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Phone call: Back in Japan and looking for Americans
My Japanese friend, who recently moved back to Japan, called me this weekend. Her kids are doing fine. Her husband is in the throes of work, and she is wondering how she can keep up with her English. As a person who fit well in the United States, her life back in Japan is taking some adjusting. She's happy to reconnect with family and friends, but she's missing here.
I promised to find her some Americans in Okayama where she is living. Okayama, a city past Kyoto, even further from Tokyo, is not exactly an expat hot spot. She's been on a hunt for English speakers without much luck. I did a Web search after we hung up and, although I have yet to find any Americans for her, I think I found English speakers. There is a Toastmaster's Club.
Most of the Okayama Toastmaster Club's Web site is written in Japanese, but there is another site with information on Toastmaster Clubs in Japan with links to each of them. From what I can tell, the purpose of Toastmasters in Japan is to give people a venue for giving speeches in English and to help people improve their public speaking abilities in general.
Toastmasters International has clubs all over the world. If you're in the need for some public speaking help and a place to meet people, here's a suggestion.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Stories, Asia, Japan
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jamie Rhein Apr 29th 2008 1:24AM
Thanks, Claudine for the good ideas. I'll pass them on to her.
Matthew Firestone Apr 29th 2008 4:20AM
She should definitely try to find an 英会話喫茶 (Eikawakissa), which is a conversation cafe where she can practice English with foreigners. There are a lot in Tokyo, but not sure about Okayama.
Also, she should subscribe to 先生探す (sensei-sagasu), a website that pairs up Japanese students with English conversation partners. I'm sure that there have got to be a few foreigners in Okayama!
Hope this helps, and feel free to contact me off list for more info.
Matt Firestone
Big in Japan
Shane Apr 29th 2008 6:11AM
I would second what Mathew said and add that most cities in Japan have a foreign services desk at their prefecture's (state/city) office and many offer free or low cost Japanese classes to the foreigners in the area. She could volunteer her time there in order to meet more foreigners and work out a language exchange.
Another possibility would be for her to offer her services at a local tourist attraction/museum (if there are any) as a guide which would allow her to interact with foreigners and share a bit about the culture and the history of Japan with them.
Shane Sakata
The Tokyo Traveler http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/
Eric Apr 30th 2008 7:10AM
There are hundreds of English-speaking foreigners living in and around Okayama City. I should know, I am one.
Doug May 4th 2008 9:07AM
Can someone help me out...? My (understanding) from the US Chambers of Commerce says that over 300,000 Americans leave the US for permanent lives in other countries...? I have traveled around the world, and sure enough, in "most" places I have met, or seen, or heard of Americans living there....but I never expected 300,000 per year...do any of you know about this...?