SharedTalk (Talk to people from Japan?)

[Hey There Toots]

Hello, I'm pretty new here (sorry if it's in the wrong section) but I've found a gem that's too precious to not share with you guys.

So I found SharedTalk awhile ago. It's free and very useful.

The idea of SharedTalk is that you create a profile, include your name, age, location, native language, language(s) you're learning and a brief introduction about you. (Writing it in Japanese makes you more likely to get contacted by a Japanese native but English is also acceptable.

Once you've created your profile you can join a chat room or search for a penpal e-mail buddy. The search screen for a language partner looks like this: http://prntscr.com/12zvlk Very useful, eh?

You can also choose public chat rooms and stuff. Chat rooms include text chat and voice chat rooms. I recommend you check it out, it's amazing. Everyone there is surprisingly friendly!  

[Sailor Blue Rose]

Would you mind sharing your experience, or at least what happened? Do they speak some english, or is it Japanese only? Any other information would be great.  

[Hey There Toots]

The level varies, some are beginners and some have been taking english for years. I find that there is a lot of english in the Japanese public chat rooms as well.

In my opinion, I'd hold off on one-on-one chats until you're a more intermediate level unless the Japanese person is fairly good with english and plainly states that they're willing to teach you if you help them. (this is pretty common.) From what I've seen so far, you're more likely to find an older person with good english than a younger person.  

[pay me in tea]

Personally, I've had some good experiences with SharedTalk. Most people are pretty willing to talk with you no matter your experience level☆

As for holding off on one-on-one chats until you're better... I don't think it really matters. I've come across a couple of people who are only just starting Japanese/English and they still get their points across somehow. As long as you try, you're going to get people talking to you.  

[xx-Touya-xx]

The only bad part of this is that it doesn't have a report button for trolls.

I just tried it today and there was this really rude guy, Nick An. Who just wouldn't stop flamming this other member who told him to stop trolling on the public chat lines. Then he continued to harass other members including me, so I got out of the chat line. Just something to look out for.