Japanese Language
I don’t know how many people care about this particular topic, so it might not be the most interesting thing to come back to after another 16-month hiatus from blogging, but the thing I’ve been most focused on this year is my Japanese study.
I have been steadily improving my Japanese language skills since I started studying in earnest during the early COVID-19 lockdown era. I am now fully capable of speaking fluently about daily conversation, and I’ve passed level N3 of the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test). I still make tons of grammar mistakes and lack the vocabulary to discuss business or politics or science, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come.
日本に来た時に、私は日本語を話したり、読んだりすることが全然できなかったけど、今は日常会話が結構得意になった。カズと毎日日本語でメッセージもしてるし、日本人の友達ともよくしゃべている。そして、メニューはもちろん、新聞とか簡単な本も読めるようになった。今年の12月に試験に受ける予定がある。合格できれば、全部の日本語の目的に叶ったこと！頑張るから、応援してね！(translate)
Work
I have switched from an English conversation school for people of all ages (from babies as young as one year old to grandparents and other retirees) to a school for children of all ages (babies to high schoolers). It has been a huge shift, as “teaching” a gaggle of 2-13 toddlers requires a very different energy level than teaching a class of 2-6 businessmen. A different dress code, too.
While I was happy to say goodbye to my stockings and blazers, I was not as happy to leave behind my adult students who actually chose to study English and were willing to work hard at it. My new students are primarily showing up because their parents told them to, and it often feels more like a daycare than anything else.
That said, I have a lot more free time with the new company, and I’ve met a lot of wonderful people who have become some of my best friends. I also relocated to a bigger, more exciting city (Takaoka –> Toyama) for this job. So lots of pros!
Visitors
I got my first visitors from home, which was very exciting.
Back in May, my college room mate Bella and her best friend Nadia came and spent a whole month in Japan. They called it their dream vacation, and I was lucky to spend a week with them in Tokyo and Hokkaido before they came and spent a day with me in Toyama. We went to the Ghibli Museum, a few karaoke bars, a cat cafe, a famous ramen shop, a hot spring, the Sapporo brewery, and a bunch more cool stuff.
Then last month during August’s Obon holiday, my cousin Will stopped by for a 24-hour layover. I was fortunate enough to have enough time off to meet him in Tokyo for a bit. We ate at an izakaya, took a walk around Meiji Shrine, drank at Golden Gai, and went shopping in Shibuya.
Hokkaido was especially exciting because it’s a part of Japan I’ve never visited before. But even visiting the most touristy parts of Tokyo felt fresh again because I got to do it with people who were here for the first time.
It’s hard to believe I’ve been living here for over 4 years, but it really shows in the way my favorite part of going to Tokyo isn’t any of the popular tourist destinations, but rather Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, and Shake Shack. We don’t have that in Toyama.
I know it wasn’t your fault because Japan’s borders were closed to tourists for a couple of years due to COVID…but they’re open now!
Upcoming
I don’t have a whole lot on the books for the rest of the year, but there are a few things that stand out.
One thing I’m excited about is a trip to Chiba coming up next week. I helped a friend out with the English narration for a VR project, and I ended up with tickets to Tokyo Game Show 2023! If you know, you know, gamers.
Then in November, I have a few friends coming to visit. I’m hoping to be able to meet up with them in Kyoto, but at the very least they’re planning to come to Toyama for one day. Very cool!
Finally, I’ll be taking the next level (N2) of the JLPT in early December. Wish me luck!
It’s quite late at night, so I’ll end this blog post here. I hope you are all well. Thanks for reading!
Alisa & a Visa 