The only rather costly solution that I can offer you is that you and your friends all transfer to an English speaking legacy server, though I understand this is not ideal. I imagine square enix wish non-legacy servers time to stabalise their economies and to attain enough levels and gear before they allow legacy to non-legacy transfers, otherwise legacy players with all crafts at max or free companies who are all in the best gear could just monopolize the economy.

P.s. I dont believe you can stop your account time, once it is paid for, it will continue to decrease until you run out, so if you stop playing now, you will lose all the time you have paid for.