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One day I had to attend a—I can’t remember exactly what it is called, but it was one these brain-washing, team-building things every company nowadays tortures their employees with. We started with a short introduction round—name, hobby, etc. Of course, everybody had model hobbies like hiking or reading or reading while hiking.

Everyone except this one Japanese guy, who said without any false modesty: “My hobby is drinking.”

So, he and I started drinking together. Regularly. Meaning almost every day. But in a totally responsible manner.

One thing led to another—or, to be more precise, drinking together led to cultural exchange—or, to be absolutely precise, he started drinking Russian vodka and I started learning Japanese. It was fun, but I wasn’t really making much progress in Japanese, although I was (and still am) quite committed to learning the language. Maybe I wasn’t focused enough though…

Thanks to Nihongo-Pro I discovered that one can learn Japanese without drinking! What a mind-blowing experience! Well, to be honest, with Araki-sensei we quite often talk about food and drinks, but so far we have managed to remain sober.

The most amazing thing though is that online Japanese lessons with Araki-sensei actually, really help. Before my first lesson I was, let’s say, a bit concerned whether I’d be able to understand anything, but right from the first minutes, Araki-sensei involved me in a conversation I couldn’t even imagine I was capable of. But by means of some voodoo magic (or maybe due to Araki-sensei’s experience?) all of a sudden I realized that I can be quite talkative, even in Japanese.

It has been almost a year since our first lesson. The only disadvantage of online lessons I have discovered so far is that one can’t drink together with the teacher. But collaboration technology and tools are rapidly improving, so I’m pretty sure the day will come when Araki-sensei and I will have an online Japanese class while drinking. Of course, in a totally responsible manner.

After graduation, life happened. I continued to explore Japanese culture, but my familiarity with the language waned, as I had little opportunity to practice and even less desire to reclaim what I had lost.

A decade later, I felt the itch to study formally once again. I explored a number of in-person and online options, settling on Nihongo-Pro due to its scheduling flexibility, its sophisticated learning platform, and its extensive roster of highly qualified instructors.

Ohno-sensei has been a wonderful teacher, holding me to high standards while making the learning process enjoyable and informative. She’s a skilled and patient instructor who incorporates my learning goals and personal interests into each lesson. Ohno-sensei and Nihongo-Pro have increased my confidence level while equipping me to speak -- and even think -- in Japanese.

If you’re serious about enhancing your Japanese fluency, and want caring, individualized instruction along the way, there is no better investment.