[Japan]: Studying Japanese is sucking your ..??!!Σ('◇'*)

[chochajin]

Wow .......... it really has been quite a while, huh?

Sorry about that, but like I said I was very busy and then I didn't really feel like writing anything. I still don't really feel like typing right now, .... for no special reason!!
Anyway I'll try (^-^)>

Quite a lot of pleasant and not so pleasant things happened at work. There will be some huge changes it seems.
I don't wanna talk about that today, though, and will write about it some other time instead :)

Last week we had the "tea party" I was talking about in one of my previous entries.
In short: 1 "native" English teacher + 1 Japanese teacher + #xxx mothers of students + a lot of cake, tea, cookies etc.
It was the first time we did that. It was in the morning before working time (~ 2pm), so it was a little bit tiresome to work from 11am-10pm 2 days in a row. I was the only one who (had to) join(ed) both days!!!
On the other hand it was a really nice experience. It was free for the mothers. They were invited to come and talk to us teachers and ask any questions they might have or even just have a random conversation with us. We didn't know how that would end, but in the end it was really nice ^-^



As it was the first time not really many mothers came, but that was all the better because this way we were able to really talk intensively :)
Somehow all the conversations ended up to be in Japanese. While I understood almost everything I always was afraid of answering things in Japanese because I don't wanna be impolite while using the wrong .. politeness level and stuff and I SUCK AT SPEAKING OR OUTPUTTING JAPANESE!!!!



Due to those conversations I started thinking about what I came here for and what the hell I'm doing every day. The mothers were surprised (in a positive way) when they heard that I basically spend my whole time studying Japanese. On the other hand I'm almost 30 years now and ..... all I do is sit around in my apartment and study Japanese ... every.single.day!!!!
What did I come here for again?
On the other hand I'm pretty sure I would (at least try to) do the same thing back home as well. But WHY am I in JAPAN again??? ... I'm not sure if I'm wasting my "precious" life-time or not. Well, of course studying Japanese is what I want to do and becoming fluent is one of my big dreams, but life is not just JAPANESE, right??? But with a full-time job AND my studies there's NOTHING left!!! Nothing else I can do! Of course there are other things I'd like to do .... things I maybe only can do while I'm still younger while studying I could also do when I'm older .... sometimes I really don't know what to do anymore.
Of course it's a tiny problem and I'm very happy to be given the chance to study before work etc., BUT ...... I'm allowed to worry about these things, right???
It's especially frustrating, because lately I don't feel any progress anymore. I know it's normal once you've reached a certain level, but it's FRUSTRATING!!! (x___x) ... *sigh*
I still can't produce any output. If you give me something to translate INTO Japanese I wouldn't be able to do it. It's so ridiculous!!! I've done a few more mock tests for the JLPT.
While I even can pass the vocab/kanji section of level 1(!!!!), I still have some problems with the grammar of level 3(!!!!!!!) and 2 is killing me!!!!!
Maybe grammar and "output" ability in general is really something you just CAN'T learn all by yourself.
My plan to go to a Japanese language school full-time is not really .... something I'm considering anymore. Mainly because I don't wanna spend THAT MUCH money on such a school. Maybe I should try and find a private Japanese tutor here in my small city who can correct essays I write or whatever. I really don't know what to do anymore. Sometimes it's really frustrating!! I feel I'm stuck!
I can't even write Hiragana and Katakana properly while kanji is no problem! This is so fucked up! (-___-'')>


Sorry about that rant ...

In other news I have to start planning my long awaited winter vacation !!!! Yay!!! (^______^)v
I haven't been travelling in Japan since APRIL!!! (O_________O)> ..... It's about time, huh????
As much as I'd love to go to Tokyo again, this time I wanna spent my winter at a warmer place! I yet need to decide where to go, though.
SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!!!!
One of my coworkers is sooooo sweet!! When she heard that I'm gonna spent "omisoka" (31st) and "shougatsu") (1st) alone she invited me to join her and her family!! I'm very tempted to accept her kind offer :)
Although that means I'll lose a few days of my winter vacation which is probably from December 29th to January 6th, I think it might be nice and interesting ^-^
Her family lives in Fukuoka, so wherever I go it'll be from Fukuoka to ...?
Actually I only have 2 things on my list right now: Okinawa and Kyuushuu!
I've already been to a few cities in Kyuushuu, though: Kokura, Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Kumamoto.
Anything you could recommend that might also be INTERESTING IN WINTER??????? And for only 5-6 days????? Is it stupid to go to Okinawa in winter??? AAAHHHH!!! *headdesk*


And because I haven't done it in a while some snack photos ^-^



I found some cheese that actually was not SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXPENSIVE (aka below 10$ x_X ....)
The blue cheese tastes horrible, though ;____; ...... I'm usually a huge fan of blue cheese, though.



On the left: mochi snack I got as an omiyage from one of my conversation students ^-^ ... have yet to eat it!!
On the right: a really yummie vegetable-fruit-juice! :)



The marron snack was disappointing :/ ..... the choco cookies are okay, but not as good as the same stuff from another brand I used to eat in Germany :/


Poupéegirl



Yes, I like apples! XD But the reason I'm posting this pic is the watch!



The cool thing about this is that it shows the actual time and it moves just like a real watch! Awesome! XD



Today's outfit. It actually helped as it didn't rain today XD .... if I knew that I could have done my laundry (　´_ゝ｀) .......
That umbrella was quite expensive (x_X) ....

Okay, that's all folks!

Comments

[mtassarion.livejournal.com]

dude i still think you should go to that language school.. and you should be quick too, otherwise you'll be too old to get a scholarship (i believe 34 years old is the limit) but that scholarship is quite huge and everybody can get it from MEXT. In fact, as far as I know, the scholarship is so large that you end up having extra money. So everything you are saving up now is sort of.. extra.

If fluency is your goal, you should go to the language school. I've never heard any bad things about them actually. And don't listen to people who say you don't become fluent by going to school. People who go to a language school become fluent in a far shorter time than those who don't.

[cinnamonghost.livejournal.com]

I think to get yourself a private Japanese teacher is actually the best idea!
Besides correcting your essays they could also practice talking with you. I know it's always difficult at the beginning, but I think if you'd just start to talk more you'd pick up the grammar a lot better than just through writing. The good thing about Japan is that you have unlimited access to native speakers :D
Oh, and I think you don't have to worry too much about the politeness, as a foreigner you can get away with things like that as long as you're not downright rude XD

[ame-no-uta.livejournal.com]

Ich weiss auch nicht ob eine Sprachschule das richtige ist, wenn du im Prinzip hauptsächlixh Probleme mit dem sprechen an sich hast (das ist auch mein größtes Problem...)
Ein Mädl hat mir mal shadowing empfohlen, also bei Dramas einfach mitreden, aber da kommt man sich erstens sehr blöd dabei vor XD und zweitens ist das schwerer als es klingt (xox)
Such dir vielleicht nen language exchange partner! Nur fürs sprechen, und language exchange kostet auch nichts. Wenn du keinen bei dir findest eben nen einfach jemanden den du bezahlst, um mit ihm zu reden, weil so lernt mans am besten, einfach reden!
Ich kenn jemanden der ist ein Jahr auf ne Sprachschule gegangen (also er konnte davor nichts!) und danach hat er nur über skype das wirkliche Sprechen gelernt und konnte nach noch nem Jahr fliesend japanisch sprechen!!! (>.<)

[romikana.livejournal.com]

Das du im Moment so frustiert fühlst is natürlich nicht der Sinn der Sache. Willst du eigentlich weiter Sprachlehrer bleiben oder hattest du vor noch was anderes zu machen? Ich denke genau wie du, dass das alles nich sein kann, außer für jemandem dem das wirklich reicht, aber allein dsss du so frustriert bist zeigt ja schon, dass das für DICH nicht alles ist.
Also das denke jedenfalls ich :)) Ich hoffe das du dich bald so entscheidest, dass es dich auch glücklich macht.
Ich wollte dir auch nochmal sagen, dass ich dich echt bewundere, dass du es schaffst neben deiner Arbeit noch so viel zu lernen!!
Verzweifel nich, du hast schon so viel geschafft!

[vanityfair00.livejournal.com]

I'm going to Kyushu for winter vacation too! How cool. We are planning on Beppu, Aso, Kumamoto, and Fukuoka...maybe Nagasaki but we are still making plans.

I'm backwards from on Japanese. I'm finding I can do most of the grammar for 3kyu but I am way behind on vocab. It's frustrating!

[puchiro.livejournal.com]

My advice would be to try to talk to more native speakers :)

Do you know of lang-8 (http://lang-8.com/)?
Since I don't have a Japanese teacher, I usually post my paragraphs/sentences etc.. that I write over there for people to correct it :) It's really useful imo anyways~
Good luck!!

[mhizxkyloz.livejournal.com]

Umbrellas are always expensive
you totally make me want to upload all my heels and stuff for umbrellas and outfits

D:
ahhhhhhhh
shame I'm to lazy.

it's been raining here alot.
but its spring currently, weather in Australia is moody.

It's the same with my "backgrond" languages
I understand very well but can't output canto/mando/vietnamese
some more then others

[amvn.livejournal.com]

One word; OKINAWAAAA!!!! XDDD That was the first thing I thought of when you mentioned somewhere hot and sunny ^____^ I think it's my favourite place in Japan (without having been there LOL) XDDD I really think it would be good for you to join your co-worker and her family for New Years, I think that sounded quite nice :) And it would be a genuine Japanese holiday experience.

Hehe that watch is awesome! I didn't know those Poupèe-watches actually worked IRL XD

[yuzusorbet.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I can understand your frustration, it feels like you're at crossroads.
Why don't you talk to your co-workers about it, if it's not too bad? I'm sure they'll sympathize with you.

Do you have any audio cd's? It helps to say things out loud whenever.
And, I'm guessing you currently use Heisig's method to learn kanji right? Which book are you on?

[asahifirsa.livejournal.com]

I'll be heading to Yakushima first week of November. I'll let you know how it is and if it's worth visiting :) If you do fly to Okinawa, try Iriomote, I loved it. But not matter where you go in Okinawa, you'll probably need to rent a car or scooter, because buses are sooooo rare.

[maikeru-desu.livejournal.com]

Check out Oita (Beppu and Yufuin) and Miyazaki!

[bodea.livejournal.com]

Well, I kind of agree that you can only go so far on your own when learning a language. I think eventually you get to a point where you need help from someone who teaches it and is fluent. I feel your frustration about questioning your purpose. I think it's normal. I don't think we can just focus on one thing in life because you're always going to be thinking about one thing while doing another. Especially when you get so focused and realize that everyone else is doing the typical things that are expected at a certain age. I guess it all boils down to what you want; what makes you feel happy and fulfilled.

[bluemchenblatt.livejournal.com]

As for essays, do you use lang-8?