The most amazing thing just happened! Uchida-san from the gakuseika came and fixed the tap in my bathroom! It's been trickling water rather than pouring it ever since I got here (a year ago!) until I FINALLY reported it on Friday. I HAVE WATER! I CAN CLEAN MY TOOTHBRUSH PROPERLY!!

It's pretty embarrassing really since I thought it was some huge ( Read more... )

It's no secret to anyone that I dislike Okazaki with the fire of a thousand suns which is why yesterday was such a welcome change. It seems even grey old Okazaki can't fail to look lovely with a dusting of snow -


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Shall I tell you the thing I hate most about Japan and the Japanese?  It's their attitude toward fish and fishing. Why do they think it's okay to torture a fish in ways most wouldn't dream of treating any other living creature? What's worse, they seem to either delight in it or pay it no heed at all. I've lost count of the number of fishing shows I ( Read more... )

And we're off! Today was the start of my 4th term at Yamasa and having gone from 'Q Class' to 'M Class' to 'K Class' and finally, to 'J Class'. Almost all of the people I've been learning with up until now will be leaving after these next three months so it will be interesting to see how the lack of pressure to pass or excel effects their work ( Read more... )

Happy Almost Xmas everyone!

The subject of this post is a bit premature because the end of term isn't until tomorrow, but today saw the last tests of the term so that marks the end in my book. As I type this I feel somewhat outside my own body owing to the fact I have slept only 12 hours in the past three days (and that's if I round it up!) I've ( Read more... )

Boo. Me again, here to mark the second day of the New Aproach textbook and the end (or rather the middle) of a good day.  We're learning some really useful grammar at the moment which we've been able to start using in conversation immediately, thus making it much easier to remember. No doubt thing will all have changed by tomorrow but I felt quite ( Read more... )

Remember me? I figured since my last post (*cough*three months ago*cough*) was about starting Minna no Nihongso II, I should post today about starting the New Approach. Already I miss Minna no Nihongo with it's English definitions and grammer explanations. It took me quite a while today to grasp the very simple concept of 'hodo'. New Approach does ( Read more... )

Whoops. I meant to post ages ago about finishing the first Minna no Nihongo book but apparently I forgot. Then, far more importantly, I meant to post that I had the new Harry Potter novel and that I'd seen the new Harry Potter film but...yeah, same old excuse I'm afraid: I just didn't have time. Which is why, even though I got HP7 the first Monday ( Read more... )

I just thought I'd mention that following that last post I went to bed, even though it was only 5:30 PM. I don't do naps so I figured I'd just go to sleep early since I was so tired and that way I'd wake up really early and get myself into a good sleeping routine. What time did I get up the following morning? 10:45 AM! Given that I didn't get to ( Read more... )

*Yawn* Well that concludes the first week of my second term at Yamasa and my God what have I let myself in for? My icon says it all.

The first 3 days in M Class were genuinely horrible. The teachers talk faster, the work is harder, and I, it appears, am growing dumber. Luckily today and yesterday were better. Still hard, still fast, but somehow ( Read more... )