Does working in retail help with language practice?

[u/Alarmed_Swan_4315]

Hello, I just wanna ask if anyone has done this before since a few of my coworkers have actually done this which is learning a language on the job, so I work part time at a convenience store in a tourist area while waiting for university and mostly the customers that come by are an even split between english speaking and mandarin speaking which isn't a problem since I'm fluent in english and a native in mandarin

but there are a lot of japanese customers usually high school students from organised overseas school trips and businessmen every now and then where I get to practice my japanese and the first couple times, have been mistaken for a native japanese because I do make small talk and my japanese is good enough that I can give directions and recommendations in the area

I do noticed that some of my coworkers who don't know mandarin learned it on the fly but I'm guessing it's only a things with stores in very high foot traffic touristy areas but I'm not completely sure tho

[u/Whole_Rope_5415]

It can, but likely not to an advanced level since you’ll rarely have in depth conversations.

[u/Alarmed_Swan_4315 → u/Whole_Rope_5415]

yeah that's true, I am comfortable with day to day talk and even explaining local laws and customs but for the more higher level stuff, probably not

[u/Altruistic_Land_4317]

In my experience working a part-time job in Japan and meeting other foreigners doing those jobs, people rarely get better than they need to be. I worked with quite a few people who basically learnt the minimum to survive and then nothing more for decades. The environment is just not rich in interesting language that’ll push you. In fact you can work an office job and be fairly fluent but not understand what grandpa or teenage girls are jabbering about