I'm currently living in the midwest and there is absolutely no Japanese speakers here

I'm now getting back into learning Japanese and I'm amazed that my listening level is still at a high beginner. My reading and writing though has gone down as I don't get much practice with it. Has anyone else had this happen that you've been out of touch with a language and yet once you get back into it you pick up on it really quick? I can also do it with French but not as well as I've been out of that language for around 20 years and only took two semesters in college.