Still working at it. My trip to Tokyo meant I missed the first two classes, but that was ok, as they started teaching them hiragana, which I had already been teaching myself. I am pleased to say that I know all the hiragana now
あいうえおかきくけこさしすせそたちつてとなにぬねのはひふへほまみむめもやゆよらりるれろわをんわを
(there iare more than these, but they’re either just accent mark variations that sound different ふぶぷ or short combinations to make a sound きょきゅきゃ）
Anyway, I’ve got this class twice a week for two hours starting at 720pm. It’s always a race to get there on time but I’ve managed. This was a particuarly tiring week, and on wednesday night I was vvvvvery close to flaking, but at the last minute I decided to do the right thing and went. Glad I did as the teacher, young japanese girl, adds new stuff every week, so falling behind would be bad.
The instruction seems ok, but am glad i am sticking with my plan to keep my training hetergenous. The grammar instruction is good but the examples in the textbook are dry as dirt. Really lifeless dialogs and vocabulary. This is where japanesepod101 is so much more interesting. I also don’t get much practice getting to speak. I’m thinking about finding a tutor to once a week go through speaking exercises so that I can actually do the stuff out loud, rather than only write things out on paper. There seems to be a huge difference between properly writing a sentence on paper and saying it out-loud on the fly.
My biggest suprise has become my biggest annoyance. She says we do not have to learn katakana (phonetic alphabet for foreign words ex:カキコクコ サシスセソ etc ). But the textbook is full of foreign names and other katakana, so I have to use her legend to check the words. It’s really irritating. I have decided tol quickly learn katakana to solve the problem. I want to know it anyway so I can read more signs and labels.
I wish i could report as much success in my running and diet. The first part of this week was largely grueling and I was going to bed three hours later than normal. I’m taking a three-day weekend (Ling’s birthday on monday) so I should be able to catch up on all this.
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