Informational Japan Pt. 2 - Japanese Language

"Where can I get Japanese language learning resources for free on the web?" I know this is a really popular topic because I see it on forums and other sites all the time. So here is a partial list of the online resources I currently use to learn and practice my Japanese.

Erin's Challenge - Recommended to me by my college Japanese teacher, this is my favorite online resource. It's free, fun and really helpful for language learning. You register with the site and it keeps track of you progress, you can even personalize a little avatar and your profile. The site centers around a foreign exchange student named Erin coming to Japan to study and her adventures with language and culture. There are great videos (both beginner and advanced) featuring Erin or other Japanese people in everyday situations as well as grammar and vocabulary lessons all with transcripts that you can review line by line. There are also cultural learning videos that are really interesting, especially if you've never been to Japan. The site also offers vocabulary lessons, quizzes, a fun role playing game using your avatar and a ton of other resources. Seriously, if you haven't already seen it you should really check it out.

Lang8 - There's a good chance you've already heard of this site because it is mentioned a lot by other bloggers and vloggers but it is really is worth another mention. I used this site a lot when I was taking Japanese classes so that I could check my homework and get some extra practice. It's basically a blogging website where you are able to blog in the language you are learning, but the twist is that native speakers of that language can read and correct your language. This is super helpful when you are learning to write but you don't know if you are making mistakes. I've also seen people post speeches they are going to be giving and letters they want to send to pen pals among other things. I'm slightly disappointed with it because you can no longer post pictures in the free version so it's not as useful in a purely blogging sense (I usually put my blogpost on Lang8 and then copy the corrected text to a blogger site so I can add images). But all in all it's a great resource.

Japanese Class - Lately I've been using this a lot to practice my vocabulary. It's basically a flashcard/quiz sort of site where you start as a beginner and work your way up to more kanji by earning points. There is a ranking system so if you are competitive you can try to earn more points than the other users and show up on the ranking board. It keeps track of your progress and how often you are practicing and suggests that you practice at least 20 words a day (I do it right before I go to bed). It does have an article reading section but I find that the articles are way beyond my current level and have vocabulary that isn't relevant to me personally, but the option is available. I find that this site is a good resource for reviewing and practicing what I've already learned.

Learn Japanese - Japanese Pod 101 - This is technically a free resource that you can get on iTunes and Stitcher Radio but I wanted to preface this by saying I like it so much I buy the compilation on Audible as audio books. The downside to the free version is that you have to figure out what order they go in, because they release different levels at the same time so it isn't as easy as listening to them in order. However, if you can get around that problem (the episodes are clearly marked with the level and episode number) then this is a really fantastic resource. The hosts are interesting and easy to listen to and the lessons are great for listening comprehension and learning new vocabulary and grammar. I love to listen to this while I'm doing chores or taking a walk and I always learn a lot from every episode.

Informational Japan Pt. 1

At the moment I'm pretty obsessed with Japan, but since I have no idea if or when I will be going back I have to content myself with listening and reading about it. I figured now would be a good time to go over some of my favorite informative online sources for information about Japan that isn't necessarily pop-culture related.

Podcasts

Just Japan Podcast - By far my favorite Japan podcast at the moment. Kevin O'Shea has more than fifty podcast episodes in which he interviews various people living in Japan about a wide range of topics. He has a very original point of view being a mature family man and his topics range from questions about the JET Program to community involvement, fast food and being a foreign woman in Japan. Not only is the podcast a great listen, but Kevin is very involved with his listeners and often gets his topic suggestions from them.

GaijinPot - Another great Japan podcast, although the episodes don't come out quite as often they are usually worth waiting for. His topics and interviews are very professional and informative. He has great information about getting to Japan, apartments, language and other resources for Japan information.

Mully's Place Podcast - Mully is a really interesting fellow and his podcast is usually a chatty style with Dave or his wife Tomoko. My favorite are the bedcasts and drivecasts with his wife (although I tend to relate more to her point of view than his.)

Youtube

Myargonauts Jason - I've spent many hours watching most of his old videos and I'm always looking forward to his new ones. He is fairly informal but extremely informative about everyday life in Japan. He has a lot of older videos about the JET Program but lately he's mostly focusing on his current teaching and life experiences.

Rachel & Jun - A newer find for me, I am blasting through these videos. Rachel is very intelligent and well educated and brings a scientific viewpoint to a lot of Japan related questions. It's also nice to watch Japan videos from a married female perspective. I particularly like her videos about Japanese deodorants and the Senkaku Islands. Alternatively her husband also does videos from a Japanese perspective which is harder to find, my husband really relates to the "Being Tall in Japan" episode and he has some great language learning tips.

Cooking with Dog - Despite the unfortunate name choice (my husband can't help snickering whenever I mention it) the recipes on this channel are fantastic. The narrator is witty and well spoken and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. The recipes range from Japanese sweets and cakes to traditional Japanese dishes and Western-influenced foods.

Kimono World - I really love the videos on this channel despite the fact that there are only a few available. Sheila Cliffe is an Englishwoman who is a kimono expert and introduces various types of Kimono, shops and kimono making techniques. Beautifully produced and narrated these videos are really wonderful for the Kimono enthusiast. I am really hoping that she posts some more in the future.

Ohisashiburi ne?

I can't believe that I went an entire year without blogging. I'm more up to the task to blog this year, there are more interesting things going on in my life anyway. Most of last year consisted of being isolated at home with my toddler, being very uninspired and unproductive.

This year is very different. My red-haired firecracker of a boy is two years old this month. He's now talking in several word sentences and exploring his world like never before. Now is the perfect time for us to pursue our goal of getting to Japan.

Cute kitty obi in Japantown SF

My husband an I spent last Tuesday driving down to San Francisco in order to go to our JET Program interviews on Wednesday. This year we both applied and were given interviews so there is a possibility that we could be in Japan as assistant English teachers by the end of the year. I think I did pretty well overall, I'm pretty rusty on my Japanese language but I was confident for everything else. I feel like I couldn't really have done a whole lot better so they will either want me for who I am or they will think I'm just not right for the job. Either way my outlook is much more positive right now. I'm working as a Graphic Designer, being a lot more creative at home and have a lot more ideas that I'd like to share with everyone. So hopefully this is just the start of more great things to come.

Here and back again?

This week the JET Program posted their application online. My husband and my original plan, before getting our BA, doing the study abroad program and having a child, was for both of us to apply and live in Japan for at least a year. When I first returned from my study abroad program, I wanted nothing to do with this plan. I was very tired and shell shocked and needing to be home for a while. But as time has passed I find myself missing many of the day to day aspects of Japan. So recently we have decided to go ahead with a modified version of our original plan.

So my husband is applying for the JET Program this month, he is working on all the parts of the application process and the craziness is beginning. It isn't really an option for me to apply with him since there are a lot of factors involved, the possibility that we wouldn't be placed together, the need to find childcare for O (which I'm not sure I would want to do anyway), and the fact that I still haven't resolved my degree so that I can graduate. I am hoping that the degree problem will be resolved before we go (if we go) so that there is a possibility I could get a part time job outside of JET.

In the meantime I am doing a lot of research about JET and living in Japan, but it is actually a bit hard to find information about bringing a family. I think that is because most JETs are young and single. There are also a lot of varying factors, such as not knowing where exactly where we would end up if he is accepted. It would be really nice if we can end up near Nagasaki since we already have friends and familiarity there, but we won't know until it happens. So I figure that I will share my experiences so that others will know what we go through.

Final Daze

The last few weeks have been filled with mixed emotions and a frenzy of activity. Doctors appointments, final exams, packing and last moments spent with good friends who I may never see again face to face. These last few weeks were not without happy moments though, festivals, concerts, karaoke and laughter also filled my days with memories that will last the rest of my life.




There are so many more things about my trip I wanted to share with everyone online, but as life got more hectic I focused more on the experiences rather than documenting everything. But I have more than enough pictures and memories to continue writing about my adventures for quite a while, even after I return home.




Japan is amazing, interesting and very strange. It's just like anywhere else in a lot of ways and yet there are so many things that make it so unique. Nagasaki is beautiful and vibrant, alive with old and new culture and so many things to see and do. I am so thankful for the opportunity to come here and expand my worldview.




So now I am here at my last day in Nagasaki, with only a few days left before I return to the US. I am happy to be returning to the familiarity of my home and family but there are definitely people and things in Japan that I will miss. So I bid farewell to the land of the rising sun, it's quirks and beauty as well as its faults. And I hope some day I will be able to revisit this wonderful land and discover what new adventures await me in the future.

Location:Nagasaki,Japan

In the land of the Kimono

One of my all time favorite things about Japan has to be the textiles. Japan has such a rich history of textiles usually seen in the form of the iconic kimono. While I've been here I've done several presentations on the history and culture of the kimono. I also took a class were I was able to see and learn how to wear a kimono for myself. One of the most amazing things about this historical garment (aside from the amazing textiles) is how simplistic the design is and yet how versatile it can be.

A traditional kimono is made from a single bolt of cloth which is a specific width. It is then sewn in four long panels with two long sleeves and diagonal lapels. The design is such that all kimono are meant to fit almost all Japanese people (this is assuming of course that a person will not be very wide in the hip area). The kimono is wrapped around the body always with the left lapel over the right and cinched in place by several ties. It can be a bit tricky to get the fabric to lay straight but the benefit to this style is that the kimono can be adjusted for most heights. Once the kimono is firmly in place, the obi (sash) is placed on the waist just under the bust and tied in an elaborate knot at the back.

There are a lot of different types of kimono and obi and since they have such a rich history there is a lot of symbolism and meaning to the colors and patterns on the textiles. There are also different types of kimono for different seasons, ages and genders. The basic shape is almost always the same but the variations in the fabrics, colors and length of the sleeves determine when and by whom the garment should be worn. There are also many different types of obi and a variety of different ways they can be tied from simple bows to an elaborate knot that looks like a rose.

The Best Souvenir

So I haven't blogged in a while because this trip is turning out to be more of an adventure than I expected. It started several weeks ago when I started getting sick to my stomach. I kinda had a feeling there was something going on but I wrote it off as the flu. But all that strange food I blogged about earlier started smelling and tasting disgusting to me. I could hardly eat anything but bread and fruit. After a solid week of this, with no other flu symptoms I had a pretty good idea what was going on although my husband was skeptical.






I went to the store and bought myself a pregnancy test, which was an adventure in and of itself (thank goodness for the ability to show my phone dictionary to the employee to help me find it). I came home all nerve wracked only to have the test result be completely blank...a defective test. *sigh* So the next afternoon it was back to a store, and this time I bought two. And this time they were undeniably positive within very little time waiting.

Haha, so the adventure continues! I'm experiencing morning sickness and other signs of pregnancy and I'm in a foreign country as a student. Thankfully I am married, have my husband with me and am old enough to be going through this without any guilt. I've been seriously blessed with new friends who are really helping me through this time.






Last week a friend helped us go to a ladies clinic where I have confirmed most definitely that there is a living being growing inside me. I saw the heart beating on a monitor and it was the most amazing experience. So although I am certainly feeling some homesickness, I have to say that this is going to be the most awesome story for me to tell to my kid in the future. Three cheers for my Nagasaki baby!

Food from another world

Ok, so this is a post I've been putting off because I have had so many strange things. I can't even describe what half the stuff is I've tried. And while I know that my host mother is trying to keep our meals more western styled, they are still very very unusual. Some of the food is fantastic (although it's usually the sweets) but most of it is just...different. I never understood why people always raved about eating bread all the time, but I've figured it out, it's the safest most filling, least revolting food in Japan. Regardless, here are some of the many pictures of food that I've eaten so far:

A typical breakfast

Chocolat de Tomato?? Umm...no thanks...

Sakura mochi, Yum!

Curry Rice, super popular here in Japan.
It's not spicy like Indian curry, it's very sweet.

Breakfast: A ham sandwich and
french toast (with sugar on top instead of syrup)

They call this a hamburger, the sauce is sweet.
The blue bowl has veggies, some of which is bamboo shoot.
The black bowl is a chicken salad with strawberries.

Breakfast, some sort of sweet egg salad

At a bread store

McDonald's teriyaki burger with egg...
It was actually pretty good.

I only vaguely guess what this stuff is...

Toppings on rice on the bottom,
the blue bowl is bamboo shoot and beef
tempura veggies and cold noodles

Anpan Man

Japanese Pizza, broccoli and ham
there is no real cheese in Japan...just white gooey stuff.

The plate with the flowers is pasta with meat sauce

This fish has huge teeth...
I was told the bigger the eyes, the better the fish.

Mochi for Children's day.
The fish represent the koi that fight to swim upstream to spawn
and the hope that the children will inherit that strength

Chirashi Sushi.
Various toppings over rice, it is sooooooo good!!

The top left is a crab salad (I think), the rest are mostly veggie dishes.
The bottom two have bamboo shoot that was harvested
on a mountain near my friend's house, this meal was amazing!

Fresh bamboo shoot

Lemon ice, isn't it pretty?

Italian cream pasta with spinach and bacon

Hamburger with potatoes and other veggies, yum!

Steak and a few corn kernels, Brian was craving meat.

Tempura veggies, chicken and shrimp

McDonald's shrimp filet burger
I'm so sad we don't have this in the states, it's awesome!

Sort of like chow mien?

We went to this place for Brian's birthday.
It was an all-you-can-eat in 70 minutes.
You use a touch pad to order whatever meat you want
and you get to grill it yourself. We stuffed ourselves silly.

Ships and Hanabi

One of the great festivals I've had the good fortune to experience was a Ships Festival. Large old fashioned sailing ships came into the Dejima pier and all around the area was food and music. The ships themselves were incredible, I didn't realize how HUGE they could be.

During the afternoon we walked around and looked at all the ships, and watched dance performances. The festivals bring in a lot of people from all over so it was really crowded. In the late afternoon we met up with some friends and decided to go have kaiten sushi. This type of sushi consists of a bunch of little plates on a conveyor belt and you grab whatever you want and are charged by how many plates you have. It can actually be a really cheap way to eat sushi and you have a lot of options. 

Corn sushi...??

 After dinner we headed back to the pier and the ships were even more amazing than before. They had all been strung with lights and as the sun went down the whole place glowed, It was really beautiful.

 But the best was yet to come. We settled ourselves in a big park overlooking the water and when it was dark enough watched an absolutely incredible fireworks display over the glittering ships.