After living in Japan for over a year with native Japanese speakers and then spending a year studying Japanese in university, I became fluent in this unique and fun language! I've since spent several years as a Japanese Language Coordinator and have worked as a freelance translator for nearly a decade. All of that to say: I speak Japanese. But more importantly, I LOVE Japanese and all the nuances of their language and culture. Being an isolated island nation, Japan has had the chance to develop things unheard of anywhere in the world, like a written language created by and only used by women, or a language that doesn't have a place for multiples (there is no word for 'apples', just 'apple') ! Between sushi, ninjas, and sumos, everyone seems to know a little bit about Japan and their culture, but in classes with me, you'll learn the language while also learning appreciation for and excitement about a world that is different from anywhere else on the planet.