かんじ！

Learning かんじ is so exciting! The characters have always been so fascinating to me because they're so beautiful and complex. It seems like it's going to be hard to learn them and remember them (and know when to use them!), but it will be totally worth it. Already we know the numbers and the days of the week and months now!

さくぶん てがみ

やまださんへ
はじめまして。ベッカルイスです。じゅうはっさいです。アメリカじんです。コロンビアだいがくのがくせいです。まいあさクラスへいきます。にほんごのクラスがすきです。クラスはむずかしいですがおもしろいです。わたしはにほんごがすこしわかります。えいがのクラスはやさしいです。そしてすてきです。まいばんとしょかんでわたしはべんきょうします。ごぜんいちじにねます。おんがくがすきです。ロックとジャズがすきです。そしてクラシックがよくじょうずです。らいねんのろくがついつかにアメリカからにほんまでいきます。よろしくおねがいします。
ベッカルイス。

JET

Last week I went to a JET information session...it's a program for recently graduated students who go to Japan and teach English to Japanese students. It sounded like such a cool experience! I definitely want to keep that in mind for after I graduate, even though it is really far in the future.

きのう

きのう Albany からNew Yorkまできました。でんしゃでいきました。それからべんきよしました。ろくじにばんごはんをたべました。それからえいがをみました。ごぜんいちじにねました。

Culture in the Classroom

I think one way to get to know Japanese culture better would be to watch parts of different Japanese movies in class. Japanese cinema is so well-regarded in the world, I think it is really an assett to the culture. Of course, we'd probably want to watch them with subtitles :-) . Also, this particularly would interest me because I'm also taking a film class and I'm really interested in film, so connecting these two interests would be really cool! Hopefully we could do that at least once or twice this year.

さくぶん

みなさんこんにちは。ベっか　です。Columbia だいがくのがくせいです。いちねんせいです。じゅうはっさいです。Albany からきました。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。

Abroad

It is exciting to think that in a few years (maybe my junior year), I could study abroad in Japan. I've heard such good things about both Kyoto and Tokyo, I think either one would be amazing to study in. However, I know that in order to feel comfortable going there, I'll want more than just an introductory course worth of Japanese knowledge. I went to France after several years of studying French and it was still overwhelming! I think I will continue to take Japanese up until I have finished at least intermediate 2 (and hopefully more, if I study over the summer). Then, I also realize, that the very best way to learn the language is to immerse myself in the country!

first week of Japanese

Hajime mashite. Becca desu. Watashi wa Columbia Daigaku no gakusei desu. Watashi wa ichinensei desu.

I am interested in taking Japanese because I find Japanese culture so interesting and would love to spend time in the country. My first week of Japanese was a little scary but also very exciting. It is completely different than anything I have learned before, which makes it fun but also hard. I particularly like writing the hiragana. Speaking is the hardest for me; pronunciation is hard and it's hard to put together sentences on the spot.

Dozo yoroshika! -Becca Lewis