Before he was the "Rainmaker," Kazuchika Okada endured years of living in Mexico and the United States, some of which were not pleasant to him.
During a Q&A with NJPW, Okada was asked about his excursion into the Americas years ago. Okada, who was not fluent in speaking either Spanish or English, admitted that it was rough at times because he didn't have many people to communicate with. His time in Mexico was better than his time in the United States because at least there were other Japanese wrestlers he could converse with.
"I can just about muddle through. I tried to study [Spanish], but when i actually got over there, there wasn?t much time for anything but wrestling. Plus, I knew a few Japanese wrestlers in the area, too. What I would actually do to study was walk around the neighborhood with a dictionary on me, and listen to the people on the street, then try and look up what they said," Okada said.
When it comes to the time he spent in the U.S., Okada admitted that it was a very rough going for him. Not only was he not fluent in English, but there was no one for him to talk to, meaning he was alone for large portions of his time there. Okada wrestled for TNA when he lived in the United States.
"I didn?t have anyone to talk to. And I had computer problems. I had one old one, and one I bought special to take to America, and they both broke, within about a month of me arriving in the States. It was hell. I didn?t know anybody nearby. The other wrestlers would only be around if they had matches. Every day I would be going to the gym by myself, going shopping by myself, and then going home, and that was it. I?d be going to the gym and just working out in silence and then coming home, putting the TV on and having no clue what anybody was saying. I?d be so bored sometimes I?d talk to myself in the mirror (laughs)," Okada said.
The full interview can be read at this link.