Can you become fluent in a language you're not immersed in?

Question:

Is it possible to become fluent in Japanese while I live in America and am constantly surrounded by English? My mother said it'd be extremely hard to do so and I'm wondering how long it usually takes. I'm very dedicated to learning the language, but that can only go so far and since I'm learning independently (next to impossible to find a native speaker/teacher where I live) I'm wondering if it's possible and if so how long it might take. It's not like I'm in too much of a hurry to become fluent, but it's one of my goals.

Answer:

It'll take some time, and a lot of study and dedication, but it can ultimately be achieved in the long run. I'd say it depends on your methods of learning, how often you study, and your resources. Teaching yourself makes it much harder, but it is possible with the right materials. I personally speak my native Korean, English as my second language, and I'm learning Japanese predominately on my own with the exception of a class I take on Saturday afternoons. There are many people on YouTube who speak great Japanese and either don't live in Japan or didn't originally. Have you watched videos by Ryuzaki1311? She speaks Japanese almost fluently and she doesn't even live in Japan, and she's only been learning for about 3-4 years at most. Kemushican and Ciaela are also pretty fluent in their Japanese, but I think they live in Japan now. Trust me, Japanese is a bit easy after you learn basic concepts like the phonetics, kana, and sentence structure. Although things like Kanji and grammar can be difficult at times, it can be very fun and easy to learn depending on what you do and how. I use a mix of internet resources, books, apps, online learning games, YouTube videos, my class, and library resources for help. I hope this helps. Gambatte!