I tried finding language exchange partners through another publication, but quickly ended the online ad because I kept getting Japanese people who expected me to travel over an hour to get to them, even when they had to travel only five minutes.

Their e-mail also went on and on about how they'd like to improve their English with no mention of helping me with my Japanese. One guy took the cake when he wrote an English sentence and gave a romaji translation. Who the heck learns Japanese using romaji? Guys wanting Japanese women?

I wrote the guy back in real Japanese stating that he needs to fix his computer to input Japanese, and my translation into English was a thousand times better than his. The guy seemed floored to received e-mail in Japanese from someone who's not Japanese. I'm now searching for a good teacher who'll teach me entirely in Japanese to get me speaking more.

name withheld