>>8098324My... Now ex partner, is the one who did years of studies in japanese and had diploma in the thing, so they handled the big conversations and they did the paperwork when we had to go to the city office to update our papers when changing locations
Sooo
For a long say like a working holiday visa, it's easier with someone who speaks the language that can at least accompany you
But with modern translation tools like chatgpt, i think i could handle any paperwork now with enough time (it was usually simple enough info, but official paperwork is written with really hard kanjis, to make it more "official". Yeah.)
I knew all my kanas when I got there, so was alaready comfortable with them, and that + the rudimentary of japanese "i can't speak/i understand/i don't understand/where is X/We are 2 people/Can I have this/etc.", by the end of our time there, I felt like I could do this as long as I needed to
Since then, I learned a few handfuls of kanjis, but my level hasn't improved that much; however when we went back on a shorter holiday, I was pretty much as comfortable as before
Japanese interactions are very procedural, you'll end up speaking the same way often
It may be seen as "speaking down" to you, but that's just how they're programmed, especially with foreigners
I kinda works in our favour for short stays though, they love you usually if you can speak some japanese and don't need to bother them with an english menu
