Guess who`s back
Okay, I admit it; This post is SHAMEFULLY late. I do apologise, but A) I`ve been having far to much fun to even consider sitting still in front of a computer, and B) I`ve been trying to avoid English as much as possible!
First of all, I should probably explain where I am. Any of you reading this probably know that I was lucky enough to win the Japan Trip last summer, and I can honestly say that it completely erased any unpleasant memories of the dreaded L.C. When I think of sixth year, all that comes to mind are those six fantastic weeks I spent in Suwa. I`m happy to report that I am still in touch with various people I met over there (host family, school friends, etc.), and I`ve been keeping up my language skills by writing/e-mailing in Japanese. HOWEVER, it`s not quite the same as being in the country, is it?
The truth is that I haven`t been able to get Japan out of my mind since I came back last August; the places I saw, things I learned, and, first and foremost, the people I met. I`m not a great advocate of the `if you can`t beat em` join em`` approach to life - but it does apply in certain situations. Japan was never going to come to me, and thus here I am: Tokyo, baby!
Jealous yet?
EIL offer a home-stay programme in Tokyo that lasts for four weeks, and I`d be lying if I said I haven`t bee eying it throughout the year, and let me tell you something: it`s even better than it looks on the website!
Now, there is now way I can possibly describe all I have seen and done in the past four weeks (unless I decide to make a career out of this blog), but I can tell you that it has been spectacular. I hope to make some more entries over the next few days (and more when I get home and actually have time on my hands) detailing what I`ve been up to. I will tell you that it involves one amazing host family, four very interesting weeks of Japanese Language School, copious amounts of sun-cream, indulgent quantities of food, my still-improving-but-nowhere-near-good Japanese, crowded trains, breath-taking views, and hilarious miss-communications. Perhaps I`m sugar-coating it a bit, but as I face my final day of school tomorrow the only though that comes to mind is: NO! DO NOT WANT!
More to follow, promise ;)
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Excuses! =P
But it's one I'm gonna have to steal! Though I'll probably have time in about half an hour... Hmmm... Thanks!
Anyway! So, Tokyo! What have you been upto? I'm ashamed to say that I spoke mostly in English when I went to the festival today! It was all Japanese when we went into my friend's house, and when we were in a group it was Japanese, but when we broke off we just started talking in English! I made friends with a bunch of students who did exchanges in America, you see. BUT. I'm helping them with their English! So you can ALMOST see it as me giving back to Japan a tiny portion of what it's given to me! Right? =S
I would love to hear what you thought of that course! Not that I'm already thinking ahead to next year when I have two weeks left. I'd never do that... >__> I'm gonna start learning kanji by the Heisig method, it's supposed to be really good, probably because it's completely different to the classroom method. How have you been keeping up with your Japanese during the year? I am (with the help of my electronic dictionary) OH SO SLOWLY translating portions of some of the books I bought during my free time here. But having to look almost every kanji in the texts without furigana is just irritating... Would love a few tips!