I’m happy with my test results. Overall, I’ve learned a bunch since coming to Yamasa. We said goodbye in JBPP, had a big Christmas party at ZigZag, and I packed some more. Tomorrow is the closing ceremony, and I leave for Tokyo!
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Today was the last big testing day. I forgot to attach a file I was sending to one of my teachers, so I had to race home at lunch to send it. There was an earthquake in class, too. After class, I went to the calligraphy store in Anjo, where everyone was really nice again. I bought more packing materials at the Daiso, and frantically packed until 2 a.m. Oof.
[Read the rest!]Yesterday’s grammar re-test went well. I owe M-sensei a lot. She’s been great. I also learned about Jiko PR, Entry Sheets, and about the concept of bragging without bragging.
[Read the rest!]Short update on handing in the writing re-test, more Japanese resume writing, and getting ready for the grammar re-test tomorrow.
[Read the rest!]Conversation and writing tests today. I’m pleased at how I’m able to express myself in Japanese since I got here.
[Read the rest!]Today was my first calligraphy lesson in Japan. I’ve been doing it for about five years in the US, but I’ve never had a chance to study it here. It was a lot of fun. Thanks to the teacher’s info, I’ll probably go to Toyohashi this weekend for supplies.
[Read the rest!]I love the food at Kitsutsuki on the Yamasa campus. Get the A set. I also went to Nagoya to do some shopping, and ate at Mokumoku again. Dumping food over the rice in the bowl is really tasty, too.
[Read the rest!]I accidentally committed one of the big no-nos of living in Japan, but everything turned out okay. Also, next week is going to be full of tests. Yay.
[Read the rest!]Lots of testing today: listening, grammar, and re-submitting my essay from last week. Also, good luck/bad luck superstitions around tests in Japan are pretty popular.
[Read the rest!]I’m still learning how to say “No” politely in Japanese, and I’m finding it’s a lot harder that I thought. And I thought it was hard to begin with!
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Final exam for N1 grammar, tests on Wednesday, and we’re learning how to mail letters in JBPP.
[Read the rest!]I bought a 100 yen manly hat, found someone to take my extra supplies, and I found a room for one night in Kyoto, but not two.
[Read the rest!]Today was my interview test in JBPP, and it was pretty stressful trying to remember everything I need to do in the proper order. Japanese-sized clothes still don’t fit. Also, Family Mart gloves save me from freezing.
[Read the rest!]I did well on my sakubun test, practiced asking for favors, and I’m going to try to go to Kyoto this weekend. (Along with the rest of Japan, it seems.)
[Read the rest!]I had a nice chat with P-san, learned all about “Cushion Words” in JBPP, and watched the bad mixing of beer and FaceBook (by other people.)
[Read the rest!]The writing and conversation exams went pretty well. Even now, though, I still have a lot to learn about Yamasa. Today in JBPP, we covered job interviews and all of the things that need to be done the proper way.
[Read the rest!]Sick this morning, but soldiered on. Still looking for a “regrettable episode” to write about. Also, I need to find a sure-fire way to organize all of these handouts!
[Read the rest!]There was a fire in town today; I learned some polite Japanese.
[Read the rest!]It’s Pocky Day! Which means nothing really, because I have work to do. Also, earthquakes and wild monkeys on the loose!
[Read the rest!]A short update on a few things, and I learned a new polite phrase.
[Read the rest!]Mid-week shopping to get supplies for class, something surprising happened to the computer store, and I heard some mysterious warning sirens.
[Read the rest!]Today I learned how to bow, how to refuse something (but not sound like I’m being negative), and how to say nothing. JBPP is handy.
[Read the rest!]Today I had my first big exam at Yamasa, I started learning how to write a Japanese resume, about 内 and 外, and writing about the seasons. Also, the bread truck lady came!
[Read the rest!]Classes are heating up. Things are getting more intense and busier, with full weeks of regular class, JBPP, and electives. Also, I learned something interesting about how to deal with big electronics stores in Japan. And we learned how to answer phones politely.
[Read the rest!]For the past few days after class and in the evenings, I’ve been working with my small group to prepare a presentation for class today. (In Japanese of course.) We settled on an all-purpose laundry wish-fulfilling machine.
[Read the rest!]It’s Saturday, and it’s raining like hell. I can’t go to Nagoya, but I can go to Wingtown!
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After hearing about an out-of-season blooming cherry tree at Nagoya Castle, I decided to go and check it out after classes ended.
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In breaks between classes, I’ve been trying out the macro function of the IXY on the flowers surrounding Yamasa. (Okay, some are weeds.)
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We get 10-minute breaks between classes. I usually go outside and stretch a bit, so lately I’ve been taking photos of the sky with my new IXY.
[Read the rest!]It’s already time to pick electives! AIJP/JBPP take up a lot of time, so I’m not going to have a whole lot of choice in that area. Also, my classes are incredibly diverse!
[Read the rest!]Finally! My real first day of class! I still feel like hell, but my fever is gone, so I didn’t really have an excuse to stay home and lounge around. Besides, we’re on the fast track here at Yamasa. Every day I miss is like missing 3-4 days of Japanese at a univeristy. Keeping up
[Read the rest!]Ugh. I think I caught a cold on one of my trips to Nagoya, because I’m so sick I can barely move, and I feel really gross. They brew up some downright nasty colds here. Sadly, I’m going to have to skip my first day of class, and be that mystery guy who doesn’t show
[Read the rest!]More orientation today, and the 入学式 (nyuugakushiki, or school entrance ceremony.) We got a lot of info about various things, what to do, what not to do, and we introduced ourselves in Japanese. What I said before about this being the UN of Japanese Language Education? I’m serious. We have a bunch of different countries
[Read the rest!]Orientation at Yamasa started today. We learned lots of things that don’t apply to me, because I’m on a short-term visa, and will be gone in 3 months. It’s kind of a bummer, but there you go. But there was a lot of really useful information, too, like what to do with my trash. I’ve
[Read the rest!]Today was my last private lesson. But first, we had a placement test at 9 a.m. I knew were going to have it, but I didn’t know it was such a big deal. When I came to Yamasa four years ago, right after I got off the train and came into the teachers’ office, I
[Read the rest!]More classes today. I have a lot of gaps to fill in in my Japanese. Today I have my private lessons, then I’ll probably go to Nagoya to do some shopping. I need to get a wireless router and some kitchen supplies, as well as some sheets ASAP. Those are all top priorities. I’m getting
[Read the rest!]Today I made it back to Okazaki and Yamasa again. I got up early, and grabbed a shinkansen, the Nozomi from Tokyo to Nagoya. I could have grabbed it in Shinagawa, which would have made more sense, but I know the way to Tokyo Station better, and I didn’t want to get lost and miss
[Read the rest!]I mentioned earlier that I was dissatisfied with the way my Japanese was progressing when I took the JLPT N2 last month. After talking to Michele, I realized that I have completely neglected my spoken/written Japanese in order to prepare for the N2, which tests neither skill. I considered my options seriously, and realized that
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I’m back in Kyoto, safely out of Okazaki now, although I kind of miss Okazaki. The Sky Is Crying Way Too Much I’m so happy to finally be dry. Why is it whenever I go to Kyoto, it rains? (Does two trips count enough for a “whenever?”) It started this morning, during “The TP incident,”
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Okazaki Castle happens to be too far away for me to get to today. But at least I have a way to show you where I am on an interactive map. (It’s in Japanese, but a map is a map.) http://tinyurl.com/3d6cgv There’s a zoom-scale-slider-thing at the bottom of the map, to change it from 500m
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Yesterday was interesting. I got up at 8 a.m. I was freezing, and my throat was killing me. The window had been leaking cold air into my room, and it was right above where my head is on the bed. (Or was– I moved the other way on the bed so my head and feet
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Today was a slow day. I got up early, fiddled with setting up the website (I finally figured out why it wouldn’t resolve), did my homework, went to class, then rested. All of the running around from this weekend took a lot out of me. On the upside, I’m learning a lot in the Japanese
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Today I discovered a few embarrassing, yet very important things. The 2,000 yen/week bicycle you rent will probably look bad no matter what. The 2,000 yen helmet you get extra somehow makes you look even worse. The 2,000 yen/week bicycle rides even worse than you thought a bicycle could. Using the 2,000 yen/week bicycle means
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I’ve been sleeping pretty much all day, and after a long nap, I’m going to bed to sleep for another 8 hours or so. Here are a couple of photos of my room in the Student Village at Yamasa, in case you didn’t see the one in the previous post. The school has a
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I have arrived safely in Okazaki. I have a high-speed Ethernet connection in my room, so I am happy. Let me tell you how I got here… The Flight Over My flight from Raleigh to Dallas-Ft. Worth left at 6:00 a.m. I’m an international passenger, so I had to be at the airport 2 hours
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