Moved out of our apartment and into a Japanese-style house (totes awesome).
Survived the largest magnitude earthquake in Japanese history.Got super-fast fiberoptic internet and television installed at our place.
Got a three-week-old kitten to foster and raise.
Visited the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka and turned into a 10-year-old Japanese child for a few hours.
Tried the Nintendo 3DS at my local WonderGoo. Decided that the "cool" outweighs the "gimmick," although both are present.
Procured a LaserDisc player and a small collection of eclectic titles, including Purple Rain, Akira, Beetlejuice, and... Liquid Sky?
Have started collecting and "reading" Champion comics (only the monthly edition - it always comes with a sweet bonus gift).
Visited Nikko and stayed in an onsen hotel (not exactly a proper ryokan). Checked out the beautiful Nikko Tosho-gu shrine in a picturesque snow-covered setting.Took the level 10 Kanji Kentei, the Japanese character proficiency test. Failed it. I cannot yet read Japanese as well as a first-grader. Trying again in the summer.
Studying Japanese like my life depended on it.
Realizing that I've learned more in my eight months here than I ever did in my six and a half years in university. Life: 1, Higher Education: 0.
Kicking myself for not updating this blog.
Hah I always wanted to take the proficiency tests as well, but I never even finished Japanese in college, I couldn't pull off doing that and my major classes, so I had to drop it. I hope to start taking it again so. It's so true though, you do learn way more then you ever could in class with a language when compared to living in the area. I just need to get my Japanese up enough so I can at least teach in Japan. Then, I think it will come to more just as it has for you.
ReplyDeleteAs for Laserdisc, I've collected some stuff for that as well off and on. I have a Pioneer Laseractive. So its my Sega Genesis, Sega CD, PC Engine, and Laserdisc player! lol. I love that thing. You should try to find one at Hardoff or something! Hell, you should try to find the PC Engine pack for it, it sells for a shit ton outside of Japan.
I've never taken a single Japanese course in my life, but when June rolls around, I should be ready for Kanken 9 and JLPT 4. That's how much I've learned just BEING here. It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely not the Laserdisc connoisseur that you seem to be. I got mine second-hand, collection and all, from another teacher who was leaving. In any case, I'll keep an eye out for that PC engine pack. I find myself in Hard Off about once a week or more. Haha!
Hah yeah let me know if you ever find that PC Engine pack! So how much Japanese did you know before you left for the first time?
ReplyDeleteI had been studying on my own for several years, but I still didn't know much more than your basic grammar structure and some beginner vocabulary. I've definitely learned more in the past 9 months of being here than in 5 or so years I spent "studying" Japanese on my own.
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