Hey friends!

I just came back from work and I have to work tomorrow (Sunday!) as well. As you can see I'm quite busy. I probably won't be able to post another entry until Thursday or Friday, but something happened today that I want to share with you guys quickly.
First of all I woke up to see a cool and extreme snowstorm outside. It almost felt like home (^-^') ... I couldn't use my bicycle in that snow, so I walked to work today. I walked happily like a little girl - completely strange. Usually (aka back home in Germany) I hate that kind of weather, but now that I don't have a car and all, it's GREAT!! Usually I would have to grab a snow shovel and free my car and everything around our house from the snow.
It's raining now and by tomorrow everything is probably gone already. Too bad that I didn't take my camera with me, but I was too worried I would fall into the snow (here in Japan they don't have any law that people need to get rid of the snow in front of their houses and the pavement). It was around 15cm of snow, I guess!

Anyways, the reason for this entry is something else. When I came home just right now I found something in my mailbox. At first I thought it's about pension/taxes or whatever as the fiscal year in Japan starts in April, but once I had a closer look at it I saw that it's about the JLPT. THE RESULTS ARE OUT!!!! I really didn't expect to get them THAT early!!! They said something about mid of February and they were also late with sending out the vouchers last year, so .....

Anyways, I forgot everything around me and opened it immediately.
I scimmed through it and soon found what I was looking for:

( Read more... )

Alright, am off to do other things now. Had to leave for work right after I got up in the morning, so there's still this and that that needs to be done.
Read you soon again!

HELLO!!!!!!

Yes, I'm still alive and I'm finally back!!! Sorry for the long hiatus, but as most of you know I had lots of things to do these past few weeks.
NOW I'm finally FREEEEEE!!!! :D
Time to be happy right? NO!!!!!!

People who follow my Twitter probably already know this, but today the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) was held all over the world (and in some places it's not yet time - stupid time difference XD)
I've never taken the test before. Basically because the lower levels (previously 4kyuu, 3kyuu now N5, N4, N3) don't get you anywhere, but the higher levels (previously 2kyuu, 1kyuu now N2, N1) are considered as "business level Japanese" and can open you doors jobwise and stuff.
They changed the whole testing system for the first time this year, so all old study material and all knowledge from old tests won't help as much anymore.
Although I already passed the second highest level in mock tests over a year ago, I still haven't taken it until today.
Why? Because it's expensive and so I wanted to make sure that I would be able to pass it.

I missed the application deadline for the July test (also something new, only in Japan you can take the test twice a year now - previously you only could take it in December) and that's why I took it today instead.
I've already started preparing for N1 (the highest level and my ultimate goal) anyways.

I took this test because I was pretty sure that I could pass it.
Why I was sure? Well, I took tons of mock tests that introduced the new testing style and typical questions and all. (I also took the real N2 from July!)
My overall average was 81%.
For N2 there are 3 sections: (my average mock test percentage)
Vocabulary/Kanji (~82%)
Reading (~66%)
Listening (~92%)

( Some photos from this morning~ )



Can you believe it's already December when you see these photos?? ^^;

( So, was it worth all the money, the long journey, the years of sacrificing my free time in order to study??? ............ NOOOOO!!!!! ;o; .. )

Everybody, please let me hear about your JLPT experience? Not only today's but in general!
How many people were there? Did you have any rule breakers?
Congratulations to all of you who passed 2kyuu or 1kyuu. You are awesome! (If we use the old grading system then I would have passed, too, though ;o; ....?!)

The funniest thing ever was that quite a lot of the people taking N2 in my room didn't seem to understand what the examiner said to them XD
Also, I was pretty much the only one who could speak fluently with one of the bus drivers.
Well, but who cares. I suck when it's actually really important. I deserve to have failed the test - that's how much I suck, I guess :(

It was a life experience today. Definitely. Not a good one, though. But, yeah.

That's enough for today.
I should feel crappy but I feel refreshed at the moment. Probably because all the pressure is gone now :) And I'm finally free to do other things again. Feeling like an idiot to have sacrificed so much of my free time on Japanese studies in the last few years, though.

I went to Miyajima when the autumn colors were most beautiful a few weeks ago. Please look forward to some awesome photos which will be up soon.
Also, I still need to post the surprise I keep talking about so often XD
But, it's a busy week, so we'll see.

P.S.: Oh and I don't wanna hear any "OH, I'm sure you passed blah" comforting sentences, k? I tell you I really, really completely failed the reading so unless they change their grading system I have no chance :(
P.P.S.: Actually I wanted to treat myself and finally watch the new Harry Potter in cinema, but now I'm not sure if I really deserve this :/ ....

Beloved bed here I come

Good evening!~ (or whatever time it is where you live ^-^; ..)

Here's just a quick (but not short) update!

As mentioned in my previous (travel) entry, I'm really busy lately.
Work has been horrible and busy, but it's also because I'm totally back into study mode!

That's right! I'm finally taking the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)!
I'm pretty sure that most of you know about it anyways.
The level I want to take is N2 (formerly known as 2kyuu). As some of you know I already passed a 2kyuu mock test with 76% last year in September.



So, why am I not trying N1 then??
( Read more... )


I also bought these two little treasures recently:



( Toma rabuuuu ahead!~❤ )



Last but not least, some sad news: I didn't get any Arashi tickets through the fanclub (I'm not a member but one of my coworkers is and she balloted for both of us).
I REALLY wanna go to an Arashi concert at least once, though! I've been in Japan for almost 3 years now and never been to ANY concert (not only Arashi, but in general!!!)
I checked how much the tickets cost in online auctions just to find out that they're about 63.000-100.000yen (~630-1000$). If you get tickets through the fanclub directly it's only about 5000yen (50$)!!!!!
THIS is CRAZY!!!!! Only the ones for Sapporo Dome are cheaper (45.000yen), but all of the cities where the concerts will take place are far away and either way I'd have to pay another 10.000-45.000yen just to get to the concert hall!! We're talking about 1000$ just for ONE short concert!!! That's just too crazy ;o; .... Not sure yet, what I'll do.
Maybe I'll go to the concert hall closest to where I live and wait in front of the dome before the concert and just hope that somebody will sell their tickets then ...
Any other ideas? Guess not. I know there are so many fans out there who have exactly the same problem (x___X)


Funny and random facts - corner:
The other day I watched an episode of JOKER (my favorite drama this season btw. - wanna post more about dramas soon, hope I'll find some time!!) and it took me about 10 minutes to notice that I didn't have subtitles turned on yet XDDD

Well, that's all for today.
I'm going to fill out my JLPT application now and then I wanna get some more studying done before going to bed!
バイ☆⌒ヾ(^・^*)(*^・^)ノ⌒☆ナゲキッス♪

. . . . . . . . . . . . .



I'm such an IDIOT!!!!!

I MISSED the application deadline for the JLPT 2010 this summer in Japan!!!! I was SURE it's in May, but today I checked and saw it was April, 30th!!!!!!!!!!

I'M SO SO SO STUPID!!!!
I suck! I fail! AAAHHH!!!!
What did I study for until now??? (Yah, lately I didn't study much, but these last few days I was finally able to get back to my studies and I was positive that I could pass N2 this summer, now I have to wait until winter when I wanted to try N1 originally ......)

Can you tell me how someone can be so stupid??? (-______-''')


Okay, free hugs hits and kicks today!!! As hard as possible please! (-___-'')

Hello again,

for some reason I really felt the urge to do another JLPT mock test, this time for 2級 (second highest level).
I'm pretty sure almost everybody is familiar with the JLPT, but just in case: here's more info and here's the official site.

( Read more... )

Last year I tried a mock test for level 3, passing with almost 90% - showing that the level was already "too" easy for me.
I never thought I would be able to "pass" level 2 not even a year later (actually I took last year's test on the same day as the real test took place XDDD .... (((((￢_￢) )

My results this time: (using the JLPT level 2 of 2006)

Kanji / Vocabulary: 91%
Listening: 78%
Grammar/Reading: 58%
Total: 76,25% (60% needed to pass)

( Read more... )


Oh, last but not least. I changed a tiny little thing in my layout today.
<~~~~ You might already have seen it. There's a poupéegirl greeting you now. The cool thing about it is, it changes clothes / appearance every time I change it on the real website as well (*___*)

You know .....



... the zoom function is evil (￢_￢)
(and I would never wear such strong make-up but for the poupeegirl it's fun XDDD and okay! XD)

(<~ Can somebody please hit me and tell me to fuck off, stop playing with little childish girlie sparkling things and go back to my Japanese studies instead???!!!)


Uh, ... but it's almost midnight, so I'm gonna watch the latest episode of Orthros no Inu and then go reading a Japanese novel in my bed.

(つ∀-)ｵﾔｽﾐ♪

Just a quick "Hi" from me,

I know it's been a while again and actually there're quite a few things I want to post here, but right now I don't have time. I'm sorry.

I just want to share my childish happiness right now XD As everybody knows the JLPT is taking place worldwide today (Sunday, December, 7th). I thought that this is A GREAT OPPORTUNITY to try my first mock test ever.
I decided to go for 3級, although I don't intend to ever take it for real. I want to take 2級 next year (hopefully).

So ... well, it was my first test ever and I didn't prepare for it at all. Here are my results:

Kanji/Vocab: 91/100
Grammar/Reading: 172/200
Listening: 87/100
Percentage: ~88% (60% needed to pass)

( Read more... )

Random: What Japanese people think about the real life Dragonball movie (sorry mixi members only). And talking about Dragonball ... I'm pretty sure almost everybody has watched it by now, but there's a new Dragonball special. You can download it here if you're interested. Uhm ... yeah ... I only say Vegeta's little brother ... (x____X) ..... uh, well. Was nice to see/listen to everybody again :)


P.S.: It was snowing yesterday for the first time here in my little city in Japan. It's getting colder and colder.