Today I had a placement test, and then orientation. I finished the Minna no Nihongo series the last time I was here. But due to a lack of practice, I will be re-doing some of it. That's OK, though. I haven't had a lot of opportunities to use some of the grammar points, so this will reinforce them. Language learning is a "use it or lose it" endeavor.There have been some additions to the campus since I was here last, including an indoor tennis court and a community learning center. I had lunch at the campus cafe, which is a bar on weekends. I've met several interesting people as well.
I went to Aeon mall with a fellow American afterwards. From where I am staying, it's worthwhile to take the bus from the train station. In cooler weather, I'd walk.
The road sign above says "Silver Road" in the blue section, which I'm guessing is sort of like the "silver seats" on buses and trains that are reserved for the elderly, pregnant, infirm or those with babies. Underneath it says to watch out for the elderly.
Okazaki has an unusually high number of traffic accidents, in part due to the high rate of car ownership. That in turn may be due to Toyota's headquarters being nearby. Also, even though there are a lot of cars, the roads are the same width as they have been for a long time. The city is not laid out on grid. Originally, Japanese towns and cities were purposely NOT laid out on a grid to make it harder for invading armies to invade.
Classes start tomorrow. There are 23 classes per week, with only 3 on Fridays. Next week the "intensive" bit kicks in!
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4 comments:
"Minna no Nihongo" series???? That was what I learnt when I took Nihongo at my uni. However, since it was only an extra subject I took, I only finished level 2 of the book(light blue one).
I think I'll survive on day to day conversation in Japan but reading will be more of some guessing on the Kanjis. I didn't learn that.
Agree that, language is either use it or lose it. Hence, eversince I left uni, I always try listening to it whenever possible.
Love the graphic.
I was actually going to guess "Little old lady crossing." It's fun when the signs for the illiterate are actually intuitive.
Yes, that is the same "Minna no Nihongo" series. There are only two books (50 lessons). I like this series better than the "Japanese for Busy People" -- I think the explanations are better, and there are other supplementary books in the series as well. It's pain though, that the text is divided into the Japanese section and the English section. I know WHY they do it (for speakers of other languages than English), but it's still an extra book to lug around.
If you get a chance to come to Yamasa, they have classes for people who've mastered the Minna no Nihongo books!
Hi there again,
Classes... good to hear that!
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