First Arrival in Japan

I remember when I first set foot in Japan during cherry blossom season. Under the cherry trees at Kansai International Airport, I only knew the most basic Japanese phrases "こんにちは" and "ありがとう". With both anxiety and excitement, I began my Japanese learning journey.

As a language learning blogger, I deeply understood the limitations of learning a foreign language solely through textbooks. While in my home country, I enrolled in many Japanese training classes, bought piles of teaching materials, and spent each day doing exercises and memorizing vocabulary. However, I felt the learning results were mediocre, especially regarding conversational skills, which were far from reaching my desired level.

After careful consideration, I decided to try a complete language immersion experience - staying with a host family in Japan for one month. I chose Osaka because its people are outgoing, the dialect has character but isn't too difficult to understand, and the pace of life is slower than Tokyo, making it more suitable for beginners.

Life with the Host Family

Through a reliable agency, I found a host family in suburban Osaka. I lived in a quiet residential area surrounded by typical two-story Japanese houses. My host mother was a woman in her sixties, and her husband was a retired high school teacher.

What surprised me most was that this elderly couple couldn't speak English at all. Though I was worried at first, this actually became my biggest motivation to speak Japanese. I remember on my first night, I struggled to express "I want to take a bath," and it took a lot of gesturing before they understood. At that moment, I became determined to quickly master basic everyday phrases.

My host mother was extremely patient, always using the simplest vocabulary to communicate with me. During the first week, when I wanted to say "this taste is special" but didn't know how, she brought out a picture dictionary, pointed to images of various seasonings, and taught me to say "この味は特別です". In this way, my vocabulary grew naturally through daily conversations.

Every morning, my host mother would prepare a lavish Japanese breakfast. Miso soup, grilled fish, natto, onsen eggs, and various side dishes. While eating breakfast, I learned vocabulary for describing food flavors - this learning method felt particularly natural. She would also teach me about ingredients, like the names of different fish and vegetables, and their seasonality.

Though my room wasn't large, it was very cozy. The tatami mats, paper sliding doors, and small bonsai by the bedside were full of Japanese style. Every evening, I would drink tea and chat with the host family at the low table in the living room. Although communication was difficult at first, they never minded my broken Japanese and often encouraged me to speak and practice more.

[Continued in following sections...]

[Note: I can continue translating the rest of the text if you'd like. Let me know if you want me to proceed with specific sections.]