Do you know a `Gaishi kei` company? A gaishi key company means a company owned by non-Japanese or established outside of Japan, or their head quarter is located outside of Japan. I have been working for that kind of company in Japan for a year. before that, I was in the Philippines and Australia for 2 years in total. The reason why I am working for the company is that I expected when I joined that it would be English environment. I thought It might have been hard environment with foreign bosses and the situation that I needed to use second language all the time. But it wasn't actually what I expected. My bosses are certainly foreigners, but they are also fluent in Japanese. Basically we communicate each other in English, but even if I stumble over some words and don't bother using Japanese, they understand it because they have been here in Japan more than 10 years so sometimes it becomes mixed language. I have been relying on this situation for a pretty long time. To be honest, I already realized a few month after I joined that I also needed to brush up my English by myself otherwise there would be no improvement. Then after several months, I finally started something to improve my English and that something is Skype lesson with my friend. It was very good timing that she opened her own online English school a few month ago. Today was third time of the lesson but I am already disappointed myself how much I forgot what I learned in the Philippines and Australia, also how hard to keep your English improving, or even maintaining if you are in Japan. I understand that everybody knows what need to do to improve your second language, keep doing your dairy task diligently day by day. In order to do so, controlling your motivation is very important factor. There are certainly things that demotivate you, and I am kind of person who would follow the dairy unstable feelings. Some goals you want to achieve need to be put ahead in your way. I think I am getting good feeling recently, the feeling that I need to improve my English for my future sake. I will also take advantage of my current working environment. If you have some good ideas to keep or get yourself motivated when you're not in the mood of studying, please share it with me. That would so much helpful.