Japanese tell me I'm wasting my talent(speak japanese)..so what can i do to not waste it?

Question

I just know it cause i study by myself but don't have any japanese friends or relations and i never meet japanese people in my city. Just meet them online and they think it's odd and wasteful that i'm semi-good at japanese language but i Don't even use it for a job or something.

Well i also think its kind of wasteful but i mean, what can i do about? NOTHING! there's no japanese people to be friends with( YES ITS California but i'm not outgoing talkatinve person, so i don't even bump into them ever). and i'm not going to Japan or anything like that, i'm poor and don't like to travel.

I would like to help japanese ( say with...language) or teach them about the multicultural America( Cause i'm hispanic and they don't even know hispanics are americans) but i don't have ways to meet them.

Sometimes i see japanese tourist struggling in the bus or trying to find things, sometimes i feel i could help.

By the way i'm also shy. not like your regular American, and i'm hispanic.

Answer 1

I have a better, probably more important question for you:
You don't like to travel, so I assume you don't want to go to Japan. You don't know any Japanese people and are too shy to go find them. So what are you learning Japanese for? Normally, languages are used to communicate with the people who speak them, but you don't seem keen to do that. So I wonder, what's the point? You don't necessarily have to use it to communicate with people, but if that's not why you are learning it, why do you care what other people think about what you do with your Japanese ability? I think if you can answer those questions, you'll know what to do.

Answer 2

There's a saying in Chinese called "hidden dragon" or "extra knife", which means a hidden talent/skill. i.e. You really never know there will be a situation when your talent is needed, but you don't have to show off.

I don't think it's a waste at all. You can play tennis even if you're not going pro. In this case, it's a great exercise for your mind. Not using a talent in an obvious way doesn't mean it's going to waste.

Learning foreign language increase your overall linguistic intelligence. People who thinks you're wasting your talent because they think we have limited space in our brain. That could be true, but you're able to organize them in your brain more efficiently. I don't know about you, but I know that I can organise thoughts and deliver ideas a lot better now that I'm fluent in multiple languages.

It shouldn't be to hard in California with a large Japanese population. There are many Japanese culturual organization where they will need people like you! The new-comers who can't speak any English could use some help.

Some of these organization offer conversation session for exchanging cultural ideas. Don't feel bad if they insist on speaking English, that's just because they want to learn English. I'm pretty sure they feel more ease talking to you because you also speak Japanese. Just call them up and see if you can go to those conversation sessions.
http://www.jcccnc.org/
http://www.jaccc.org/

Do you like Manga? I love it. You can also consider a job for translating Manga if you're up to it.

BTW, I always thought Hispanics are even more out-going! At least most my friends are! Now that you mentioned it... yeah, one of my hispanic friend is also very shy. :)

Answer 3

Keep learning it and become fluent. Why? You can help struggling people and what not yadda yadda ( don't mean to sound insensitive at all) but it will take money to do that, and as a translator you will make big bucks, especially get into the emplyoment of a buisness that does a lot of overseas trade/travel whatever, and when they go to Japan,, or have a Japaneese client it will be huge to be able to translate, but just make sure you can read and write too, not just by ear. YOu will always be paied more at whatever you do and have a lot of job opportunities and tons of travel opportunites, if nothing else, you'll have another language you can speak which is really cool.

Answer 4

Try to be a little more outgoing. You don't have to start a conversation with random people. Just start by giving people the greeting of the day and work your way from there. Knowledge has as much worth as you give it. Just give it a shot and Good Luck!

Answer 5

I've had several lovers from Japan and China, and I studied both languages in college. My current #1 gal is 5'0.5", 97 lbs. Miyuki. She is so adorable. I live in San Francisco and spend much time in Japantown and in Chinatown. If your cith has colleges, you could meet people in language classes. I attend Cherry Blossom and Summer Festivals and meet some people at them. I have antique samurai clothing I wear to festivals. Japanese tourists always take photos of me. Miyuki blushes. She is shy, like you.

Answer 6

go study it at a university. you can only get so far studying by yourself, and you will meet loads of like-minded people who can offer you advice.