This may seem like an odd topic, but please bear with me. I really need some godly advice.
I have been trying to learn Japanese on my own for a very long time. (Took 2 classes, but failed to keep up with it.) A few months ago I felt God calling me to be a missionary over there. I never considered it before because I thought it would be better if I went and served in Africa or something because they are so poor. But now it makes so much more sense for me to go to Japan. I really love the culture and the language and God has really placed a love for the people in my heart. Not only that, but even though they are not physically poor, like in Africa, they are incredibly spiritually poor. Only 1/4 of 1% of the population is Christian.
Recently I found a method of Japanese that seems to be more effective than anything else I've ever seen. The author of the site/blog (alljapaneseallthetime.com) became fluent in Japanese in 18 months. So I have started this "method" and it seems to be working fairly well. I am really impressed.
He encourages listening to or watching something, anything in Japanese 10-18 hours (this includes while you're sleeping). The point being you are simulating growing up in a Japanese environment. The theory is, that is how you got good at your native language. Not because you took classes and learned grammar, but because you spent HOURS listening to it. (It also gets you used to hearing the language.)
The problem? Because of the low Christian population there is little to no Christian media to listen to or watch or read. I have a Japanese NT and a Japanese audio NT. I also listen to the news and some random songs that I like. (Though I don't understand much of anything yet.) And that's it.
I have a real problem listening to secular music or TV even if it's in a language I don't understand (yet). And I don't like watching TV anyway.
I guess the problem is I can't really build an immersion environment because I don't want to have secular things playing all the time. And I don't like having something playing in the background ALL the time, it's irritating and I feel it pulls me away from my walk with Christ.
I want to have some kind of an immersion environment, but don't want it to distract me.
Any thoughts?
I know this is a weird topic, probably one not brought up here before. But I've seen this "all Japanese all the time" method work many, many times and it frustrates me that I hate listening to media and that almost none of it is Christian. Input is greatly appreciated!
In Christ,
Veronica