What I'm currently doing

Right now my focus is on learning the appropriate sounds in the japanese language. Today for example, I went online and looked at different Kana (japanese letters) and played their sounds. The goal is not yet to be able to write the Kana. That will be after I can read them. My first priority is learning how to appropriatelly make all the sounds. I spend much of time going through Kana flash cards and trying to remember the sound or going online and watching youtube videos that show the kana and then make the sound.

My goal this week is to spend a minimum of 30 minutes for five days studying Japanese. Yesterday I got a little trigger happy and studied for 2 hours. Today I studied for a little over an hour. I started with 30 minutes because I wanted to have a goal that was feasible but also something that if I accomplished it I would make progress. I also want to make sure I don't burn out. That is a huge concern of mine. Therefore much of what i do revolves around finding ways to not burn out. Will it work? only time will tell.

Little Successes

Yesterday I was riding my bike and passed by a car dealership. As i stared at the lot I looked at the kana (these are basically japanese letters). I was actually able to read one of the kana. I would show you which one it is if I could figure out how to show it with this keyboard but that is a skill i'm not yet studying. It was the "ka" sound. The when I went to the grocery store I saw the same kana again. Basically this is the equivalent of a five year old learning the alphabet and then seeing the letter "A" somewhere and recognizing it makes an "ah" sound...

A Japanese Yoga Class

Yesteray I had the awesome experience of attending a Yoga class in my community. The coolest thing about this was not only did I get a great workout but I was able to practice my japanese listening skills. Right now I am trying to train my ears to be able to hear the Japanese language. Since Yoga is a physical activity where the instructor will model everything he or she says it is a great class for me to practice my listening skills.

About halways thru the class I was able to follow some of the words the instructor was saying. By "follow" I do not mean I understood the english counterpart. I simply mean that I was able to hear and repeat some of the words back in my own head. As I begin to have a grasp on the language these are the experiences that will make it easier for me to have an "ear" for the language.

The class is every week on Tuesdays and I plan to attend every week. Not only is it great exercise but it also allows me to hear japanese then immediatelly see a large group of people do exactly what was stated to do.

My progress thus far

It was last friday when I dared to "tell the world" I would be learning Japanese. By "tell the world" I mean 1) wrote an email to those closest to me telling them I am learning Japanese and why I am doing it. 2) put up a facebook status stating I will learn Japanese and 3) tell all the fellow teachers at my school (I live and work in Japan) that I am going to learn Japanese.

What have I done thus far? Well, my major fear is burnout. Therefore I am taking many measures to prevent burnout. First off, I am trying to make my own goals reasonable yet feasible. My first goal is to study japanese for 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. I have also created a chart which I am tracking this on. I have also purchased a desk and have placed this desk in my home and it is designated for studying Japanese. Anytime i want do do something unproductive (stare at my email, go on facebook, etc) i move my computer away from my japanese desk. I am hoping to create a stimulus (desk) to stimulus (studying japanese) association in time. I have getting everyones opinion on how to best approach learning Japanese.

Another big thing is that I am trying to have fun with it. I went to a hand me down store the other day and brought along my Japanese dictionary. I tried to have a conversation with the cashier regarding the price of an item and if they would deliver it to my house. Now, I was unable to understand anything she said and although she seemed to understand nothing I said it did not deter the cashier from speaking on for a long time in Japanese. I think that because I kept staring at her with listening eyes (cause I was really trying to hear the words and repeat them back in my head) she actually thought I understood her.

Right now, I dont try to translate any japanese words when I hear them (as I only know like 5 words) but instead try to focus on hearing words and repeating them back to my self. I beleive that down the road as I develop a vocabulary my ability to comprehend will improve quicker because of these little moments.

I have identified japanese language classes in the town I am residing in and will be attending those on the weekend (though they are volunteer and i dont know if there is any english taught). I also have signed up for an online textbook called Textfugu. Thus far it is great. i am currently learning the japanese alphabet.

In time, I think the most challenging aspect will be staying motivated. Right now I am very new to Japan therefore it is easy to feel excited. As time goes on i will document my struggles and successes.

The Japanese Alphabets

In America, we use one alphabet. Japan uses three different ones. They are hiragana, katakana, and kanji. So why use three alphabets? Though I want to debate the practicality of it I think my complaints would fall on deaf ears as no one (with any power to change it) would understand me because my complaints would all be in English.

Each Alphabet is used for a different reason though all three are are used together.
Hiragana- used to make sounds for japanese words
Katakana- used to make the shounds for foreign words
Kanji- symbols that represent full words.

Hiragana and katakana have the exact same sounds yet they use different symbols to represent those same sound. Katakana is used to write out words that do not have a japanese origin or is often used to emphasize words (basically where we would use italics to emphasize in America they use katakana to emphasize).

Now onto learning each of these alphabets...

Why a blog?

Basically, I want to have a documentation of my experience learning Japanese. I don't want this to be a textbook to learn Japanese but rather a source of inspiration for those hoping that they too can learn a new language. I want to give an inside view of the psychology and experience that comes along with learning a new language. In particular I want to document the day to day adventure/grind/monotony of it all.

I want a space to write about my own personal experiences trying to learn the language. This will include what I have learned, my day to day experiences, the challenges I face, the frustrations I face, and the successes I accomplish along the way.

I hope that in the distant future this blog can inspire those who desire to learn a new language yet have no foundation in that language.

Am I illiterate?

I moved to Japan approximatelly three weeks ago. I boarded the plane on July 31st and arrived in Tokyo on August 1st. As i began to navigate my way around my daily life it became more and more apparent that my inability to speak Japanese made everything more challenging.

A few recent scenarios:
Is that vinegar or oil at the store? Let me ask the cashier. Oh wait, they don't speak English.
What is this bill for and how much do i need to pay and where do i send it?
Turns out google can't answer every question...

Illiterate- unable to read and write. 2) having or demonstrating very little or no education. 3) showing lack of culture, especially in language (according to dictionary.com)

In America I am an educated hard working competent individual. I have a masters degree in education, love reading books, enjoy writing on the side, and thoroughly enjoy giving speeches. In college I gave a welcome speech to 2000 incoming freshmen students. At work I lead professional developments to a staff of over a hundred employees. I spent four years teaching where I spent the mass majority of my job standing up in front of a critical audience of 11,12, and 13 year olds. That was me... 

The new me accidentally buys liver instead of beef because he cannot read the label. The new me cannot figure out which day to attend the local community center because i cannot read the days of the week on the calendar. The new me spends 45 minutes in the milk aisle trying to figure out which one is fat-free, reduced fat, or creamer. Then to top it off dictionary.com has correctly explained me as: unable to read or write, having little to no education and showing a lack of culture through an inability to communicate.

Talk about an identity crisis...