Studying Japanese is Hard Work

日本語は難しい！
If I got that right, it was Japanese is difficult.

In my Japanese class I am the lowest level person there. The 30 minutes before class I am dreading the class, I know I'm going to be bad and I know I'm going to feel embarrassed because I'm unable to understand. During the last 30 minutes of the class I usually feel pretty good, I've been able to grasp the grammar point of the day and I am able to use it.

Being able to use it next week is another question entirely.

But I find that week on week my Japanese ability improves a little. And that's why I keep going.

More Rain & Kanji

It's still raining.
The Rainy Season (梅雨) is really starting to get on my nerves this year. Lots and lots of tiny little showers that are just enough to make you put up your umbrella but not heavy enough to wash away the rubbish on the streets.

And now we are having to start using the clothes dryer because if we leave things to dry naturally, they get quite smelly.

Still that's life in Japan.

I understand more Kanji.
Since starting Japanese class my ability to read Kanji has greatly improved. I can recognize about 50 or so characters when before I could only recognize about 10. Also I can read and speak sentences a little better, though the majority of what is discussed in class is still way over my head.

Still I'm improving, though I should put in a little more work than I have been doing.

Studying; Masu Mashita

Well another Japanese class is over for the night. I'm not feeling so bad about my ability after tonights lesson. There's another girl who speaks Japanese quite a bit better than me, but she can't write anything. For me Hiragana and Katakana are OK but Kanji is still beyond me.

At first we all practiced some Kanji, reading & putting two together to give new meanings. That mostly left me gaping my mouth a bit like a goldfish. However when the beginners were separated out, I was able to do much better.

Here's a scan of the main worksheet for tonight.


(click for larger image)

Yeah, pretty bad, I know. But I still got everything correct and finished writing quickly.

Well, I'll keep doing my best! Yosh!

Started Japanese Class

Tonight I started studying Japanese again.

My town offers free Japanese lessons for foreigners so the wife signed me up and tonight was the first meeting. It wasn't really a lesson as such, more of an introduction and level check.

It was really cool to see so many foreign people living in my town, I don't feel quite so alone anymore. America, Australia, China, Peru, Iran & Sri Lanka was represented. While I am a rather independent guy and I am happy with my own company, it was good to get out and meet people outside work or family.

It really broadened my horizons in this country as well as got me out of the house.

The main thing I came away with was "しゅみ" Shumi which means hobby. "しゅみ　は　どういう　いみ　です　か?" What are your hobbies?

However in the level check it became painfully clear that I was the worst Japanese speaker of the lot. Still I'll do my best and persevere, I can only improve my ability and that will help my life in this great country.