Comments on: J is for Japanese… http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/ An Aussie girl living in Tokyo with her Japanese boyfriend trying to make sense of her crazy yet funny Japanese life... Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:52:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Lulu http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1415 Lulu Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:57:20 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1415 Marita: Wow, my first peice of blog bling. That I know of!!! Thanks very much, you made my day! Marita: Wow, my first peice of blog bling. That I know of!!! Thanks very much, you made my day!

]]> By: Marita http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1414 Marita Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:56:41 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1414 Catch! I've flung some blog bling your way :smile: http://leechbabe.blogspot.com/2008/03/o-holy-heatwave.html I love your post and the alphabet idea is a great way to work on writing skills Catch! I’ve flung some blog bling your way :smile:

http://leechbabe.blogspot.com/2008/03/o-holy-heatwave.html

I love your post and the alphabet idea is a great way to work on writing skills

]]> By: Lulu http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1409 Lulu Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:43:48 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1409 Katie: That`s right! I forgot you would be off to Germany so soon for the family reunion!!! How exciting!!! Travel safe! I fear that I will miss Japan terribly when I am back in Australia but I will be sure to get my Australian fix for awhile if I am spending a year back there. I won`t be back til mid-may, the 14th I think. I booked a ticket earlier this week.....only 60,000yen one way...not bad huh? Can`t wait to hear all your german adventures when we meet up for coffee when I am back in Australia!!! Mandy- I check your blog on my reader even when it says there is nothing there. I need my mandy fix!! Hurry up and start blogging everyday girl!!! hehe. Will email you about 101 things.....still writing my list. Hope to finish it this week though! Basic dutch, can`t really help you there. Try podcasts!!! Then practice with Tom! Do you have a simple phrase book?? The accent and pronunciation would be the hardest part...practice makes perfect! Katie: That`s right! I forgot you would be off to Germany so soon for the family reunion!!! How exciting!!! Travel safe! I fear that I will miss Japan terribly when I am back in Australia but I will be sure to get my Australian fix for awhile if I am spending a year back there. I won`t be back til mid-may, the 14th I think. I booked a ticket earlier this week…..only 60,000yen one way…not bad huh?

Can`t wait to hear all your german adventures when we meet up for coffee when I am back in Australia!!!

Mandy- I check your blog on my reader even when it says there is nothing there. I need my mandy fix!! Hurry up and start blogging everyday girl!!! hehe. Will email you about 101 things…..still writing my list. Hope to finish it this week though!

Basic dutch, can`t really help you there. Try podcasts!!! Then practice with Tom! Do you have a simple phrase book?? The accent and pronunciation would be the hardest part…practice makes perfect!

]]> By: Mandy http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1408 Mandy Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:11:15 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1408 Hey Lulu! I've been so bad with updating my blog, but am onto it now. I need to be able to sart the 101 in 1001 days thing and need your expert advice! Also, I really want to learn some basic Dutch - have the perfect teacher living with me! But it's hard as I really need a set way to learn the words and progress rather than asking Tom willy-nilly what such and such is in Dutch. I am so envious of your Japanese speaking ability! xxxxx Hey Lulu! I’ve been so bad with updating my blog, but am onto it now. I need to be able to sart the 101 in 1001 days thing and need your expert advice!

Also, I really want to learn some basic Dutch - have the perfect teacher living with me! But it’s hard as I really need a set way to learn the words and progress rather than asking Tom willy-nilly what such and such is in Dutch. I am so envious of your Japanese speaking ability! xxxxx

]]> By: Katie http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1407 Katie Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:11:05 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1407 As always a great read Lulu! I'm off to Germany this week..back in the first week of May! Will you already be in Brisbane then? Will be nice to catch up whenever you get here! I've been missing Japan heaps lately...doesn't look like I'll be stopping over in Japan though...Dad booked the flight so we are going via some arab country! ha ha! As always a great read Lulu! I’m off to Germany this week..back in the first week of May! Will you already be in Brisbane then? Will be nice to catch up whenever you get here! I’ve been missing Japan heaps lately…doesn’t look like I’ll be stopping over in Japan though…Dad booked the flight so we are going via some arab country! ha ha!

]]> By: Lulu http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1406 Lulu Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:50:56 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1406 Paul- Do you know how many x-rays I have had in my life? You know how many times i have fallen over or injured myself....how could x not be for x-rays! hehe and for Z, well I have a couple of ideas but will have to see! Good old mrs Shield!!! So you going to join Mandy and me to do 101 things in 1001 days from April!? Paul- Do you know how many x-rays I have had in my life? You know how many times i have fallen over or injured myself….how could x not be for x-rays! hehe and for Z, well I have a couple of ideas but will have to see!

Good old mrs Shield!!! So you going to join Mandy and me to do 101 things in 1001 days from April!?

]]> By: Paul http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1405 Paul Sun, 16 Mar 2008 07:13:28 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1405 lol, mrs. shield, how could i have forgotten mrs. shield what with her different coloured sandles and inability to control the class. Love the post and am enjoying the encylopedic journey through your life. I wonder what x or z will be. That will require some creativity. lol, x-rays and zebras :p lol, mrs. shield, how could i have forgotten mrs. shield what with her different coloured sandles and inability to control the class. Love the post and am enjoying the encylopedic journey through your life. I wonder what x or z will be. That will require some creativity. lol, x-rays and zebras :p

]]> By: Lulu http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1404 Lulu Sun, 16 Mar 2008 05:32:32 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1404 Shoshanna- Thanks for stopping by! I am really enjoying this writing meme, it is good for inspiration! Sometimes it is difficult though, like now, I have no idea what to do with K so it will probably be a bit lame! About my kitchen or something! hehehe You should definitely give it a try! Amy- My tricks to remember it where talking! hehe, it makes it difficult if you don`t have anyone to speak with. My advice maybe fnd a language exchange partner that you meet with each week...somebody that is native in Italian or German and looking for an opportunity to improve their english. Meet for coffee, speak in German for the first hour then speak in Englishf or the first hour. I did that once I was back in Australia a little bit too. Make friends with speakers of the language! Best way!!! Other than going and spending the time in the country! Best of luck (Flash cards work well too...tapes too maybe...I have never used tapes though......but something have heard is good now is podcasts in the language that you can listen to on you ipod or mp3 player! Sara- I wish I had your motivation! I was studying about 3-4 hours a day recently at cafes and stuff, more on weekends I did it for a couple of weeks then I lost motivation and stopped! Kanji just does my head in......I have no desire to remember them. I have never had a desire to learn kaniji. I love speaking the language and I like it when I can read stuff but other than that I really can`t be bothered. I have lots and lots of study materials. Mostly for 1kyuu and 2kyuu so I have all the books! It is just a matter of studying them! I am sure I will get it eventually......maybe! Guera- I am fine pretty much with casual conversation! Since that is all I do with Shumpei! ANd doctors, supermarket, talks with parents etc are fine!!! it is the reading of the language I have the biggest problem with! I am going to have to try really hard to remember the kanji more than anything when I go back to Australia...because it is so easy to forget!!!! What about you when you return home?? How are you going to keep up your spanish when you return home??? I am lucky to have Shun..... but us moving to Australia is meant to help his English. So I should really try to speak to him in English but it is difficult since we have always commnicated in Japanese! Shoshanna- Thanks for stopping by! I am really enjoying this writing meme, it is good for inspiration! Sometimes it is difficult though, like now, I have no idea what to do with K so it will probably be a bit lame! About my kitchen or something! hehehe You should definitely give it a try!

Amy- My tricks to remember it where talking! hehe, it makes it difficult if you don`t have anyone to speak with. My advice maybe fnd a language exchange partner that you meet with each week…somebody that is native in Italian or German and looking for an opportunity to improve their english. Meet for coffee, speak in German for the first hour then speak in Englishf or the first hour. I did that once I was back in Australia a little bit too. Make friends with speakers of the language! Best way!!! Other than going and spending the time in the country! Best of luck (Flash cards work well too…tapes too maybe…I have never used tapes though……but something have heard is good now is podcasts in the language that you can listen to on you ipod or mp3 player!

Sara- I wish I had your motivation! I was studying about 3-4 hours a day recently at cafes and stuff, more on weekends I did it for a couple of weeks then I lost motivation and stopped! Kanji just does my head in……I have no desire to remember them. I have never had a desire to learn kaniji. I love speaking the language and I like it when I can read stuff but other than that I really can`t be bothered.

I have lots and lots of study materials. Mostly for 1kyuu and 2kyuu so I have all the books! It is just a matter of studying them! I am sure I will get it eventually……maybe!

Guera- I am fine pretty much with casual conversation! Since that is all I do with Shumpei! ANd doctors, supermarket, talks with parents etc are fine!!! it is the reading of the language I have the biggest problem with! I am going to have to try really hard to remember the kanji more than anything when I go back to Australia…because it is so easy to forget!!!! What about you when you return home?? How are you going to keep up your spanish when you return home???

I am lucky to have Shun….. but us moving to Australia is meant to help his English. So I should really try to speak to him in English but it is difficult since we have always commnicated in Japanese!

]]> By: Guera http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1401 Guera Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:02:10 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1401 It sounds like you are doing really well with it and surrounding yourself with people who mostly speak Japanese to you all day makes a big difference. I know what you mean about "everything clicking". I think you definitely have "breakthrough" periods. I find with learning Spanish I have got to different levels of "fluency" but then I plateau for a while. I am now at the stage where I can cope fine with the conversations I have at Guerita's school, the shops, doctors, most of the everyday stuff, but socialising is a bit harder. I can do it, but it slowly and with no background noise, no distractions etc. I think it really takes a long time to be completely fluent/bi-lingual. You do have to keep at it too. It's so easy to lose it. We're going to have make a real effort to keep up with it when we go home. It sounds like you are doing really well with it and surrounding yourself with people who mostly speak Japanese to you all day makes a big difference. I know what you mean about “everything clicking”. I think you definitely have “breakthrough” periods. I find with learning Spanish I have got to different levels of “fluency” but then I plateau for a while. I am now at the stage where I can cope fine with the conversations I have at Guerita’s school, the shops, doctors, most of the everyday stuff, but socialising is a bit harder. I can do it, but it slowly and with no background noise, no distractions etc. I think it really takes a long time to be completely fluent/bi-lingual. You do have to keep at it too. It’s so easy to lose it. We’re going to have make a real effort to keep up with it when we go home.

]]> By: Sara http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1398 Sara Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:53:39 +0000 http://www.cherryblossomadventures.com/2008/03/15/j-is-for-japanese/#comment-1398 Ahh the love/hate relationship with J-go.. I know it too well. I think it sounds like you have a great base!! As for 1kyuu, if theres any questions you have feel free to ask, I mainly got it because I studied specific test materials for about 3-4 hours a day, 4-5 days a week for about 4 month, and sadly I think I have lost some of it since then!! Anyways please let me know if you need any advice, don't know how great it would be!! I find that spending most of my day talking in Japanese whether it be work or Ryohei helps more than anything! Ahh the love/hate relationship with J-go.. I know it too well.

I think it sounds like you have a great base!! As for 1kyuu, if theres any questions you have feel free to ask, I mainly got it because I studied specific test materials for about 3-4 hours a day, 4-5 days a week for about 4 month, and sadly I think I have lost some of it since then!!

Anyways please let me know if you need any advice, don’t know how great it would be!! I find that spending most of my day talking in Japanese whether it be work or Ryohei helps more than anything!

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