Well, where do I start?
OK, Anon. Here is my situation.
-Currently live in Tokyo with no friends and still not fluent with the language
-Have no friends here, I think I am socially retarded
-I must pursue an education, but the universities here in English are way too expensive for me to even consider. If I were to try to apply to a Japanese University, I would have to learn the language fully first, which I think might take me a year and a half or so. (I am currently above Level 3)
-Am considering online education in Business, but don't know if that is what I want to do. I am thinking I can get some business education online, and then pursue something in Fashion/Graphic Design/Art. IDK how successful I will be, but I will hope for the best.
tl;dr-
How do I find friends in Tokyo?
How do I learn to not be so socially retarded?
Is online education t3h fail or is it all right given my level?
(read: fresh outta HS)
Please help, I don't know where else I can come for some advice.
P.S. - I live here because fam moved here, parents got job, blahblah, didn't care enough about my needs, so I have to fend...
just learn japanese ffs.
itt advice from hikkimoris
Learn Japanese and go to a Japanese university.
It might take a few years but it sounds like you have no other choice.
Get a job as something like a factory worker (so you don't have to speak much), save enough for a ticket somewhere else.
Are there no cheap, community college-type Japanese classes in the area?
I guess nothing is cheap in Tokyo.
>>1
I find this hard to believe, but the answer is the same: Go to Roppongi. There you will find Japanese women who are still interested in Western guys, or if you can't afford drinks go to Shibuya and eventually you'll find some cute English speaking girls. If you want to meet foreign friends of any gender, there are foreigners all over Tokyo in every train carriage. Some are assholes. Some aren't. You'll know when you talk to them. There are English-language papers filled with personals: Not just seeking love, but seeking friends. Go to a Dance Party. Any of these is good, but get off 4-ch and get a life.
>>8 but get off 4-ch and get a life.
A life. Cool. Where can i download one of those?
Why would you stay in a country whose language you don't speak where you have no friends or career prospects?
Go home.
If that's not possible, I would suggest a few things.
Learn the language.
At your local government offices there will be a foreigners desk of some kind, possibly where you got your alien card (if you got one). They usually have classes for people to learn Japanese a few times a week and it's super cheap compared to schools because its run by volunteers...I'm talking 200 yen a class...srsly. I went to classes I found through the meguro-ku government buildings, near naka-meguro station.
Join a friends group. "Recruiters" hang out around shibuya station picking out the all the foreigners and asking them to join up. It's where you meet japanese who want to meet foreigners, and possibly improve their english, but really it's just about having a good time.
If you want to get to know some more english speakers, I would suggest finding a forum on the net with expats or JETT teachers and making some friends there.
Also Japan-guide.com have penpal listings that attract a lot of people, both overseas and those wanting to meet up locally, and having used it myself, it's pretty safe.
Hope that's enough! Good luck!
OP here. A little follow-up:
Am working at a company in Ginza part time.
Studying Japanese intensely so I can get into Bunka Fashion school next year.
Losing weight, working out.
Met a nice girl, but am kind of iffy on that one. Will go to Romance for that one.
So yeah, still no friends, but that's why I have you gais lolz.
>>14
You are living the weeaboo's dream, except you are realizing that moving into a country is actually tough as opposed what many weeaboos think. I actually have to commend you for doing this, as it seems to be extremely tough.
My advice:
1 Learn the language AS FAST AS POSSIBLE and communicate with everyone you can, even if you will sound like an idiot. Learning the laungage will come a lot easier if you take the time to communicate with others. You will develop an accent and also get a lot of experience.
2 Keep losing weight. It isn't needed, but it will make you feel better about yourself and it is overall good for you. Is everyone in Japan skinny as opposed to where you lived?
3 Read and write. Go to message boards, go to 4-ch's language board, anything to get you together with that. LANGUAGE COMES FIRST.
Basically, if you learn the language, you can make friends with people, and if you have friends, things will be a lot easier.
first thing weather you like it or not, your a weeaboo, but let forget that,
the is no cure for been socially retarded, but there is something called making friend, who would make you loss socially retarded (-_^),
the alot of japanese, foreigners who speak english, would love to talk to you in english an become friends with you, yea it's nice to learn a new langaue, but if you think that the only way to make friends, you really are stupid, since your going to living in japan, you will learn the language in time, you really not need to worry about the language, making friends is easy, keeping friend is the hard part, but keeping them is also easy if you understand people
>>19
A weeaboo is defined as:
Someone who is obsessed with Japan/Japanese Culture/Anime, etc. and attempts to act as if they were Japanese, even though they're far from it. They use Japanese words but usually end up pronouncing them wrong and sounding like total assholes. You can find alot of these faggots clogging up the forums of Gaia Online, hanging out in the international aisle of the supermarket, or crowding the manga section of your local bookstore. Synonym of wapanese.
So, no. But thanks :)
I think OP should go to a ramen-ya and eat some ramen.
>>21
OP is going to get some steak for lunch FUCK YEAH.
Look for HUB English Pub.
There's a ton of them on Ome-Kaido ave. in Shinjuku.
I've heard of a couple in Roppongi and other places through out tokyo
Update: Went to a pub on Saturday. Got drunk.
Realized that I have boring conversation sometimes.
Any advice? I also tend to overtalk and not have a point in what I say.
I don't know what point there is really to get at, at a PUB. (Unless you're trying to get laid ;p)
While I was in Shinjuku this summer, I would always go to HUB, cause it reminded me of the irish pubs back here (In Toronto). Also, there's a good majority of English speakers in that chain (Probably because it titles itself as English Pub), and there's usually a staff member or two that can speak English if that's a concern for you.
But otherwise, if you hit up a place with a high English speaking area, you can talk to a lot of people from different countries, find out stuff about their area, how theyre doing in Japan.
It's like the army, eh~ Travel to new places, meet new and interest people. Excep this time, you don't get to kill them
just go into IT. get your Cisco, Aries, CompTIA, whatever papers online and get a job where you dont have to learn moonspeak
>>24
Try to ask people questions rather than talking about yourself. People love to talk about themselves and their interests, so you just have to try to get them to open up because then they will feel good about themselves and want to talk to you more. When you ask questions, try to avoid yes/no ones and go for more "what do you think of....?" so they at least have to answer in a sentance, from which you can pick part of it out to discuss.
e.g.
you "what did you think of that movie?"
them "it was OK, but not really the usual type of movie i watch"
this leads onto you asking what type of movie they usual watch, what their favourite movie is, or why they only found the movie OK. etc etc
Of course, you don't just ask questions otherwise people will just feel like you are grilling them for information. So, put in your opinion and don't worry if it's in opposition to the other person's opinion just try not to be too aggressive in how you present your debate on a topic.
OP should go to Yoshinoya, you know, Yoshinoya? :)
Learn Japanese. I did. It's not hard once you get the grammar down. It's good to be semi-fluent in another language.
Even though I took three years of Japanese, I've always been a little scared of going over there because I'd be worried about getting into situations where people wouldn't know English, and my Japanese..well, you'll never really feel completely fluent unless you're there for years, I suppose. Is it really easy enough to travel around without knowing the language?
It seems that several Japanese bloggers agree with you. I did a Google search and found several hits listing Matsuya > Sukiya > Yoshinoya.
But Yoshinoya has 150 yen off fool. That's 150 yen off.
Step 1: Go to Matsuya
Step 2: Order large beef bowl
Step 3: Put in some French dressing and ponzu
Step 4: Mix with beef well.
Step 5: Eat with rice.
Step 6: ？？？
Step 7: 逝ってよし
French dressing and ponzu? Do you REALLY want french dressing and ponzu? I want to interrogate you. I want to interrogate you for roughly an hour.
Let me tell you: the vet's way of eating is this: extra green onion.
hmm... i think you should give online education a try. it can't hurt.