Hallo, hello and こんにちは、
My name is Silvia, I am 30 years old, come from Germany and live in Osaka for several years now. While I of course offer German lessons and am also able to speak basic Japanese, I will hold my message in English for now, to hopefully keep it understandable for everyone and not only high level German students.
As mentioned, I am living in Osaka since December 2009 and moreover had another working holiday year in Osaka from 2006 to 2007. Back in Germany I studied Japanese and Media Science. To enhance my only slowly growing Japanese skills, I've decided to make a working holiday year in Japan and immediately fell in love with this country. It surely isn't the easiest country to live and work and I often feel lonely so far away from family and friends in Germany, but Japan just feels like my natural home.
I might not have much free time, but in the time I have, I like to draw portraits, meet friends, go to concerts or just relax at home with my lovely cat.
I've been working for eikaiwa schools as a German teacher for about 4 years in total, before switching to teach English to children, while still teaching German and English to adults privately and part time. One reason is that I love to work with children and the other is that sadly, German isn't among the "popular" or "important" languages in Japan. Also I think that English is important for the more and more internationally developing industry and have been taken by surprise to see many Japanese my own age to be not really able to communicate in spoken English.
Since I've learned English myself and have learned my Japanese through Japanese-English books, I think I am able to understand many problems and questions of English learners even better than some native teachers do. After all, they've never had to ask these questions now, did they?
If you're interested in learning English from me, you should also be aware that in German schools we learn British English, rather than American English.
But still... while it's fun and challenging for me to teach a language that I've worked hard for to raise my own ability in it to an as high level as possible, I am always happy to see people enthusiastic to learn my mother tongue.
It might not be the most important language in the world, especially considered that you would be able to communicate in English in Germany, but I love my language. Even though it has a difficult grammar, in terms of pronunciation and reading it might be easier to learn for Japanese than English is.
And you'll find German in many places, music, poems, philosophy, medicine... it's not a coincidence that many great thinkers in history have been of German mother tongue.
In any case I understand the difficulty in learning a new language and would be more than happy to help you to enjoy your experience. May it be that you want to make a trip to Germany, live there long term, need German at work or for your studies, or if you just study for fun: I am glad to teach you anything you'd like to know. From business German to everyday German (What can be miles apart at some points).
So please don't be shy, if you have any questions. Just shoot me an email and I am sure to answer your questions as fast as possible. Also, additionally to the stations and places named in my profile, I am willing to teach basically anywhere in and around Osaka. If you want me to teach your children, I am also willing to teach at your home, rather than in a café. I am also open to discuss the lesson fees. Especially, if the lessons are close to me so that the train won't add much costs for me, or if you'd like to have a 2 hour lesson or 90 minutes lesson instead of 1 hour. Just let me know and I am sure we can figure something out.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Silvia