Tuesday, December 08th, 2009 | Author: Kalle
Now that the JLPT is out of the way, I can finally start focusing on preparations for leaving this little isle and going back home. There’s so much shit I need to get done (moving between countries is never easy, even if it is “moving home”), and so little time to do it. No rest for the wicked.
Good thing I can send things via boat from Japan (which you can’t from Sweden, for some reason). Takes months for the stuff to get to the destination but costs nearly nothing.
Category: Life
Tuesday, 8. December 2009
Good luck, and godspeed.
Cu when you get here
Tuesday, 8. December 2009
You and me both! No JLPT for me this year thank goodness, but I’m heading back to the UK in less than two weeks, and it takes so long to pack up 2.5 years of ‘crap’! At least with us we don’t have anything to send over (we’re just going with large suitcases) – instead it’s all going into storage at my in-laws’ apartment.
I wish you luck with the move!
Tuesday, 8. December 2009
6d: yeah, it’ll be awesome seeing you again, my friend.
Mark: you’re heading home too? hehe, good. means I’m not going thru this all by myself.
Are you planning on eventually taking N1 (as it’s called from here on)? If so, where? I am planning on grabbing it while my brain still knows this shit, but it’s not avail in Sweden so I am thinking of going to Denmark to take it there.
Friday, 11. December 2009
I’ll take N1 in a few years, once I’m back in Japan. Only planning to stay in the UK a couple of years, then back. I had enough of intense formal study after 2-kyuu last year, so it’ll be a slower progression towards N1 once I’m back.
My daily life with my wife exists in Japanese, so even while in the UK I will continue to speak Japanese every day, but for sure a lot of the obscure grammar and vocabulary I learnt will be (indeed has already been) forgotten. Instead of Japanese I’m concentrating my spare time on touching a couple of other languages, and travelling to those places, as that greatly interests me.
Are you planning to continue your Japanese studies in Sweden, or are you aiming to maintain your current level through communications with your girlfriend?
Friday, 11. December 2009
I think slow progression is the way to go as long as you have clear cut goals and enough material to keep that progression actually going forward. It’s easy to just get stuck at the same level for years and years, which I’ve seen firsthand with my English students (some of these people have been studying for 15 years and they still barely don’t speak the language). The whole studying other languages as well deal will probably make it even harder for you to get the Japanese fluency, but I have no doubt you’re already well aware of that.
Besides, if you are as you say intending on returning to Japan, your language studies will probably go smoothly enough if not up until that point, then from then on.
So your girlfriend will live in England for several years but only speak Japanese? Does she speak English? Or is she going to study English in England? If so, there might be an epic language-battle by the dinner table.
Sounds fun though, so why not!
As for me, I’m primarily going to be reading a lot of books. I already have half a library worth of stuff and my girlfriend will no doubt bring two libraries worth of books with her when she comes to Sweden (oh the freight costs…) since we both are avid book-fans. That’ll probably be my #1 source of learning and it’s the one place where I feel I lack the most, so it kind of fits hand/glove. I’m more or less done with grammar studies (if you even call that “grammar” — I wouldn’t, but hey), and listening comprehension etc. I only ever fail when the conversation contains words I don’t know, so we again fall back on the vocabulary part. Since I’m going to the university next fall, I’d like to get that N1 before I end up forgetting too much of the “tactics” (which make up something like 80% of the whole test — knowing the type of questions, rather than knowing Japanese per se).
Monday, 14. December 2009
Hey be careful with sending that stuff over in the boat. When we moved to the states we shipped all of our household goods via boat. They ended up loosing a few boxes along the way. I’m thinking my childhood toys are still being played with by the fish
Moving is always difficult, and if I was able to I would give you a hand. Take care and have a Merry Christmas!
Monday, 14. December 2009
Kim!
Eek… that sucks! Though I think they might have sharpened up because from my girlfriend’s friends’ experience, noone’s lost anything of what they’ve sent.
Merry Christmas to you too!