This doesn't have to be a religious post, but I think I will use zen to back me up here.
Don't compare yourself to others (in fact, not only does zen agree with me, but zen also says not to make comparisons in general--e.g., "this is a good opportunity," "this is a bad opportunity"). But we're coming from a linguistic standpoint today.
There are 12 students including myself in my Japanese speaking class. We're all "at the same level," but of course we've all come from different backgrounds. We all have different strengths within being at that same level--some, though they may not speak much in class, understand more than the rest of us, or maybe their kanji level is better, or maybe their writing skills are very strong. It's easy to look at someone else and judge them entirely based on what you see on the surface.
There's this guy, Y, who was our teacher's favorite for a while. He knew the answer to every question, and it really made me feel pretty deflated and unconfident. Particularly, at my American school, I was top of my class and practically the only person who talked. Having others top me was a situation I had to get used to. Yet, it bothered me that Y was always so adept at defining words and so on.
One day, I happened to sit next to Y (we normally sat on opposite ends of the room). And here's what I noticed: he was using his phone to look everything up! Phones/electronic dictionaries are totally allowed in our classroom, but he was doing it so invisibly that I hadn't noticed--and I don't think most others had, either.
The point is that I'd been beating myself up about not measuring up to him, but he was making use of a resource I wasn't. I'm not saying it's a bad thing that he uses his phone, and we all learn in different ways, but because I was creating this juxtaposition of myself with him, I felt like I wasn't good enough because I couldn't do what he could do. That confidence I lost in myself was a total waste!
What we lose when we compare ourselves to others is often due to something that isn't even there. Comparing ourselves is a method our mind has of creating obstacles for us. Conversely, it's a way of inflating ourselves unrealistically--in hindsight, I might not have been as good as I thought at my American university. It's best to feel content simply by our own actions.
Another story less related to language is about my host dad. He has energy that just never seems to disappear. This man is one of the most amazing people I have ever met (for reasons not related to his energy, as well). He runs, at least several miles a day, if not up to 30, he's building a deck in the backyard, sometimes he makes food, he works crazy hours and comes home at midnight gets like five hours of sleep a day, he is the most loving father and husband, and is just an all-around upbeat, level-headed guy. Most of this is simply in his nature, but I did learn today that he is an avid drinker of coffee on the workdays, which does explain some things. Here I was, thinking that I could never be as energetic as him, but it turns out that he does have some help!
As part of the same conversation, he said he was inspired by how quickly I've learned Japanese, and it sounded a bit like he was beating himself up over not being able to learn English more quickly, especially since he's going to a conference in March that he needs to be able to speak English for. But that is a cruel, cruel comparison to draw for oneself. He has two kids and a wife to support, and all these other things going on that I mentioned above in addition to hanging out with friends. It's amazing he even has time for all that he does!
Learning not to compare yourself to others is a great life lesson, and it definitely has strong ties to learning language--you really have to make the journey your own. I hope you can take this with you and use it to raise you up instead of cut you down!
Finals
Well, good grief. My powers to think are just about exhausted.
I thought I'd have until February to really settle into Japan, get past my culture shock and homesickness, and then decide if I wanted to try and stay here after my classes end next semester.
Within two days of each other, I was offered two incredible opportunities:
1) Being able to stay in Japan for the six months remaining on my visa once classes end, receiving help to pay my rent and travel.
2) A job at the Japanese immersion program I went to a couple years ago and have been yearning to go back to ever since.
Both choices are just too good, and they're ones I don't see a way of repeating. Either way, I can't lose, but it is a really hard decision.
On top of that, I'm trying to find an apartment to move into in ten days, and I have finals. Today is my birthday, and I have class and a final exam straight from 1 until after 6. Some birthday!!
I'm really just kidding about being indignant--I'm celebrating my birthday on Saturday, so today doesn't matter so much. But it is kind of a funny coincidence. That said, I did receive the gift of an extension on my zen paper! That is definitely a win.
I'm off to scrape my eyes across this research paper for my final later. Have a super day!
I thought I'd have until February to really settle into Japan, get past my culture shock and homesickness, and then decide if I wanted to try and stay here after my classes end next semester.
Within two days of each other, I was offered two incredible opportunities:
1) Being able to stay in Japan for the six months remaining on my visa once classes end, receiving help to pay my rent and travel.
2) A job at the Japanese immersion program I went to a couple years ago and have been yearning to go back to ever since.
Both choices are just too good, and they're ones I don't see a way of repeating. Either way, I can't lose, but it is a really hard decision.
On top of that, I'm trying to find an apartment to move into in ten days, and I have finals. Today is my birthday, and I have class and a final exam straight from 1 until after 6. Some birthday!!
I'm really just kidding about being indignant--I'm celebrating my birthday on Saturday, so today doesn't matter so much. But it is kind of a funny coincidence. That said, I did receive the gift of an extension on my zen paper! That is definitely a win.
I'm off to scrape my eyes across this research paper for my final later. Have a super day!
Using Music to Learn Japanese
Music is a great tool when learning a language. It's a fun way to learn vocabulary, and it helps get you in touch with the culture. It's also a great way to passively learn and remain immersed in the culture when you're not able to formally study, or if don't don't actually live in Japan.
Find songs you like!
This was tougher for me than I thought it would be. I'm not a fan of the "processed" sound of music these days, and Japan can really take that to a ten, so I was a little jolted when I first started listening to Japanese music on Japan-A-Radio on the Japan Radio iPhone app. After trying that, I started switching my iTunes over to the Japan store and looking at the top singles. I'd sample them and find artists I like (like Kana Nishino and Yumi Arai). But then one day at work, I searched for Japanese talk radio and, ironically, found a music radio station actually broadcasting out of Fukuchiyama, and it has been a godsend. This station plays so many kinds of music from so many different decades. And thank god for Shazam. It doesn't always work with Japanese music (especially since I like older stuff), but it has helped me to find a lot of songs and artists I like.
So once you've found songs you like, learn the words!
Even if it seems like total nonsense, it does help to get the words in your mouth, first of all, and then what happens is that, after you keep studying, you'll hear some of the words from the songs over and over in conversation and in articles and such. That's how you start to build a sense of what words are important. For instance, I originally learned "itsumo (always)" from a K-On! song.
But let's also keep realistic about studying the lyrics--remember, people don't talk like they sing. Have you ever heard someone describe a woman's behavior like: "With a rebel yell, she cried, 'More, more more'?"
Something else you can try that will make you feel really out of your element is finding a karaoke video of a song you like, and trying to sing along. They usually have furigana (the hiragana over kanji to let you know how it's read), so you should (in theory) be able to read everything. It forces you out of your comfort zone because you can't take time to say, "Oh, is that 'ha' or 'ho'?" With Japanese television and such, the titles move so quickly, that this is actually great training for reading quickly.
Please take these tips and use them to your advantage! How has music helped you on your journey?
Find songs you like!
This was tougher for me than I thought it would be. I'm not a fan of the "processed" sound of music these days, and Japan can really take that to a ten, so I was a little jolted when I first started listening to Japanese music on Japan-A-Radio on the Japan Radio iPhone app. After trying that, I started switching my iTunes over to the Japan store and looking at the top singles. I'd sample them and find artists I like (like Kana Nishino and Yumi Arai). But then one day at work, I searched for Japanese talk radio and, ironically, found a music radio station actually broadcasting out of Fukuchiyama, and it has been a godsend. This station plays so many kinds of music from so many different decades. And thank god for Shazam. It doesn't always work with Japanese music (especially since I like older stuff), but it has helped me to find a lot of songs and artists I like.
So once you've found songs you like, learn the words!
Even if it seems like total nonsense, it does help to get the words in your mouth, first of all, and then what happens is that, after you keep studying, you'll hear some of the words from the songs over and over in conversation and in articles and such. That's how you start to build a sense of what words are important. For instance, I originally learned "itsumo (always)" from a K-On! song.
But let's also keep realistic about studying the lyrics--remember, people don't talk like they sing. Have you ever heard someone describe a woman's behavior like: "With a rebel yell, she cried, 'More, more more'?"
Something else you can try that will make you feel really out of your element is finding a karaoke video of a song you like, and trying to sing along. They usually have furigana (the hiragana over kanji to let you know how it's read), so you should (in theory) be able to read everything. It forces you out of your comfort zone because you can't take time to say, "Oh, is that 'ha' or 'ho'?" With Japanese television and such, the titles move so quickly, that this is actually great training for reading quickly.
Please take these tips and use them to your advantage! How has music helped you on your journey?
I'm like a baby! GOO GOO
I am repeatedly upset at people who set up boundaries for themselves where they have no reason to. I take particular issue with this because it's usually grounded in science (this relates to a whole other post I will likely never write for this blog, but, in a nutshell, I think that, over being beings of science, humans are beings of emotion and are entirely too reliant on numbers, figures, and concrete information these days).
I hear people talk all the time about how they can't learn new skills because they're too old, and, in particular regard to language, I hear this whine from even people as young as myself. Yes, we've all heard about brain development and so on, and I could tell you that I've read studies that show that, when learning new skills, what mature-brained people lack in plasticity is made up by determination, but who the fuck cares! If you want to learn a skill, stop making excuses and just do it! Just because you're past this "critical period" doesn't mean that your brain has stopped functioning. If that was the case, none of our parents would be able to use computers or technology (humorous scornful comments against one's folks encouraged in the comments below).
All this is to say that I have been studying Japanese two or three years, have been in Japan for about three months now, and I'm finding that I have begun to say things I've never actually made a point to study, but have simply absorbed and regurgitated just as any child does when learning his or her own native language. A particularly proud moment for me was several days ago when I uttered an essential Osakan question, "chaun chau?" （ちゃうんちゃう？）, which means, "That is the case, isn't it?" but is iconic of the Osaka dialect (so much so that there's a well-known "only Osakans can understand" conversation in existence). It's possible for us to easily attain information--it doesn't have to be a huge fight; if you just open the window, you'd be surprised how much stuff floats in on its own.
I have no problem stating that I'm aware I have a natural gift toward language. But I cannot help but think that, in addition to that ability, my positive attitude and lack of heed toward these perceived blockades has not exactly held me back. I believe this kind of thinking has really boosted my confidence and made me quite optimistic about my prospects. I believe anything is possible, so I act that way. Those people who value science over all else think there's no chance, and they act that way.
Life is amazing and full of unexpected surprises. Our brains are very complex and also full of surprises. Why assume there's no chance for success when you haven't even tried?
Let me know your experiences learning a foreign language. Am I just full of hogwash?
I hear people talk all the time about how they can't learn new skills because they're too old, and, in particular regard to language, I hear this whine from even people as young as myself. Yes, we've all heard about brain development and so on, and I could tell you that I've read studies that show that, when learning new skills, what mature-brained people lack in plasticity is made up by determination, but who the fuck cares! If you want to learn a skill, stop making excuses and just do it! Just because you're past this "critical period" doesn't mean that your brain has stopped functioning. If that was the case, none of our parents would be able to use computers or technology (humorous scornful comments against one's folks encouraged in the comments below).
All this is to say that I have been studying Japanese two or three years, have been in Japan for about three months now, and I'm finding that I have begun to say things I've never actually made a point to study, but have simply absorbed and regurgitated just as any child does when learning his or her own native language. A particularly proud moment for me was several days ago when I uttered an essential Osakan question, "chaun chau?" （ちゃうんちゃう？）, which means, "That is the case, isn't it?" but is iconic of the Osaka dialect (so much so that there's a well-known "only Osakans can understand" conversation in existence). It's possible for us to easily attain information--it doesn't have to be a huge fight; if you just open the window, you'd be surprised how much stuff floats in on its own.
I have no problem stating that I'm aware I have a natural gift toward language. But I cannot help but think that, in addition to that ability, my positive attitude and lack of heed toward these perceived blockades has not exactly held me back. I believe this kind of thinking has really boosted my confidence and made me quite optimistic about my prospects. I believe anything is possible, so I act that way. Those people who value science over all else think there's no chance, and they act that way.
Life is amazing and full of unexpected surprises. Our brains are very complex and also full of surprises. Why assume there's no chance for success when you haven't even tried?
Let me know your experiences learning a foreign language. Am I just full of hogwash?
What is up with Japanese school scheduling?
Hello there.
I am writing to you today about the strangeness of Japanese scheduling. You might be thinking, "Oh she's talking about Japanese punctuality and how everything starts and ends on time."
Nope, it's something else.
I am actually writing to say that Japanese scheduling makes little sense to me. It's neither good nor bad, just different. But it really just don't make sense.
College classes in the States tend to meet Monday and Wednesday, Tuesday and Thursday, or one day a week. Occasionally, for language classes, there are instances of Monday-Wednesday-Friday. Of course, there are many variations across the country depending on how long the classes meet each time, etc.
When classes take place here seems to have little rhyme or reason. My lecture classes are all over the place--Tuesday at 1 and then Thursday at, say, 3:15. Another is Tuesday and Friday, and the classrooms are different depending on the day.
What is up with this?
With the States' scheduling, it's possible to choose a schedule where all your classes are earlier in the day and a student can have an evening job (or the other way around). It's easier to regulate one's day-to-day life. Does anyone know why Japanese scheduling is the way it is?
Oo-wee, what up with that. What up with that?
(Actually, in regards to "Japanese punctuality," it seems like Osaka might not be on the same page as the rest of Japan...)
I am writing to you today about the strangeness of Japanese scheduling. You might be thinking, "Oh she's talking about Japanese punctuality and how everything starts and ends on time."
Nope, it's something else.
I am actually writing to say that Japanese scheduling makes little sense to me. It's neither good nor bad, just different. But it really just don't make sense.
College classes in the States tend to meet Monday and Wednesday, Tuesday and Thursday, or one day a week. Occasionally, for language classes, there are instances of Monday-Wednesday-Friday. Of course, there are many variations across the country depending on how long the classes meet each time, etc.
When classes take place here seems to have little rhyme or reason. My lecture classes are all over the place--Tuesday at 1 and then Thursday at, say, 3:15. Another is Tuesday and Friday, and the classrooms are different depending on the day.
What is up with this?
With the States' scheduling, it's possible to choose a schedule where all your classes are earlier in the day and a student can have an evening job (or the other way around). It's easier to regulate one's day-to-day life. Does anyone know why Japanese scheduling is the way it is?
Oo-wee, what up with that. What up with that?
(Actually, in regards to "Japanese punctuality," it seems like Osaka might not be on the same page as the rest of Japan...)
When does speaking a foreign language stop being a party trick?
I imagine I'm not alone in this: learning a foreign language, there's something that makes me so giddy about hearing native speakers use vocabulary or grammar I've learned in conversation. For example, I remember when I learned the Japanese grammar, 〜ておく, which is a verb modifier that adds the meaning of "[such and such] done in preparation [for something]" (e.g., "I printed this out (in preparation)"). Learning that, I thought, "That's some weird grammar and quite specific." I didn't think it'd be used very often.
So you can imagine me being surprised and tickled when I realized that Japanese people use this grammar all the time.
What causes these sort of reactions is that we're learning the language with more mature minds instead of just absorbing it as our brain develops like we did with our native languages--we learn the language from a mechanical and structural standpoint, so there's a strange "behind the scenes" sort of feel when we see the puppeteers tugging strings around.
And, unfortunately, that can really make me feel disconnected from the actual conversation I'm having at a given time. Most recently, it came up with my host parents that there had been a death in my family when I was younger. As I told them the story, which had some pretty heart-wrenching plot points, I realized I was more caught up in structuring the sentences; more so than feeling sad about what happened, I was strangely elated by being able to tell the story. The emotions were so gruesomely converse that I felt a little mangled in the process.
So, I ask you the question: at what point does a language stop being a party trick, a skill you can show off by saying certain phrases or telling your friends how to say certain words? When does it become, above all, a realistic communication device? How do we facilitate that transition?
If you've had experience in the transition, let me know in the comments! Am I alone in this phenomenon?
So you can imagine me being surprised and tickled when I realized that Japanese people use this grammar all the time.
What causes these sort of reactions is that we're learning the language with more mature minds instead of just absorbing it as our brain develops like we did with our native languages--we learn the language from a mechanical and structural standpoint, so there's a strange "behind the scenes" sort of feel when we see the puppeteers tugging strings around.
And, unfortunately, that can really make me feel disconnected from the actual conversation I'm having at a given time. Most recently, it came up with my host parents that there had been a death in my family when I was younger. As I told them the story, which had some pretty heart-wrenching plot points, I realized I was more caught up in structuring the sentences; more so than feeling sad about what happened, I was strangely elated by being able to tell the story. The emotions were so gruesomely converse that I felt a little mangled in the process.
So, I ask you the question: at what point does a language stop being a party trick, a skill you can show off by saying certain phrases or telling your friends how to say certain words? When does it become, above all, a realistic communication device? How do we facilitate that transition?
If you've had experience in the transition, let me know in the comments! Am I alone in this phenomenon?
Host Family Week 12: They know EVERYTHING ABOUT ME
I wish I'd been doing a better job about keeping you all up-to-date on my home-stay experience.
Overall, it's been very, very positive. They are just the most wonderful, open-minded, big-hearted, funny, kind people. I really do love them. And I think they love me, too. The five-year-old does, anyway--she often signs her letters to me (yes, letters. yes, we live in the same house) "I looooooove you" (in Japanese, of course--though I think she would love me in English, too, if she knew how to write it).
HOWEVER, I have to say that, holy crap, it is difficult moving into another family's house. It would already be difficult in another family's house in, say, my hometown in the States. Imagine all the difference down to the smallest details--things that seem like common sense to Family A are factors that Family B has never even stopped to think about. And unfortunately, on top of it being a different family in a different house, we're also talking about an entirely different culture in a country I had never been to. First off, there are just general practices and habits that tend to proliferate in the country, and a lot of them are different from what I'm used to in the States. And then, we've got all the other expectations and habits that this family in particular holds.
I completely recognize that this relationship is a two-way street. I am sure that the family has had a lot of frustrations I don't know about based on things I do or don't do that they have quietly beared. I completely acknowledge that and am very grateful. I also recognize that these sort of issues I'm having are an expected aspect of this relationship.
But oh man, I am just exhausted. I have natural tendencies to put others' needs before my own, and to want to do things "right." These two shortcomings on my part have combined to seriously disrupt my life in a lot of ways. Because, think about it: this family knows everything about me. They know how long I take in the shower, how often I wash my hair, when I get up, when I go to sleep, how much I eat, what I don't eat, what I wear every day, when I poop, what I do in my spare time, when I'm on my period, how often I wash my clothes, if my clothes have holes in them or other blemishes someone who's not doing my laundry probably wouldn't notice, how often I'm studying or goofing off, how often I exercise, and the list goes on. Another source of tension is that I haven't lived in a family environment where everyone's all up in my business in over eight years. I think I'd have trouble even just moving back into my own house growing up. On top of this, the mom, who takes great pride in keeping the house and everything in it clean and orderly, is far more detail-oriented than I am, and so she notices a lot of things I don't. All of this has led to some difficult and embarrassing conversations (though, one note I'll make here is that they have been incredibly sensitive to me and communicated very directly and calmly, which I realize is an uncommon skill), as well as more and more rules that make me feel more and more constrained and that seem like I'll just never be able to observe.
I want to be able to do it. I want to feel like I'm a member of the family, of equal standing, that I can live like they do. But I have well over two decades' worth of upbringing in a different environment, a different culture, with different rules, values, and expectations, and not only can I not expect myself to fully comply with my host family's style of life, but I also needn't expect that of myself. The fact is that I am not a part of this family to the same degree that the blood relations are. A trap I find myself in is that of my role as an actor and performer; what I love about my work is that I get "to try other people on." However, I've always maintained a boundary--I don't use my acting skills outside of training or work. So I find myself in a predicament where, as a way of coping, I would love to accept this as a challenge to my skill as an actor, and to "become" the role of "member" to this host family. But I owe it to myself to maintain some consistency. And, though I love playing pretend, I need to have some time where I can let my hair done, let my belly hang out, and just be American Morgan.
It's all a huge jumble; I have to meet them halfway and fulfill certain obligations and expectations as they are meeting me halfway and tolerating who knows what of mine. But through respecting, observing, and trying to protect the parameters I'm given, relaxing at home can be very difficult.
Now, think about this for a moment: I'm in an unfamiliar country with which I have no experience, I'm very far from home, I had tenuous connections at best in this country before I came here so my social circle is still quite rudimentary, and I'm prone to stress. I have classes from Monday through Friday, and am normally booked up for the weekend. When I'm home, I need to be able to relax. That has been difficult. I'm always concerned about the state of my room, of my luggage, of how I'm leaving my shoes in the genkan. I am a considerate person by nature, and this element of my personality, in addition to the pitfalls of mine I've mentioned above, are really taxed right now. I've lived with this family for twelve weeks so far, and I still have about five left. That's over a month. I don't want to be counting the days, and I'll be very sad to leave on one level, but I'll also be quite relieved. Particularly because of one other factor I haven't mentioned:
My host mom is a great chef. I love her food, and she makes a great variety of very balanced meals. But they're balanced for a Japanese person. It's not just for my tastes, but for my physical makeup, I need more fruits and vegetables. I've taken to cramming them as much as I can at school, but it's just not enough. I'm not used to eating pretty much any meat, let alone meat more than once in a day. So this, in itself, has resulted in a lot of physical distress, to be honest. That one, I really don't know how to resolve. I can't very well ask my host mom to make a special meal for me all by myself, especially when I'm trying to fit in here.
So, I suppose I'm writing this to give you an honest account of what living with a host family can be like. It is such a rewarding experience on the whole. From a "learning opportunity" standpoint, I've learned a lot about how Japanese families function, how they interact with other people, how households function differently from the States', and I've also learned a lot of Osaka-ben. I've also met some of the most wonderful people and been very lucky to be treated to all the opportunities they've provided. But it is an immense commitment. You really do have to be flexible, respectful, and cognizant of your own behavior.
I would love to hear your feedback and your host family stories, as well! See you in the comments!
Morgan
Overall, it's been very, very positive. They are just the most wonderful, open-minded, big-hearted, funny, kind people. I really do love them. And I think they love me, too. The five-year-old does, anyway--she often signs her letters to me (yes, letters. yes, we live in the same house) "I looooooove you" (in Japanese, of course--though I think she would love me in English, too, if she knew how to write it).
HOWEVER, I have to say that, holy crap, it is difficult moving into another family's house. It would already be difficult in another family's house in, say, my hometown in the States. Imagine all the difference down to the smallest details--things that seem like common sense to Family A are factors that Family B has never even stopped to think about. And unfortunately, on top of it being a different family in a different house, we're also talking about an entirely different culture in a country I had never been to. First off, there are just general practices and habits that tend to proliferate in the country, and a lot of them are different from what I'm used to in the States. And then, we've got all the other expectations and habits that this family in particular holds.
I completely recognize that this relationship is a two-way street. I am sure that the family has had a lot of frustrations I don't know about based on things I do or don't do that they have quietly beared. I completely acknowledge that and am very grateful. I also recognize that these sort of issues I'm having are an expected aspect of this relationship.
But oh man, I am just exhausted. I have natural tendencies to put others' needs before my own, and to want to do things "right." These two shortcomings on my part have combined to seriously disrupt my life in a lot of ways. Because, think about it: this family knows everything about me. They know how long I take in the shower, how often I wash my hair, when I get up, when I go to sleep, how much I eat, what I don't eat, what I wear every day, when I poop, what I do in my spare time, when I'm on my period, how often I wash my clothes, if my clothes have holes in them or other blemishes someone who's not doing my laundry probably wouldn't notice, how often I'm studying or goofing off, how often I exercise, and the list goes on. Another source of tension is that I haven't lived in a family environment where everyone's all up in my business in over eight years. I think I'd have trouble even just moving back into my own house growing up. On top of this, the mom, who takes great pride in keeping the house and everything in it clean and orderly, is far more detail-oriented than I am, and so she notices a lot of things I don't. All of this has led to some difficult and embarrassing conversations (though, one note I'll make here is that they have been incredibly sensitive to me and communicated very directly and calmly, which I realize is an uncommon skill), as well as more and more rules that make me feel more and more constrained and that seem like I'll just never be able to observe.
I want to be able to do it. I want to feel like I'm a member of the family, of equal standing, that I can live like they do. But I have well over two decades' worth of upbringing in a different environment, a different culture, with different rules, values, and expectations, and not only can I not expect myself to fully comply with my host family's style of life, but I also needn't expect that of myself. The fact is that I am not a part of this family to the same degree that the blood relations are. A trap I find myself in is that of my role as an actor and performer; what I love about my work is that I get "to try other people on." However, I've always maintained a boundary--I don't use my acting skills outside of training or work. So I find myself in a predicament where, as a way of coping, I would love to accept this as a challenge to my skill as an actor, and to "become" the role of "member" to this host family. But I owe it to myself to maintain some consistency. And, though I love playing pretend, I need to have some time where I can let my hair done, let my belly hang out, and just be American Morgan.
It's all a huge jumble; I have to meet them halfway and fulfill certain obligations and expectations as they are meeting me halfway and tolerating who knows what of mine. But through respecting, observing, and trying to protect the parameters I'm given, relaxing at home can be very difficult.
Now, think about this for a moment: I'm in an unfamiliar country with which I have no experience, I'm very far from home, I had tenuous connections at best in this country before I came here so my social circle is still quite rudimentary, and I'm prone to stress. I have classes from Monday through Friday, and am normally booked up for the weekend. When I'm home, I need to be able to relax. That has been difficult. I'm always concerned about the state of my room, of my luggage, of how I'm leaving my shoes in the genkan. I am a considerate person by nature, and this element of my personality, in addition to the pitfalls of mine I've mentioned above, are really taxed right now. I've lived with this family for twelve weeks so far, and I still have about five left. That's over a month. I don't want to be counting the days, and I'll be very sad to leave on one level, but I'll also be quite relieved. Particularly because of one other factor I haven't mentioned:
My host mom is a great chef. I love her food, and she makes a great variety of very balanced meals. But they're balanced for a Japanese person. It's not just for my tastes, but for my physical makeup, I need more fruits and vegetables. I've taken to cramming them as much as I can at school, but it's just not enough. I'm not used to eating pretty much any meat, let alone meat more than once in a day. So this, in itself, has resulted in a lot of physical distress, to be honest. That one, I really don't know how to resolve. I can't very well ask my host mom to make a special meal for me all by myself, especially when I'm trying to fit in here.
So, I suppose I'm writing this to give you an honest account of what living with a host family can be like. It is such a rewarding experience on the whole. From a "learning opportunity" standpoint, I've learned a lot about how Japanese families function, how they interact with other people, how households function differently from the States', and I've also learned a lot of Osaka-ben. I've also met some of the most wonderful people and been very lucky to be treated to all the opportunities they've provided. But it is an immense commitment. You really do have to be flexible, respectful, and cognizant of your own behavior.
I would love to hear your feedback and your host family stories, as well! See you in the comments!
Morgan
One more midterm
Hi folks,
I'm writing to you today because I decided to take a break from studying again.
I haven't studied much.
I have one more midterm tomorrow--my reading and writing class--and a paper due, and then I am (mostly) free. One of my teachers decided to have the midterm next week, so there you go. But I am mostly free.
This student stuff is exhausting. Midterms just seem too intense, at least for language, anyway. I appreciate unit tests, as I think they accurately show what you understood from the lessons. I imagine that midterms are conducted to gauge how much a student has retained from the class so far, but I don't think that's what it ends up showing. I think it shows that the student is able to study a lot in order to remember some information for a test, but I'm not sure it's anything more than cramming, which the student then immediately forgets again after the test. As long as the student understood the information well, they have the tools to continue their study and make an effort to accurately retain the information if they so choose. But at least at the university level, we're old enough to decide if we want to retain the information or not.
This turned into a big rant, but what do you think? Do you think tests have any purpose? Do you like the system you're in? What would you change?
Let me know in the comments!
Morgan
I'm writing to you today because I decided to take a break from studying again.
I haven't studied much.
I have one more midterm tomorrow--my reading and writing class--and a paper due, and then I am (mostly) free. One of my teachers decided to have the midterm next week, so there you go. But I am mostly free.
This student stuff is exhausting. Midterms just seem too intense, at least for language, anyway. I appreciate unit tests, as I think they accurately show what you understood from the lessons. I imagine that midterms are conducted to gauge how much a student has retained from the class so far, but I don't think that's what it ends up showing. I think it shows that the student is able to study a lot in order to remember some information for a test, but I'm not sure it's anything more than cramming, which the student then immediately forgets again after the test. As long as the student understood the information well, they have the tools to continue their study and make an effort to accurately retain the information if they so choose. But at least at the university level, we're old enough to decide if we want to retain the information or not.
This turned into a big rant, but what do you think? Do you think tests have any purpose? Do you like the system you're in? What would you change?
Let me know in the comments!
Morgan
My adventure with tonsillitis in Japan!
This has been an interesting week. I think I’m allergic to MSG, based on some incidents I’ve had in the past with Chinese food (that, or some other chemical in Asian food). Regardless, I got a dish from the cafeteria a week ago Thursday and felt pretty bad afterword. I lost my appetite and just felt cruddy. Well, it was then that my immune system said, “NOW’S OUR CHANCE,” and decided to force me to take a break. By contracting tonsillitis.
I really didn’t feel tired, but was coughing quite a lot, and then finally, about a week after the cafeteria incident, my voice started to sound like it was coming out of a gramophone. And then it disappeared completely. This has been fun, considering that there are already communication issues. Before you get alarmed, I did go to a doctor, but hold on.
Through this experience, I have learned that Japanese people (well, I’m basing this on the five-year-old, really) are terrible at guessing charades. Let me tell you, I can do some charades. I can do them all day and I will win. And this girl just cannot guess what I’m trying to say. One fatal flaw in this communication farce is that they don’t understand that one finger up means, “wait a minute,” or, “just a second,” a gesture I reckon we’ve all taken for granted. But after a meal, I smiled and rubbed my tummy to say, “The food was good,” and she goes, “Your stomach hurts?” I mean, I ask you.
I have to say, though: people here are just so nice and unbelievably thoughtful that I can’t even stand it sometimes. The older host sister, made me little packets of cards that have essential phrases on them since I can’t talk. I am proud to say that “nan de ya nen,” an essential Osaka phrase, made it on the list. I’ll have to explain this another time. Part of what’s so overwhelming about this kind treatment is that they make little pomp or circumstance of it. The Japanese don’t tend to like drawing attention to themselves, so they just do things quietly, silently. My host sister didn’t say, “I made these for you,” she just said, “Here,” and when I tried to give them back (didn’t want to assume), she just said, “I’m giving them to you.”
The Japanese version of “I love you,” is known as something that only the rarest of couples say to each other (in strict moderation), or something you finally say at someone’s death bed. They think it’s weird how much we use the verb, and instead show their love through these kinds of gestures. It may not read so warm and fuzzy on paper, but I can say from experience that ya feel it!!!!! The people here are so welcoming to and nurturing of foreigners.
Switching back to tonsillitis here (which I’m just delighted to facilitate for you), it means that I had my first Japanese doctor experience. My host mom has really taken the “mom away from home” thing to heart, and bless her for it. She has been a rock star. She took me to a nearby doctor’s office with the five-year-old before kindergarten the other day. We signed up at 8:30 for an appointment and were seen shortly after they officially opened at 9. Apparently, the doctor doesn’t come to see you in your own room here (at least, at this office)—you go to see him. He asks if I understand Japanese, and the mom cautions him to maybe speak slowly. We go through the, “What hurts,” “Can you eat,” song and dance, and then he takes one look at my throat and it was all over. I think I’m understanding everything he’s saying as he goes on about giving me medicine and so forth, and then he asks if I have any questions. I go, “So it’s just a normal cold?”
And then, in perfect English, he goes, “You have tonsillitis. I’m going to give you some antibiotics.”
This would be the point where I do this Osaka reaction to something surprising or ridiculous where you just fall over.
I don't know what I was more shocked at--that I had tonsillitis or that he was patient enough to speak to me in English, despite being fluent in Japanese! What's up, Doc! This was not exactly the most metropolitan area.
So, I guess there's hope for those of you who don't speak much Japanese. English-speaking doctors might not be so uncommon!
Have you had an experience getting medical attention as a foreigner? Please share your story in the comments.
I don't know what I was more shocked at--that I had tonsillitis or that he was patient enough to speak to me in English, despite being fluent in Japanese! What's up, Doc! This was not exactly the most metropolitan area.
So, I guess there's hope for those of you who don't speak much Japanese. English-speaking doctors might not be so uncommon!
Have you had an experience getting medical attention as a foreigner? Please share your story in the comments.
Another voiceless escapade:
The doorbell rings on Saturday evening while my family was out of the house, and I go down, thinking it’s them—the kids often ring the bell instead of waiting for the ‘rents to come unlock it. Well, it turns out it’s a delivery person. I open the door as he’s grabbing a box from the van, and when he turns back, he sees me. His eyes widen, his mouth becomes a perfect O—you would not believe the look of unmasked shock on this guy’s face (Japanese can be pretty good at concealing this sort of stuff—unless under extreme circumstances). Though not to his level, I was also pretty surprised that I was able to get out the words, “I’ve got a cold so… (I can’t really talk).” And then, despite my perfect Japanese sentence, he does this big mime with the pen and goes, “Sign…?” I swear, sometimes I think if a badger went around speaking Japanese here, no one would notice.
Well, till next time!
Morgan
Morgan
My Big Debut in Japan!
Some of you know I’m pretty excited about this traditional form of storytelling here called rakugo (and it looks like I get to do an independent study on it next semester!). It came up around the same time as Shakespeare, so the language can be pretty hard to understand, even for native speakers. It’s performed by one person who plays all the characters, differentiating them through subtle physical and vocal changes. I was first exposed to it at the language school I went to last year. If you’re interested in watching a very excited British woman explain it more in detail, please click here.
Anyway, I went by myself this past Saturday to a 10 AM performance. As expected, I was called out for being the only foreigner in the audience. As someone who enjoys clowning and performing for people, I think I take this “foreigner as zoo animal” phenomenon better than some of my fellows here, but it really can get exhausting always getting called out for being different when I’m just trying to blend in. Japan lives on blending in.
Anyway, it turns out this performance was more like a “Rakugo 101” sort of thing, so they explained how the performer, who’s allotted a folding fan and a small towel as his/her only props, can use the props as different objects. We all wrote down our names and ideas of how else to use them, and handed them in. They call a couple young boys up to the stage, who act out the different uses they came up with then go back to their seats, then they call up an adult. And then what do you know, they call me up to the stage.
Learn from me, people: when you come to Japan, I don’t care how cool you think your shoes are. Think very hard before you bring shoes here that will take you longer than immediately to take off. You will have issues.
I was wearing some Converse-style high-tops. I got down to the little staircase up to the stage and one of the knots just would not come undone. I was using the bottom stair to try and pry it off, and I RIPPED A BOARD OUT.
Most people in the audience, I think, didn’t see it happen, but the rakugo guy standing there was, despite comedy permeating every situation here in Osaka, was so stunned he couldn’t make a joke.
So I apologized about five times (which is like once in English, so maybe I’m rude) and just went up the stairs because I didn’t exactly have my tool belt on me.
These two rakugo guys are up there, and I plop down on the cushion in between them. They, of course, remark on my being able to sit seiza style because who’da thunk it—a foreigner can sit with her legs folded! They are, of course, shocked that I’m even there, let alone have seen rakugo before, and, as it turns out, one of the three guys who came to my language school last year is actually quite famous, so that was even more surprising. Then, they ask how long I’ve been in Japan, and I say a month. That’s a reaction I never get tired of!
Well, it was then that I made the mistake of saying that I’ve done rakugo before. There was a rakugo club at the language school I went to last year, and I performed a short story at the talent show. In Japan, when you say something like that, there is just no way of getting out of displaying your talents, so I ended up murdering my way through this one-minute story I haven’t recited in over a year, but they all clapped and were very nice. They handed me this little envelope, and I very dazedly stumbled back to my seat with my shoes half on, as the rakugo guy at the stairs deliberately cacophonously “hammered” the stairs back together. It wasn’t until the next day that I even opened the envelope—there was 100 yen in it! That’s about 88 cents in American sense, but I earned money, which means I’m a PRO now!
That’s not even half my weekend, but certainly the most “write home about” news there was!
When the real family and host family collide!
So, as I've mentioned, I'm currently living in Osaka with a host family while I study here. They are the sweetest people--there's a five-year-old, a nine-year-old, and a mom and dad. They are all very Osaka, which is what I was hoping for, which means they are way less closed off than the Japanese are at least generalized as being, and are quite silly. They are also, as you could gather, speakers of the Osaka dialect, which I'm a student of, so it's great practice. More on that another time.
Anyway, tonight, after living with them now for four weeks, is the night they meet my mom (via video chat). Everyone is very excited to meet here, and, through an incident earlier today when I was trying to teach my mom how to introduce herself in Kansai-ben, it has been confirmed that all parties involved are quite silly and going to get along just fine.
I'm also making my mom's English beef stew (with beer!) tonight. That is the thing I am personally most nervous about. I never cook meat for myself, and it's also my first time cooking for them, so I hope it goes well. Wish me luck!
-Morgan
Anyway, tonight, after living with them now for four weeks, is the night they meet my mom (via video chat). Everyone is very excited to meet here, and, through an incident earlier today when I was trying to teach my mom how to introduce herself in Kansai-ben, it has been confirmed that all parties involved are quite silly and going to get along just fine.
I'm also making my mom's English beef stew (with beer!) tonight. That is the thing I am personally most nervous about. I never cook meat for myself, and it's also my first time cooking for them, so I hope it goes well. Wish me luck!
-Morgan
All the katakana you know is a lie
Okay, that may be an overstatement, but at least it got you to read. And it feels true, anyway.
I came to Japan for the first time about three weeks ago, and will be living here for about the next year. So that means I'm in the "Ooh, listen to what I noticed from my new and fresh culture-shocked perspective" phase. But I hope you do find it interesting and possibly helpful.
If you are taking Japanese, you have no doubt heard a lot of English words turned into katakana--katakanized? Can I say that? Yes, I will--and you have no doubt had one of two reactions:
1) Pff, so basically all I have to do is speak English but put the verb at the end--this isn't gonna be so hard.
or
2) This can't all be real Japanese.
If you had reaction 2, as I did, you are right. As I continued learning Japanese, I started wondering if maybe I was wrong--the same English words kept coming up (クラブ kurabu, which means "club," for instance--a girl I talked to today used 部活（ぶかつ）bukatsu, instead), and every time I looked up a word on Google Translate (which I stopped doing long ago--it's very inaccurate for Japanese), it would just give me katakana of the word I'd looked up.
Now that I'm in Japan, I have to say--they use far less katakanized words than I thought. And a lot of words I thought they would get (we used the word オノマトペ onomatope, which means onomatopoeia, in my Japanese classes all the time), they don't know (I think オノマトペ is just used by language specialists).
It's also worth mentioning that the people who do know English words are of a certain age. I'm staying with a family with kids aged 9 and 5, and anytime I used katakana, I get a blank stare. This also goes for the older generation.
I actually quite like that they don't use foreign words too much. I understand it's fashionable to use English in pretty much any circumstance (even I have already been converted--I was very tempted to use romaji headings on a recent presentation), but using one's own native words shows a national pride that I admire. Though their national fervor is likely not close to that of the French.
So what to do?
My recommendation to you is to use your teachers, your dictionaries, forums, and other resources to find out how to say everything you're learning in native Japanese (let's not get too picky about if it came from China 500 years ago). It's a good exercise in being able to communicate with anyone of any age or linguistic background. The whole point of learning a language is to be understood, so I encourage you to ensure your goal is accomplished by going a little outside of what's fashionable.
So, what do you think? Are you pro-katakana? Do you think English has no place in Japanese? Let me know your thoughts, opinions, and stories in the comments!
I came to Japan for the first time about three weeks ago, and will be living here for about the next year. So that means I'm in the "Ooh, listen to what I noticed from my new and fresh culture-shocked perspective" phase. But I hope you do find it interesting and possibly helpful.
If you are taking Japanese, you have no doubt heard a lot of English words turned into katakana--katakanized? Can I say that? Yes, I will--and you have no doubt had one of two reactions:
1) Pff, so basically all I have to do is speak English but put the verb at the end--this isn't gonna be so hard.
or
2) This can't all be real Japanese.
If you had reaction 2, as I did, you are right. As I continued learning Japanese, I started wondering if maybe I was wrong--the same English words kept coming up (クラブ kurabu, which means "club," for instance--a girl I talked to today used 部活（ぶかつ）bukatsu, instead), and every time I looked up a word on Google Translate (which I stopped doing long ago--it's very inaccurate for Japanese), it would just give me katakana of the word I'd looked up.
Now that I'm in Japan, I have to say--they use far less katakanized words than I thought. And a lot of words I thought they would get (we used the word オノマトペ onomatope, which means onomatopoeia, in my Japanese classes all the time), they don't know (I think オノマトペ is just used by language specialists).
It's also worth mentioning that the people who do know English words are of a certain age. I'm staying with a family with kids aged 9 and 5, and anytime I used katakana, I get a blank stare. This also goes for the older generation.
I actually quite like that they don't use foreign words too much. I understand it's fashionable to use English in pretty much any circumstance (even I have already been converted--I was very tempted to use romaji headings on a recent presentation), but using one's own native words shows a national pride that I admire. Though their national fervor is likely not close to that of the French.
So what to do?
My recommendation to you is to use your teachers, your dictionaries, forums, and other resources to find out how to say everything you're learning in native Japanese (let's not get too picky about if it came from China 500 years ago). It's a good exercise in being able to communicate with anyone of any age or linguistic background. The whole point of learning a language is to be understood, so I encourage you to ensure your goal is accomplished by going a little outside of what's fashionable.
So, what do you think? Are you pro-katakana? Do you think English has no place in Japanese? Let me know your thoughts, opinions, and stories in the comments!
Learning Japanese isn't Sexy
Growing up, most of us had opportunities to learn foreign languages in school, and the choices were made, 90% of the time, based on which one sounded the prettiest or most exotic. In general, at my schools, that always meant French. French was the cool, I'm-gonna-get-laid language that everyone wanted to learn. Was that the case at your school?
As I'm learning Japanese, I'm realizing I have this ingrained notion that learning a foreign language makes me more attractive. When you see someone fluent in French or Spanish, maybe, doesn't that make them look sexier?
However, that is absolutely not the case with Japanese. In general, people outside of the Japanese community have two reactions when they find out I'm studying: I can see a running list of questions forming on their faces ("Is she a nerd?" "Is she obsessed with anime?" "Why Japanese? It's so irrelevant," etc.), and then they comment on how "hard" it must be. They just don't seem to know how to react and generally appear at a loss for words or reaction at all.
France is the country of amorous people, Spanish-speaking countries (and Italy) are the stereotypical homes to amorous and dark, handsome people. Japan's vibe, on the other hand, is pretty brain-centric, don't you think? They're stereotyped for intelligence, honor, thinking before they speak, politeness, etc. To the West, I'm not sure those are the first qualities that come up when we think of what's sexy.
So, as this has been hitting me, I've been realizing I feel almost like I'm not getting enough out of learning Japanese. My whole life, there's been this strange association between speaking another language and appearing more attractive to other people, and now that that isn't being fulfilled, I'm almost tempted to quit.
I don't mean this in any real sense--I'm not learning Japanese in order to appear more attractive, and I certainly wouldn't quit over something that insignificant. But that imbedded association is so deep that it has actually caused some unrest in these deep-set expectations!
I'm mostly just looking at this from a psychological, ethical, and sociological standpoint. Does this hold true for you? Do you feel that this is an attraction to learning a language, so that you will be perceived as more attractive because you come off as more cultured and able to speak pretty words? Or is it just me?
Let me know in the comments below!
As I'm learning Japanese, I'm realizing I have this ingrained notion that learning a foreign language makes me more attractive. When you see someone fluent in French or Spanish, maybe, doesn't that make them look sexier?
However, that is absolutely not the case with Japanese. In general, people outside of the Japanese community have two reactions when they find out I'm studying: I can see a running list of questions forming on their faces ("Is she a nerd?" "Is she obsessed with anime?" "Why Japanese? It's so irrelevant," etc.), and then they comment on how "hard" it must be. They just don't seem to know how to react and generally appear at a loss for words or reaction at all.
France is the country of amorous people, Spanish-speaking countries (and Italy) are the stereotypical homes to amorous and dark, handsome people. Japan's vibe, on the other hand, is pretty brain-centric, don't you think? They're stereotyped for intelligence, honor, thinking before they speak, politeness, etc. To the West, I'm not sure those are the first qualities that come up when we think of what's sexy.
So, as this has been hitting me, I've been realizing I feel almost like I'm not getting enough out of learning Japanese. My whole life, there's been this strange association between speaking another language and appearing more attractive to other people, and now that that isn't being fulfilled, I'm almost tempted to quit.
I don't mean this in any real sense--I'm not learning Japanese in order to appear more attractive, and I certainly wouldn't quit over something that insignificant. But that imbedded association is so deep that it has actually caused some unrest in these deep-set expectations!
I'm mostly just looking at this from a psychological, ethical, and sociological standpoint. Does this hold true for you? Do you feel that this is an attraction to learning a language, so that you will be perceived as more attractive because you come off as more cultured and able to speak pretty words? Or is it just me?
Let me know in the comments below!
Happy New Year
And we're back in Japaradise!
Happy New Year to all, and I hope you had a wonderful holiday.
I took a big break from vlogging, tweeting, and blogging. I'm not sure I'm ready to come back full force because I'm still really deciding on my battle plan, but writing is the easiest part for me, so I wanted to drop you all a line.
Here is what I'm thinking for this year as far as injaparadise goes:
On this blog, I will write posts in both English and Japanese for people learning about the cultures of America, the West, and/or Japan. I really enjoy teaching, so I want to share my experiences and tips about learning Japanese, but I'm not ready to start making videos of them yet.
I'm hoping to post at least once a week, and we'll see where that gets us. I've been blogging, vlogging, and tweeting in various capacities since 2008, but I have never held myself to a schedule, so this is new to me (in addition to being a full-time student and having a part-time job)!
----------------------------------
All that said, I wanted to holler at my fellow studying peeps and empathize with you all--for the first time in quite a while, I stopped studying my Anki cards for well over a month. I'm now trying to catch up on all of them, as well as learn new vocab for my two vocab tests Wednesday, and it is making my brain seize up. So if you're hitting some roadblocks, I am right there with you!
What are you studying now? What's your favorite method for learning new vocab?
Looking forward to a fun 2015 with you all!
injaparadise
Happy New Year to all, and I hope you had a wonderful holiday.
I took a big break from vlogging, tweeting, and blogging. I'm not sure I'm ready to come back full force because I'm still really deciding on my battle plan, but writing is the easiest part for me, so I wanted to drop you all a line.
Here is what I'm thinking for this year as far as injaparadise goes:
On this blog, I will write posts in both English and Japanese for people learning about the cultures of America, the West, and/or Japan. I really enjoy teaching, so I want to share my experiences and tips about learning Japanese, but I'm not ready to start making videos of them yet.
I'm hoping to post at least once a week, and we'll see where that gets us. I've been blogging, vlogging, and tweeting in various capacities since 2008, but I have never held myself to a schedule, so this is new to me (in addition to being a full-time student and having a part-time job)!
----------------------------------
All that said, I wanted to holler at my fellow studying peeps and empathize with you all--for the first time in quite a while, I stopped studying my Anki cards for well over a month. I'm now trying to catch up on all of them, as well as learn new vocab for my two vocab tests Wednesday, and it is making my brain seize up. So if you're hitting some roadblocks, I am right there with you!
What are you studying now? What's your favorite method for learning new vocab?
Looking forward to a fun 2015 with you all!
injaparadise
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