Exchange Studentー電車で日本語でベトナムの留学生に会えました！

The group was getting on the train to travel to the underwater Tori gate on Miyajima island. The subway was very crowded and we knew we would be hiking later so all of us were attempting to sit together. When a woman got up to leave the train, a woman with more curly black hair was left remaining in the two person seat. Will and Steven were in the opposite seat. I came over and asked 「座ってください」and pointed at the left seat. After I sat down, I realized I said "Sit here please" and I actually meant to say "may I sit here?" Which is 「座ってもいいですか？」

I told Will and Steven about my mistake and they responded with "you should tell her!" I leaned over and said 「座ってくださいと言いたけど座ってもいいと言うつもりでしたよ」which means "I said 'please sit here' but I meant to say 'is it ok if I sit here'"

From then on we began having a conversation. She began asking me why I was in japan and if I was a foreign exchange student or here for work. I told her I was just here for travel and she was suprised that I was able to speak but am only in the country for travel. She asked me why I decided to learn Japanese and I told her I have Japanese friends and I think the food and culture is cool. She asked if there were many Japanese people in America because she didn't understand how I could have friends before coming here. We are blessed by the internet these days aren't we 😊

I found out that she was actually from Vietnam and is currently a foreign exchange student studying Economics. It was really awesome to know that we were able to communicate only through a single common language. I don't speak Vietnamese and she doesn't speak English, so we were both communicating with a second language. I primarily thought that Japanese would be a medium to meeting Japanese people only but it's cool to know I can make new foreign friends from other countries as well!!Read more