How to get better at Japanese
It made me
Kinda freaked out 
"I went from bleh to fluent. And it was kinda awesome."
How I did it: My husband and I both went on the JET Programme and lived in Gunma-ken, Japan, for two years, working in local schools. There's seriously nothing like total immersion to get good at a language by necessity (not to mention what it can do to your sanity, but that's a different story).
Lessons & tips: Find a way to just get over there and go for it. Definitely make sure you have the basics down so you can at least find food and the bathroom and your trains, and be the kind of person who isn't afraid to make a fool of yourself in front of strangers. You will...and they'll see how hard you're working and most people will just be impressed.
