So I'm still alive... sorry for the absence, dear BLOG and friends.

Life in my new homestay in the city of Kawanishi has been quite fun, and I find I've been learning a lot of new Nihongo (Japanese). This of course, is due to the fact that my Japanese host family speaks very little English, though my host family mother has pretty good listening comprehension (<--- pshhht, "good listening comprehension"... such a typical English teacher phrase).

Previous to this homestay, the phrases I'd say most often, in no particular order:

1. Ohayo! / Ohayo gozaimasu! : "good morning", but often said at the start of work as well.
2. Boku wa nihon-jin ja nai. Amerika-jin desu. : "I'm not Japanese. (I'm) American."
3. hittotsu Mekaazu Makuu wisuki, rokku. : "One Maker's Mark whiskey, on the rocks."
4. Mo hittotsu onigaishimasu. : "Another one, please."
5. Gomenasai... wakarimasen. : "Sorry... (I) don't understand."
6. Mo ichi do / mo ikkai, onigaishimasu : "One more time, please."
7. Yukkuri hanashite kudasai. : "Speak slower, please."

My Japanese language ability is still struggling, but hopefully, I'll start to see some real progress in the next months. I've also signed up for a Japanese class at the city hall. The staff there tested me and placed me in the "intermediate" class, but I think they may have misjudged my Japanese ability... haha. The teacher was speaking at a blistering pace and I swear I could actually hear my neural pathways screaming in pain as my brain strained to comprehend things he was speaking.

I'm also still meeting with my language exchange partner as well... what a nerd I'm beginning! I stay home a lot more studying Japanese than going out with friends.

Yep, yep... the fun of learning Japanese. My friend the Yellow Vato is having similar amounts of fun as well in mastering the Japanese language.

Time to catch the last train. Another update on Sunday... perhaps with pictures of Kawanishi...
posted by G at 5:25 AM   |

in?scrip?tion (n-skrip-shun)n.
1. The act or an instance of inscribing.
2. Something, such as the wording on a coin, medal, monument, or seal, that is inscribed.
3. A short, signed message in a book or on a photograph given as a gift.
4. The usually informal dedication of an artistic work.
5. Jeremiah 31:33