Day 23-26 - language awareness

My Japanese is at a level where I can get by day to day without too many hassles but I cannot have a good conversation. My vocab and grammar understanding is not developed enough to have a complicated conversation and I find this very frustrating. I am looking at finding a place I can do some study to get to the next level. I used to get a thrill when I could make myself understood but now I need to get the thrill back by having a good, decent conversation, which Im sure will take some time. It is quite easy to live in Tokyo and not meet any Japanese people which, considering the population of Tokyo is that of all of Australia, is quite amazing. When I was living in the Japan countryside it was impossible to meet a foreigner, so exposure to the language was just a part of the day to day experience of life. I now actively seek opportunities to speak Japanese. I had a huge realisation too, one that everyone studying a second language realises sooner or later, Im sure. There is really never a direct translation because the nuance of language is not easy to quantify in actual words. I havent grasped this yet. So, when I speak Japanese, I use a lot of Australian habits. I often find these are the times when I am most misunderstood. I guess the learning of a language is more than just the vocab and grammar etc, it is also about getting the nuance and timing correct. And having exposure to the culture and peoples in conversation is the only way you can pick these things up in a natural way. Best go find me some friends!!