Ripples in the Pond - First Week Reflections.......

せんしゅう、福岡に来ました。私は、日本語 をべんきょうして　いる　から　毎日、四時間　に　クラスがあります。そして、毎日、テストがあります。

私は、クラスに　ふつ電車にのります。たいてい　仏電車　で　たくさん人々がいます。


I have been in Fukuoka for just over a week.  Every day we have tests and four hours of classes for which we have to study really hard. Learning languages is so tiring that after the end of four hours of classes, I feel tired and worn out. It really taxes the brain!

It is interesting to observe some of the many similarities and differences between Fukuoka and home. The first week has been a such a cacophony of sound, images and new sights that it is only just now that I am starting to make some observations standing back from the experience.

There have been so many new things to learn - where to stand when getting on a train, how to buy things in a shop or on an elevator, all the little nuances involved in everyday interactions between people, and even how to flush a toilet - believe me it is not always obvious where the flush button is.

I am starting to read the katakana signs and make some ( a very little ) sense of some of the kanji shop signs. I am becoming more familiar with my immediate surroundings and on the weekend even caught a train on another line. This is more difficult than you might expect as there are different kinds of trains and they go to different places, all the signs are in Japanese so it is easy to get confused....

Living at a dorm has enabled me to meet people from all around the world and this has added to the richness of my experience. 

Closer and closer.....

Nearly There.....

Sundayitis is upon me.... the hot sweat of iminent teaching and learning.
combined with even hotter sweat of preparation for overseas travel very soon....

I am busy sorting money, and the lack of it, for what will be two households over the coming months. This is a tickling worry at the pit of my stomach. I am however positive that money worries will not impinge on meeting my goals and experiencing the life fully in Japan.

As well as sorting travel and money, I have been busy writing a student's report and am in the middle of a Board Report in consultation with some others! Phew.... Just planning, organising some gifts for Japan and more planning to go, and we will be able to leave the country!

私は　今日は　とても　忙しい　ですよ。

私は 数週間 で 日本 に 行きます。

Just a couple of weeks to go........

In a little over two weeks I am heading to Fukuoka to live for 3 months to explore and learn Japanese language and culture. So much to do and now, suddenly, soooo little time.....

I have been busy looking on Google maps, familiarising myself with the new environment. which at the moment is a two dimensional space on the computer screen without sound, smell, temperature. I've looked at where I will be living and how I will get to the language school I am studying at. So far so good.

The proof of course will be when I get there. Will I be able to get a taxi?.. and then, will I be able to get to the right place?...... on the other side of the world from family.....

Reaching well outside of my comfort zone in an effort to improve my language teaching!

Trepidation and excitement mounting.


私は、少し　しんぱい　して　います。私　も　こうふん　して　います。