End of an era

Well not really, but it seems like such a long time, looking back. I guess because we had class everyday, and there was so much work - but it was so fun! I don't really understand why, usually I hate learning languages. I love Japanese though, even though I am miserable at it. I am at this point pretty confident I will be taking it next semester, assuming I don't screw up to much on the final exam. Currently I am enrolled for 2:00 again, in Cabel B020.

It is so cool to watch a japanese film or something an d understand parts. I wrote a term paper for my music class on Derrick May, and my brother sent me a great youtube video from I guess a japanese TV show that interviewed May, and I could understand a surprising amount. My brother took Chinese a few years ago, and when he was home for thanksgiving, he asked me how Japanese write china, and I wrote it for him (it's the same, apparently,) and he said I had really good stroke order - things like that make me feel good about this class. Yeah I might screw up, a lot even, but I think I have a pretty good foundation - I don't really have any loose ends, and I didn't learn anything wrong at least. I just screw up talking because I get nervous.

So I will see some of you next semester hopefully in 102, and the rest of you, thanks for helping me when I needed it, I am glad I was in the 2:00 section even if we weren't as good as some of the others. I think we had a lot of fun, and I hope to see you guys around sometime.

フランースのやすみ - final draft!

私 はチャロッツビルからきました。私はいまとこどもの時、私はチャロッツビルにいました。でも、十二さいの時、私はフランースに行きました。私のかぞくはフランースに行きました、私の学こうは七月やすみがあ りましたから。ひこうきにのって、パリに行きました。パリで一しゅうかんいて、まい日あそびました。パリは とてもきれいなまちですから、私はパリがすきです。木とおもしろいたてものがたくさんありますから、パリはきれいです。たてものはえいがで、’ｱﾙｷﾃﾁｬ’です。まいばん、おいしいレストラ ンで食べました。私はフランースの食べものがすきです。あとで、私のかぞくはでんしゃにのって、　クロンジェに行きました。クロンジェはちいさいまちです。ク ロンジェはフランースの西にあって、ラ・ロシェルのそばにあります。クロンジェはとてもきれいまちですよ。私のおとうさんのともだちで行きました。おなまえはウルスラです。このいえはでん気がありませんでしたから、私とおねえさん とテレビをみてはいけませんでしたから、たくさん本をよみました。それから、いっしょうにきんごうでハイキングをしました。きんごうはえいがでカンツリサイド’です。クロンジェではたくさん木と川がありましたから、とてもきれいでした。やすみはしずかでしたが、とてもたのしいでした。

peer reading

I thought peer reading was actually kind of fun. It was interesting to read other people's speeches, and it made me less nervous that my speech was totally the wrong kind of thing and I was just going to fail miserably. It was kind of hectic, but that is okay. I actually did a peer review of チュアさん's post on 日本語のクラス instead, and in the end had to peer review hers on her blog! But in the end we all got peer reviewed, and did some reading, and it turned out just peachy. It was funny that maybe one of the least helpful parts was the actual rubrik - the only really practical comments were about tiny grammar mistakes and typos. What was useful was to talk to friends about it, and be reassured that it isn't awful before you hand it in to さと先生。

In other news, speech on monday. I am worried. When we were dialoguing in class, I would be doing just fine - until さと先生　came to watch us talking, then I would forget what I was saying, and it would all just disappear. If anyone wants to practice over the weekend, I am a dude who also does, so let's get do it to it.

フランースのやすみ

私はチャロッツビルからきました。こどもの時、私はチャロッツビルがいました。でも、十二さいの時、私はフランースに行きました。私の学こうはやすみがあ ります。だから、私のかぞくはフランースに行きました。ひこうきにのって、ペリスに行きました。ペリスで一しゅういまして、まい日あそびました。ペリスは とてもきれいなまちですから、私はペリスがすきです。たくさん木とおもしろいけんきちゅがありますから、ペリスはきれいです。まいばん、おいしいレストラ ンで食べました。フランースの食べものがすきです。あとで、私のかぞくはでんしゃにのって、　クロンジェに行きました。クロンジェはちいさいまちです。クロンジェは西でフランースにあって、ラ・ロシェルのそばがあります。クロンジェはとてもちいさいまちですよ。私のおとうさんのともだちおなまえはウルスラのいえでいました。このいえはでん気がありませんから、私とおねえさん とテレビをみてはいけませんでした。だから、いっしょうにハイキングをしました。クロンジェはたくさん木と川がありますから、とてもきれいです、それか ら、たくさん本をよみました。やすみはしずかですが、とてもたのしいです。

けんきちゅ-building; architecture.

私のこどもの時

私はチャロッツビルからきました。こどもの時、私はチャロッツビルがいました。でも、十二さいの時、私はフランースに行きました。私の学こうはやすみがあります。だから、私のかぞくはフランースに行きました。ひこうきにのって、ペリスに行きました。ペリスで一しゅういまして、まい日あそびました。ペリスはとてもきれいなまちですから、私はペリスがすきです。たくさん木とおもしろいけんきちゅがありますから、ペリスはきれいです。まいばん、おいしなレストランで食べました。フランースの食べものがすきです。あとで、私のかぞくはでんしゃにのって、　ニースに行きました。ニースはちいさいなまちです。ニースは南東でフランースです。ニースはとてもちいさいまちですよ。私のおとうさんのとおだちのいえでいました。このいえは天気がありますかから、私とおねえさんとテレビをみてはいけませんでした。だから、いっしょうにハイキングをしました。ニースはたくさんこえんとみずがありますから、とてもきれいです、それから、たくさん本をよみました。やすみはしずかですが、とてもとのしいです。

けんきちゅ-building; architecture.

日本語のクラス

バージニヤだいがくの日本語のクラスはおもしろいですね。でも、とてもむずかしいです。私は二時のセクションに行きます。このセクションはたのしいです。このクラスあはまい日です。でも、いいです。このクラスはやさしなともだちいますね。クラスはたくさんしゅくだいありいますでも、スキトはたのしいです。私は日本語のクラスがすきです。

Japanese 101 is definitely the hardest class I am taking this semester, probably ever. It is worth it though because it is so rewarding and fun to actually be able to speak and write japanese, even if it simple japanese. I feel like even though we are just on chapter five of the first in a series of textbooks, I have learned a lot about the language. My classmates are fun and supportive, and I'm glad to have met all of them. Even though at times it can be stressful and the homework load can seem insurmountable, I am very glad I took Japanese, and I hope I will be able to take it again next semester.

ハロウイン

この水曜日はﾊﾛｳｲでした。ハロウインがすきです。私のともだちとパーテイをします。私のともだちおなまえはエリクさんです。エリクさんのいえで土曜日にパーテイをします。それから、今ばんのハロウインにパーテイへ行きました。パーテイはちいさかったです。でも、たのしいなパーテイですよ。このパーテイは私のともだちのいえがありました。このともだちおなまえはアーニさんです。ハロウインはたのしですね。きょうねん、私のコスツムはキヅニでｓ。

So this week we are to write about what makes a good blog. It's tough to think about - I guess soon we will be able to start writing posts in at least mostly Japanese; that is way cool I think and will improve our blogs somewhat. Other than that, I think a good blog post includes a bit about what we are learning in class and how the writer feels about it, (for example, right now Chapter 4 is pretty tough but I am excited because we have 'and' now, as well as a bunch of other useful things) a bit about what is going on in the writers life outside of class, and since we post of Fridays, perhaps a bit about the weekend (I am working a lot this weekend, and that is it basically) and maybe some random thing the writer is thinking about. It should be interesting but also potentially helpful to other students.

So Chapter 4. It is pretty hard, and I am working harder than ever, but it is worth it because I think I am improving a lot. My class grade is currently not exactly where I would like it to be, but I am confident that I will be able to bring it up to something I am happy with by the end of the semester if not sooner. Isn't it crazy that this semester is already half gone? It feels like it just started, and then we have midterms and stuff all over the place.

Then outside of school I am excited for a new job I just started; my friend Rick just opened a cafe on the corner, and in about a month I am going to barrista-ing there, but already I have started working as the cultural attache, and yesterday I set up a gallery showing with a local artist; next week we are going to hang the show. In addition, Rick knows tons about coffee but not much at all about tea; since I used to be a tea nerd and still drink enough tea to sink a horse I am going to be the tea supervisor. All these jobs; I am going to need to print business cards I think. Basically I am going to set up the tea menu and show Rick how to make green teas and Yerba properly. I love green tea (particularly くきちゃとほじちゃ） and I lived for a bit in Buenos Aires and picked up a fondness for Yerba Mate, but nowhere in the US I've been makes it properly. So basically I am super-stoked for this job and you guys should come check this place out, it is nice and close to the university and cheap and delicious: Fox Park, Between Black Cat and Baha Bean!

TEST

Oh no. Oh goodness. I have been studying for this test all tonight and I wonder if it will help. Maybe I am stressing about it too much and I am going to make myself blank out when it comes time. Maybe right now I am just rationalizing reasons not to keep studying. Maybe I need to sleep. But I can't anyway, other things to do. Goodness me, what a funny life we lead.

So this どようび　I am doing a film project with some friends. The concept is make a film in 二十四hours, you get the topic at ごご九時, write the script, shoot the film, edit it, and turn it in at ごご九時 am the next day. And then a grammar sheet on げつようび! Awright, who needs sleep. Spanish students, I bet.

I also think I figured out hiragana and katakana, but I have to restart my computer first so we will see. Here's hopin'.

Edit: as you can see, I have figured out ひらがな　and かたかな。

So currently kanji is actually not as hard as I expected it to be - it takes a bit of work but it is actually not as terrifying as I thought it might be. The real difficult bit of this chapter is the grammar stuff - mainly particles I think. I understand when to use the different particles but it is sometimes hard to tell if I need a particle at all. Anyway, I am sure I will figure it out.

I just got back from a roadtrip my friend Charles and I took. We went to Richmond to visit Katie again, and then down to Williamsburg to visit my brother at William & Mary - he was throwing a party with the theme '100 years of solide dudes', which turned out quite nicely. Williamsburg seems like a boring town though, so I'm glad I went to UVa. I'm spending the rest of the weekend studying, catching up on reading, and working - though a few friends and I recently got some golf clubs at goodwill and are probably going golfing tomorrow, which promises to be fun.

Chapter 3

We have just started Chapter 3, and dang if it isn't complicated. The verb conjugation seems not so bad, I think I will get a handle on it with practice, and even the new particles are okay and pretty much make sense. Kanji, however, is a different story. Most of the kanji this time aren't so bad, but the kanji for tokei bodes ill for the future. It is so many tiny lines that have such specific placement, and it seems like this is more typical of kanji. I know for sure I will be asking the Chinese speakers in our class for help with that... I'm sure it will make sense with time, but for now I am utterly bamboozled.

This week was extra tough because I had a Sociology exam on the same day as the Japanese chapter test. But I made it through okay... In a few hours I am headed to Richmond to visit my friend Katie at VCU and go to a concert there, which will be fun. The girl who i am going with is taking a night Japanese course at UVA and it's interesting to see the different method her teacher is using - (they only meet once a week,) they are mainly learning complete sentences and phrases and such. I guess if you can afford to meet every day you can go more in depth as to what you are learning.

Anyway, as hard as it is, I am really glad that I took this class, I feel like I have already learned so much, and while it can be hard to keep up, I am confident I will make it to the end.

Katakana! Yikes!

So continuing on in the whimsical world of JAPN 101 is turning out to be in some ways more difficult than I expected, but in many other ways, much simpler. It is difficult in the sense that I spend lots of time on it, hours every day, and it is very troubling to remember all the rules and such, and drills and quizzes can be stressful and I sometimes just blank out on the answers - but I am amazed at how much I have learned in a few short weeks! I have learned a whole new alphabet entirely, and most of a third! In a few days I am sure I will have completely memorized katakana. Two whole new alphabets, and many many grammar rules have been impressed upon me, and even though we are only in week 4 (I think) I remember them all. I don't remember ever learning anything this fast, much less a totally abstract thing which I basically have no frame of reference for (another language which is totally unrelated to english).

Anyway, I plan to spend alot of my weekend studying katakana - I feel like the rules for katakana-izing foreign words is mainly guessing based on pronunciation. Most of the rules are pretty logical - just kind of approximate a word and usually it is correct. I still can't figure out typing in hiragana though; I can read it on my computer now, but when I went to regional/language settings, japanese was not an option. I guess I can use the lab computers if i need to, but it would be nice to be able to type on my own computer.

Here is the website of my Japanese class:
http://uvajapanese102.blogspot.com/
Look at all the other blogs of my classmates!

Hajimemashite! Watashi wa Max Dreyer desu. Baajinia daigaku no ninensee desu. Senmon wa Ongaku desu. Baajinia no Charlottesville kara kimashita.

Welcome to my Japanese 101 blog! I will try to do most of it in Japanese but since we have only just started my vocabulary is quite limited. Currently I am trying to figure out using hiragana on the computer so I can write this properly! Can anybody help me with that? I tried to go to microsoft.com but they say I have to use microsoft office to download the 'japan pack'. Sore wa takai desu ne!

Doozo, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!