The most impactful part of the program was the opportunity to study both inside and outside the classroom with speaking partners. Throughout the duration of the courses, I met and spoke with both tutors and study abroad students from Japan, who helped me grasp useful phrases and adjust common mistakes.
Currently, I work at a Japanese firm that inspects structures like bridges, roads, tunnels. I use Japanese every day to converse with coworkers and clients. Best of all, I don’t need subtitles anymore while watching anime! The Japanese program at պ phenomenally influenced my life and helped realize a long sought-after goal.