Archive for the ‘Japanese’ Category

We just came back from  the weekend house. No internet, no computers, no television. Other than enjoying the outdoors, the only thing I could do was study. We’ve finally approached the last lesson in the Genki I book. So I revised back all that we’ve learnt so far. I even made myself write the kanji characters over and over. I’ve learnt 100 over kanjis so far, but the only ones that I can remember well are only about 101. That’s an achievement I think, for someone who is having a hard time learning them.

Kanji is pretty intersting to learn. And I believe, the more characters you learn, you will realize that some characters are just a combination of 2 or more of other kanji characters. The more you see them often the more easier to remember. (Just like most things.)

Other than writing over and over on paper, I also have the “Tadashii Kanji Kaki to Rikun” for NDS. It is a DS game application that is targeted for the Japanese students who are learning to write. There are hiragana, katakana and kanji writing drills. At first it was a little bit difficult to navigate through since it is only in Japanese. But once you get the hang of it, this game can be a real good tool for learning Japanese writings.

Well, 101 kanjis down 2000 over more to go. Learning a language can be an uphill journey, but with the right motivation, and proper tools, the climb would be a lot easier. Hopefully, in less than 10 years, I will have my own custom business cards as a private Japanese language teacher. :p Well, that’s my ‘dream’. Now, I’m still on the journey to achieving that dream.

It’s like going nowhere. I mean my Japanese studies. 1 class a week, with studies less than an hour a day. I know that I should do more than this. When I read about people going to Japan to study the language and yet came back doing only slightly better than before Japan, I’d think about what are the chances for me. Someone who never been to Japan even. Sometimes I do wonder whether I should try living in Japan. Well, not in this lifetime I suppose. Getting diamonds is a lot more feasible to me than moving to Japan.

How does one create a Japanese immersion environment?

We did this little exercise in my Japanese class a week ago, asking each other about our future plans. What we’d do with our Japanese when we can speak the language one day. Interestingly, I haven’t thought about it thoroughly. I’ve no serious thought yet on what I’d do with my Japanese. (If I manage to speak it yet) Well, it be interesting to be a translator or perhaps a teacher also. 

It is nice to know that no matter at what stange in life you are in, you still can re-invent yourself. There are so many people going back to medical assistant school to become health care assistants, language schools to increase job opportunities, get a phd for a promotion etc. As for me, I’m learning Japanese for….. Hmm. Need to have a clear set of goal. For now it is between a translator and a teacher.

Hopefully, I will be able to figure it out in the near future.

I have been in a formal Japanese class for about four to five months now. With only one class a week, we are only going to finish the first Genki book on our next one or two classes. Then we’d go to the second book.  Though the sensei told us that our pace of learning is pretty good despite our one class a week, I still feel as if we aren’t going as fast.  But considering that it is difficult to find a Japanese class conducted in English along with a class mate, I’m grateful for the class.

Besides that there is also one site that I found recently to help me with my Japanese studies when I’m at home.  Especially for my Kanji. Check out japanese-language.aiyori.org. Aren’t you glad that you are a language learner living in the internet age? I know that I am in a better position learning Japanese compared to my father who had only the short wave radio to tune in to NHK radio for Japanese lessons. Heh, the net really does open the borders all over the world. I can read about Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina plans even when I’m not even living in North Carolina. Learning Japanese without going into classrooms is easier too.

Check out the website! I highly recommend it.

Two weeks, no Japanese class. I either have to catch up on my own or try to make time for extra classes. With school out, I don’t think the second option is viable.  I have whole of Lesson 10 from the Genki book to learn on my own. It isn’t that hard but with all the going ons right now, sure is tough to pick up the book and study.

We did spend time in Nograd for a few days. Although I brought all my books, hoping to be able to sit and study, but it turned out we were either going around visiting places or I have to wash, clean, and cook. Only time I could sit down and open a book was when we had one last evening there. However, I was too tired from all the walking and working that I couldn’t concerntrate. Not an excuse, a reason, a reason. Good thing I had the ‘Let learns Japanese’ on my media player so that I can’t watch some Japanese lessons few minutes before I go off to sleep. Vacation supposed to be relaxing and all that, but seems like we were all tired out by bed time.

Nevertheless, the short holiday was nice. Saw some people setting up a large portable pool which gave us an idea. Perhaps we will get ourselves our own portable pool for next summer. Those pvc pools and pool pumps are becoming more affordable nowadays.

Being consistent is one of the keys to success. That I was told and I noticed from those who are good at doing something. Even if one has 20 minutes of free time a day and he/she utilizes it for doing an ab workout, after some months I suppose it wouldn’t be dangerous to say that the person would be guaranteed a slim flat tummy.

However, consistency is a discipline that many of us do not possess. Including myself. I started learning Japanese for a year now, more or less. But I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t been consistent. Well, that is one reason I enrolled myself in a Japanese class. At least the routine would make me study consistently. I have been in the Japanese class for 4 months now. I have to say I have made more progress in the 4 months than the other 6 months that I studied alone. Was it because of the class or coaching? I don’t think so. Because we follow Genki I, 100%. It’s consistency.

I am a the pc game Sims fan. One of the features in the game is being able to buy traits for your Sim after you’ve collected enough happiness points. I just wonder if only in real life it is something like that. I would buy myself the consistency trait.

Other than being sick, and feeling down in the dumps for the past 2 weeks, the other reason for not blogging for some time now is because there is also a Japanese language test coming up this Friday. It wouldn’t be as easy as the last couple of tests we had as this time our knowledge of Kanji will be tested as well this time. I kind of suck in Kanji for now.

We’ve finally completed lesson 9 of the Genki I book and entering lesson 10 this week. Although I feel that we are going pretty slow, I was told that we are actually doing pretty well compared to other classes that are doing Japanese lessons twice a week or more. Well, what do you know…

But for that reason too I’m feeling a bit pressured to do well for the coming test. Pressure or stress, for me works better than Hoodia, Alli or Lipofuze cause I would lose appetite when I’m worried. Not really complaining as it is better than eating when I feel stressed or pressured right? So for me a little pressure, a little stress is good. (For weight loss… LOL)

Japanese tutor is going off on a holiday for 2 weeks. However the next class we will be having a replacement tutor. A man tutor who would be teaching us in Japanese as the teaching medium. I’m okay with it since we will be going off on a 2 weeks holiday sometime next month, so it’s okay to learn as much as we can now. We’re only in Lesson 9, 4 more lessons to go to finish the Genki 1 book.

As for our holidays, it is still not confirmed yet where we would go, even though we already have in mind a few places worth going to. I’m already looking for information on these places. Checking the hotel rates on quotation sites just like one of those insurance quotes websites. Checking out tripadvisors for things to do and places to visit.

Scouring information about our trip has already put me on a holiday mode and less mood on studying and classes. But classes continues, so I must keep myself focused on my studies.

This Friday we will be finishing lesson 8 of the Genki I book and enter into Lesson 9. Usually it would take us about 2 classes to complete a lesson, but lesson 8 seems to be a wee bit longer than the other previous lessons. Anyway  this coming class will be our last class till the sensei comes back after her two weeks holiday in Australia.

Eventually I get to relax a bit I think… Forget about learning Japanese for 2 whole weeks and take afternoon naps whenever I can and get rid fo this dark circles under eyes that are forming due to the lack of sleep. But we never know, she may even leave us with loads of homework to do like she did other times. Huh, so much for relaxing. But it’s fine though cause I shouldn’t be not studying Japanese for that long anyway.

Although I plan to get an electronic Japanese dictionary sometime end of this year or early next year, I decided to get another paper dictionary for my Japanese studies. At the moment I am using ‘Oxford beginner’s Japanese dictionary’. It’s a good dictionary. But I find that I need to have a better dictionary with more vocabularies. Without a good dictionary it can be really difficult to learn Japanese efficiently.

At first I thought Kodansha furigana dictionary would be good for me, but thinking  of the bulk and size I decided not to get that one. I decided that the random house Japanese<–>English dictionary is for me. If not mistaken it has about 20,000 more words than the Kodansha. I just don’t like the romaji in the dictionary.

I wish just like buying weighloss product or facial night cream , there would be more choices when it comes to getting a good Japanese <–> English dictionary but unfortunately there aren’t. But at least since there are only 2 for me to choose from, I don’t have to read reviews after reviews. Well, there are pros and cons.

Just let’s see how well this dictionary is going to serve me.