Mar 16th 2010 00:36 Blair
For me, I want to learn Japanese so I can communicate with the people of Japan and read Japanese books and watch Japanese movies. I think it's a really good challenge. I may never use it for my job, but as for my life experiences, it's given me a lot of interesting views on the world and many strong friendships.

Nice post!

Mar 16th 2010 04:30 Joseph
Wow, you used a lot of idioms in your entry. "Below par," "Glass Ceiling," "ROI," and "fat chance." =)

Yeah, I don't know why I'm learning Japanese either. I wanted to when I was teenager, because all the latest games and anime were only available in Japanese. Now, most games are translated fairly quickly, and I don't watch anime anymore, and when I watch J-Dramas most of them are translated anyway.

Pretty much the only reason I'm studying it now is because I want to finish it instead of giving up. =)

Mar 16th 2010 04:32 TARU
I want to learn Japanese so I can understand Japanese dramas and music. I don't want to keep on reading translations. Also, I'm interested in international careers so learning Japanese may come in useful.

Mar 16th 2010 06:30 SonicCM
Sometimes, "because it is there" is a good answer, especially if you enjoy studying. It's not always about the destination. It's about the journey. Whether or not it will help your career depends what type of career you plan for yourself. Many businesses need people who speak multiple languages. I think it can only be helpful for you. Sometimes, my ability to speak Japanese has helped me in areas where I never expected.

I'm studying Japanese because I think the language is interesting and I want to talk with more Japanese people and learn more about their culture. It's more interesting to me than the Latin based languages because it is so different from English.

Of course, free time is always limited, so you must decide for yourself how to best spend the time you have. Do that which makes you happy!!

Mar 16th 2010 08:33 mourishin
I agree with Sonic, learning is about the journey. And you can make friends too~
Since your brain is active, you will be more mentally healthy later in life too~ ( thats just my opinion I think.. ^^ )

I think learning languages is a good hobby for keeping an open mind. You don't need any more reason than you already have. ^_^

Mar 16th 2010 11:26 axxman
Maybe someday, you'll want to make a big change and English might help you.

I'd like to work in Japan for a while someday, just for the experience. But I wonder how long it's going to take to get to the point where I'd even be competent at what I'm doing well in English right now...

I think that enjoying the process is really important, especially if you don't have a pressing need for it. If you have fun learning it, then the ROI isn't as important.

Mar 19th 2010 06:02 watchreader
I've had this problem with Japanese actually. It's not that it doesn't come up very often, but there's no single factor. I don't like anime, and I don't like Japanese food. But I think Japanese TV and internet is kind of funny. The main reason I study Japanese is because I like learning Japanese. :/ It's kind of hard to explain quickly though, so I think most people just think I'm in it for the girls. ><

Mar 20th 2010 10:45 Kyoko
みなさん、コメントありがとう。モチベーションがあがりました。＾＾

Thank you all for your comments. Your messages really encourage me.

Ciao.

Mar 29th 2010 03:21 Helen
Hello, sorry for the late comment.

I think learning a language takes a bit of passion. Of course, we can all be practical and learn it because it'll be useful, but to really learn it, I think everyone needs to find their own reason. ^o^/

Mar 30th 2010 22:52 Kyoko
>Helen

そうですね。みなさんそれぞれに外国語を学ぶ理由があるのですよね。うんうん　＾＾

Mar 30th 2010 22:53 Kyoko
>Helen

そうですね。みなさんそれぞれに外国語を学ぶ理由があるのですよね。うんうん　＾＾