Well, I've got about 2 months left until my test!! YIKES. I've completely abandoned smart.fm and have been doing all my studying at renshuu.org.
That's it's for now. I'm trying to dedicated 1-2 hours a day to studying.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Back on track...
So I've sent in my JLPT exam application!! I have paid for the test in December! Now it's time to buckle down and get studying!! (Isn't it?) For sure...
I *think* I'm doing OK. I did a few questions in the sample book and they were pretty easy to me. I think in mid-October I'm going to do the whole test in my book and see how I do. I don't want to do it right away because it'll probably break my spirit. Haha.
I've been mostly focusing on kanji lately- using my Look and Learn books and renshuu.org. I should use Textfugu's kanji content but since I've already started these books, I'm just going to stick with it for now. I think after the exam I'll try the Textfugu kanji. I like the way he organizes the kanji.
I should be studying more grammar but I'm a little stuck on something and I can't really explain why so I won't go into it right now. Thursday I will tackle this problem.
I feel like I'm starting to understand people better. For instance, in naginata class, people always talk to me in Japanese and not just easy stuff like "strike now!" or "go straight!"...like elaborate explanations of what I should do. Usually I don't understand much except for a few elementary words but today my sensei spoke to me at length about how to attack in a competition and I think I understood what she said! I need a notebook to write down all the advice she gives me though because getting hit in the head repeatedly is not helping me remember.
Still, I'm not making too much headway in the speaking department. I can maybe string along 2 or 3 words that can be understood (and might count for communication in Japanese since they leave out so much in conversation!) but it's very...frustrating and embarassing. Anyway, I look forward to speaking more even if it's just exclamations.
I *think* I'm doing OK. I did a few questions in the sample book and they were pretty easy to me. I think in mid-October I'm going to do the whole test in my book and see how I do. I don't want to do it right away because it'll probably break my spirit. Haha.
I've been mostly focusing on kanji lately- using my Look and Learn books and renshuu.org. I should use Textfugu's kanji content but since I've already started these books, I'm just going to stick with it for now. I think after the exam I'll try the Textfugu kanji. I like the way he organizes the kanji.
I should be studying more grammar but I'm a little stuck on something and I can't really explain why so I won't go into it right now. Thursday I will tackle this problem.
I feel like I'm starting to understand people better. For instance, in naginata class, people always talk to me in Japanese and not just easy stuff like "strike now!" or "go straight!"...like elaborate explanations of what I should do. Usually I don't understand much except for a few elementary words but today my sensei spoke to me at length about how to attack in a competition and I think I understood what she said! I need a notebook to write down all the advice she gives me though because getting hit in the head repeatedly is not helping me remember.
Still, I'm not making too much headway in the speaking department. I can maybe string along 2 or 3 words that can be understood (and might count for communication in Japanese since they leave out so much in conversation!) but it's very...frustrating and embarassing. Anyway, I look forward to speaking more even if it's just exclamations.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
つもりです！
火曜日と木曜日にかんじを勉強するつもりです。
月曜日と水曜日と土曜日に日本語のグラマーを勉強するつもりです。
土曜日と日曜日にかんじとグラマーもを勉強するつもりです。
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I plan to study kanji.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I plan to study grammar.
On Saturdays and Sundays, I plan to study kanji and grammar.
I'm going to submit this to Lang-8...it's probably full of mistakes!
月曜日と水曜日と土曜日に日本語のグラマーを勉強するつもりです。
土曜日と日曜日にかんじとグラマーもを勉強するつもりです。
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I plan to study kanji.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I plan to study grammar.
On Saturdays and Sundays, I plan to study kanji and grammar.
I'm going to submit this to Lang-8...it's probably full of mistakes!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Studying!
Yes, I've been studying!
I've decided that weekly updates should suffice for this blog- just to make sure I'm on track. I've been using my Genki textbooks and Textfugu as well as smart.fm and renshuu.org to study and review lately. I was also able to pick up last year's test (they sell it in the bookstore) and the fancy-schmancy test registration materials (still haven't opened up the envelope though and also sold in the bookstore).
I've decided that Tuesdays and Thursdays will be devoted to learning kanji- one chapter per day; 16 kanji a lesson; 32 kanji a week. I think that's a good pace.
Tonight I meet with Miki for our completely informal language exchange. Hahaha.
More later...maybe...but definitely, I'll write more next week.
I've decided that weekly updates should suffice for this blog- just to make sure I'm on track. I've been using my Genki textbooks and Textfugu as well as smart.fm and renshuu.org to study and review lately. I was also able to pick up last year's test (they sell it in the bookstore) and the fancy-schmancy test registration materials (still haven't opened up the envelope though and also sold in the bookstore).
I've decided that Tuesdays and Thursdays will be devoted to learning kanji- one chapter per day; 16 kanji a lesson; 32 kanji a week. I think that's a good pace.
Tonight I meet with Miki for our completely informal language exchange. Hahaha.
More later...maybe...but definitely, I'll write more next week.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
おひさしぶりです！
So I'm back after a long break and it's taken me about a week but I'm back to studying and making up a schedule for myself. Today I learned 16 kanji...though technically I already know these kanji from seeing them day-to-day but what I mean is that I have formally studied them. I also practiced my katakana (I am known to say "I hate katakana!" and "I refuse to read katakana") and it's not as bad as before...though I haven't really done anything to make it better. I guess I just needed time to let it sink in. It's still pretty bad compared to my hiragana but I won't beat myself up too much over it.
I've decided to go ahead and splurge the money on taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (henceforth to be known as JLPT). I had been iffy about it as a measure of my actual Japanese level (being able to pass a test is different from being able to communicate in my book...) but I think it'll provide some motivation. It's given twice a year in Japan and I'm going to sign up for the one in December. I'll take the lowest level- because my kanji is not up to par and also because I don't want to fail and make myself feel bad. I think I have a good chance of passing the lowest level with not too much effort and stress (studying Japanese is important to me but there are other things I have to do too!).
So that's it. I have an English lesson coming soon...so more updates later!
I've decided to go ahead and splurge the money on taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (henceforth to be known as JLPT). I had been iffy about it as a measure of my actual Japanese level (being able to pass a test is different from being able to communicate in my book...) but I think it'll provide some motivation. It's given twice a year in Japan and I'm going to sign up for the one in December. I'll take the lowest level- because my kanji is not up to par and also because I don't want to fail and make myself feel bad. I think I have a good chance of passing the lowest level with not too much effort and stress (studying Japanese is important to me but there are other things I have to do too!).
So that's it. I have an English lesson coming soon...so more updates later!
Monday, July 12, 2010
It goes both ways!
ごめんなさい, dear readers (the two of you), I have been busy busy...and I've neglected my blog and my studying (sort of). I was optimistic that I wouldn't hit this point but well, here it is! I'm going back to being good starting tomorrow but I'm back tonight to tell a story about my Japanese. Remember that story about the Judo sensei who realized that I wasn't Japanese after I kept stumbling in my attempt to tell him I was interested in joining his Judo club in Japanese? How embarrassing it is to be thought of as some stupid or awkward Japanese girl! I realized tonight that it really goes both ways...
During BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-jitsu) tonight, a visiting player turned to me and asked me something about scoring points in BJJ. At least I think that's what he asked me. Actually I'm sure that's what he asked me. But of course, the level of Japanese required to answer that is probably beyond me. (Besides I don't really know the answer in English!) So I sort of asked him to say it again and then I guess I just gave him a quizzical look as I tried to process his question at which point Ryan turned and said that I didn't know much Japanese. After he said so, I basically repeated what he said in Japanese. Luckily someone from our club was around and she answered his question. Now I realize that he might have been embarrassed by this...not as much as I was maybe...but I should have used that opportunity to practice more Japanese (more than just the usual "I don't know much Japanese"). I should have apologized at least! Or maybe he wasn't embarrassed at all. I don't know.
Anyway, it's late, I'm pooped (つかれたですよ！） and I have to get up early tomorrow (あしたははやおきよ！）
During BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-jitsu) tonight, a visiting player turned to me and asked me something about scoring points in BJJ. At least I think that's what he asked me. Actually I'm sure that's what he asked me. But of course, the level of Japanese required to answer that is probably beyond me. (Besides I don't really know the answer in English!) So I sort of asked him to say it again and then I guess I just gave him a quizzical look as I tried to process his question at which point Ryan turned and said that I didn't know much Japanese. After he said so, I basically repeated what he said in Japanese. Luckily someone from our club was around and she answered his question. Now I realize that he might have been embarrassed by this...not as much as I was maybe...but I should have used that opportunity to practice more Japanese (more than just the usual "I don't know much Japanese"). I should have apologized at least! Or maybe he wasn't embarrassed at all. I don't know.
Anyway, it's late, I'm pooped (つかれたですよ！） and I have to get up early tomorrow (あしたははやおきよ！）
Monday, July 5, 2010
slacking!!!
I'm forging on in the Textfugu lessons and in my Genki book. But I've completely ignored my kanji. I know a few. I can live with that for a little while. I need to change my schedule so that I can get 2-3 hours in a row for studying. I fell asleep for 30 minutes in the middle of drilling on smart.fm. I realized though that I really need to physically write the words down as I learned them. It'll make it easier for me to recall later. Now I've also been procrastinating (GASP! really?!) on writing a post in Japanese so without any preparation right now I'm just going to wing it:
わたしはジエーンです。 さっぽろにすんでいます。 にほんにじゅにかげついます。 ニューヨークにからきました。 わたしはフィリピンにうまれたでもアメリカににじゅごねんすんでいました。 わたしはにじゅろくさいです。 かんごしをしていました。 いまわたしはえいごようちえんのせんせいです。 たのしですよ！
Well, I gotta go...なぎなたのれんしゅう あります. Hey, pretty soon you won't be able to read this blog anymore (unless you can read Japanese). Speaking of なぎなたのれんしゅう, I'm considering starting ANOTHER blog...Hm.
じゃまた！
わたしはジエーンです。 さっぽろにすんでいます。 にほんにじゅにかげついます。 ニューヨークにからきました。 わたしはフィリピンにうまれたでもアメリカににじゅごねんすんでいました。 わたしはにじゅろくさいです。 かんごしをしていました。 いまわたしはえいごようちえんのせんせいです。 たのしですよ！
Well, I gotta go...なぎなたのれんしゅう あります. Hey, pretty soon you won't be able to read this blog anymore (unless you can read Japanese). Speaking of なぎなたのれんしゅう, I'm considering starting ANOTHER blog...Hm.
じゃまた！
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