Well it's been about a week since I've updated, not much has really happened, after my trip to the villages I pretty much did nothing for my 'holiday.' Yes I know, you're probably thinking 'well dang! She's had a lot of time off!' but I promise you things are about to heat up. I'm already feeling the heat as we just started language classes.And I swear nearly every week I have some sort of quiz, whether it be Grammar or Vocabulary, and then a few weeks in we'll start Kanji quizzes. Talk about hopping. On top of all that I still have at least 6 other classes I'll be taking for the culture classes. This is going to be one intense semester. And next semester will probably just be as bad if not worse. I know the student here on the language course are totally freaking out, they have a class tomorrow and already their teacher wants them to do work sheets and it's SEVERAL worksheets.

It's quite amusing to come home and see my 'home table', the table me and my friends normally sit at when we're being anti-social/social (I say anti-social/social because we're sitting around a table and all on our laptops. But considering the fact our wireless is only good in the kitchens… we kind of have to), covered in text books with everyone out working. You know when you see everyone ELSE studying suddenly you feel like a jerk for wanting to go off and do nothing. This is probably the only time peer pressure is good! So I pull out my stuff and run over my vocab. by looking over my kana and the translations. I have at least a little head start on these words as these are the words I know from my failed attempt at independent study, but my Hiragana is coming along nicely I'm getting a little faster at reading it although the 'H' line and the 'M' line get me all turned around. Along with the kana for RE, WA, and NE.

Honestly when I started I was like, "They'll all look different, it can't be THAT hard." I mean yes they are different, but when the only difference between three different symbols is a swirl and strait or curved hump they all start to blend together, Blah.

And I need to learn Katakana now, which is the same set of sounds with new symbols so the Japanese can write borrowed words, like Toilet paper. Or French Fry (Which is actually referred to as a Fried Potato). Of course it's completely butchered why, in the Japanese language, there is NO triple consonant sound, so something like 'street' they can't say. So it becomes "sotoreeto" or French Fry is referred to as a 'Puriedu Potato.' Of course you feel silly looking at these words and trying to make sense of it in your head, imagine being a grocery store and reading a label to yourself out loud, because hearing it makes it easier, and when it finally dawns on you that the 'word' you're looking at is Kiwi. Because they have roughly 80 or so FIXED sounds, a is like father, i is like machine, e is like better, u is like you, and o is like cooperate. Now add the consonants K, S, T, N, H, M, Y, R, W, B, P, D, and G and you have their sounds. So something like Kiwi would be spelled like 'Kiwai' or so I think. Since they only have Wa and Wo. Yeah…Japanese is easy and hard. And then you throw Kanji into the mix which is symbols for whole words and things just got a whole lot harder/simpler.

Sorry for that Language tirade, but explaining it to you helps me. In fact don't be surprised if at the end of the week I suddenly write you this Thesis sized blog post on what I learned.

Speaking of, I had Language and Society today and our professor had us read this very interesting article. It talks about how to the Japanese, more so after say WWII, tended to be more concerned with say the immediate community than say extended family that wasn't in close proximity. So like with me and my parents if I was still living with them, we would be concerned with the people who lived around us in our neighborhood and also with those who we associate with at work or school, our attachment to say Aunts/Sisters and Uncles/Brothers wouldn't be as strong. To the Japanese they tend to foster a 'family' like feel in the work place or at school. That group of people is in a frame of mind that they belong to THAT group, and since for men in the work place their wives know the wives of his coworkers they become a very tight group. Like at home when you talk to your elders you use their respective titles and mother, father, older sister/brother, at work you use the respective titles such as president, chairman, etc. At home you may use 'endearment' terms with younger siblings, with coworkers you use their name or perhaps if you know them well enough, a nick name. Another thing I noticed after going to this lecture, is when a girl encountered her friend in the hall, she said 'Okairi' which means 'welcome home.' So even today that feeling of 'I belong to THIS group and these ties are like the western equivalent of family' is still relatively strong. It's a very interesting little patch of information.

I have the weekend off, since I'm not going to the Zen meditation thing. But I will spend my time well. Considering I still have to learn my vocab/spelling I and Katakana I will be studying a good bit and I know some of the others I hang will as well. I will be sure to take a picture for you, Dad, since you wanted to see us all studying! <3

Oh! I bought 4 books (for class) for fewer than 70 American dollars. WHY CAN'T I DO THAT BACK AT SOUTHERN?! WHY?! AND! Because I'm a student I got a 10% discount. I swear, I want to take this school back with me to Southern and just hit all the directors and board people over the head and say 'JAPAN GOT IT RIGHT?! WHY CAN'T YOU!?' Ugh! But, if I master all the Kanji in my book I should be able to pass the proficiency test level 3 or 4. YAY! If I don't take it here I might look into it in America, they apparently happen every once a year and I do believe the tests are held in December, what a wonderful way to spend your birthday, studying Kanji! WOO!

Gods, I'm so ready to have the vocabulary to speak Japanese, I mean it's so frustrating when one of the RA's talk to me they don't speak in English or they don't speak it well so they speak Japanese and of course when they do I just stare at them like I'm stupid. I know they're asking a question and I know it's related to something they see, but I don't know what and of course I have to look sheepish and ask them to repeat in English. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK HOW EVER SHODY IT IS! I WANT TO SPEAK! But This is the best experience ever, I've met so many people and I already know that when a few of them leave I'm going to ball my eyes out. Perhaps one blog date later I'll pop you with some personalities from around the dorm hall. Sounds like a plan! Woo!

SO! We totally had an epic game of UNO today! XD I was board and we were all sitting around doing nothing so I suggested UNO, and you want to know how long that game went on? OVER half an hour, no joke. We had to reshuffle the draw deck like over 10 times. It was hilarious. Oh the memories. XD

Well gee golly willikers, I've nearly written three pages of text in Word so I think I'm going to wrap it up. I'm really sorry if this was long and drawn out and completely rant like, but its 1:23am here and I felt like just writing. I hope you all are having a wonderful day! And I will blog you up later! Much love!

Carolyn