Yamasa: Take 2

Here’s a question:  Am I the only one who feels that no matter how much I study and practice a new language, I just will never learn enough?

When we moved to Japan two years ago (I know, right!?  Two years already!), I knew next to no Japanese at all. 

That was daunting.  I feel slightly less daunted now…but it took basically the full two years to reach this point. 

Yikes.

Last year we invested two weeks of our extremely hot and sweaty summer to studying Japanese at this wonderful place called the Yamasa Institute.  Though I feel my Japanese skills significantly improved during our two weeks stay, I found myself wishing I could stay much longer. I felt (and still feel) that I had just barely scratched the surface of understanding. 

Yamasa is a language school specifically designed for foreigners to come to Japan and study Japanese.  A variety of courses are offered.  We did the SILAC program last year and are signed up for it again this year.  All courses offered are intense immersion classes-almost no English (or any other language) is spoken. 

Besides the primary classes, private and smaller classes are also offered.  This year in addition to the SILAC course-which is around 23 class periods per week-we are signed up for  three CALL seminar classes per week.  Also, instead of staying in the dorms or apartments, we have signed up for a homestay.

I am hoping that with all of the classes, the homestay, and the studying, that my Japanese will significantly level-up during our four week stay. 

It’s time to get my Japanese game on! 

Studying Japanese?

I confess.  I am a self-proclaimed nerd.  I love school.  I excelled in my class work.  I thrived in that type of learning environment. 

Now I am trying desperately to learn Japanese, but primarily by self-study.  And it is totally different ball game. I miss having the structure of a classroom with deadlines to be met and exams for which to study.

Spending two weeks at Yamasa Institute this past August was like a throw back to college.  I loved it.  It improved my Japanese to the point at which I finally feel more comfortable self-studying.  I no longer feel like I am completely floundering…wondering if I am going in the right direction.

I have also recently come across some really incredible study materials.  Let me share them with you:

1.  Download the “Anki” flashcard program.  There is a wealth of resources in the form of flashcard decks all ready for you to download.  The program is specifically designed to help you retain the information you are trying to learn.

2.  Are you trying to learn the Kanji characters?  It’s a pretty daunting task.  I recently discovered a book called “Heisig’s Remember the Kanji.”  Book one covers how to write the kanji as well as the English meaning while book two gets into the readings for the kanji.  There is also a book three, but I don’t know much about it.  This approach to learning Kanji works really well for some people’s learning styles, but not all.

3.  Podcasts.  If you have an iPod or any other way of accessing podcasts, search for Japanese language learning podcasts.  There are lots of them.  The one I primarily listen too is called “Learn Japanese Pod.”  They are fun to listen too and also other cultural notes in addition to just language points. Trying to learn the kana?  Play this!

Do you have any tried and true way of studying languages?  If so, do tell!

Motivation

When I was 16 years old, I began working as a slide attendant at our local YMCA in Superior.  I quickly upgraded to a lifeguard and continued to work there for (more or less) the following seven years of my life through high school and college.

Because I worked there, I had free access.  Awesome.  I was also a college student for much of that time, so I also had access to the campus workout facilities.  It was great!

Then I moved to Japan.  And went from having everything to nothing overnight.  Karl and I thought that we could get away with just working out using my pilates and yoga dvds, running outside and biking. 

But people.  Let’s be real.  How many of us have that kind of motivation?  The kind to make yourself go for a run (especially in the crazy summer heat!) or put on a dvd amidst the plethora of distractions in one’s own home.

Not this girl.

So finally, after a year, we were honest with ourselves and decided to shell out for the gym membership. 

If you think that joining a gym in the States is expensive-you have never lived in Japan. 

Holy. Smokes.

For a single membership it is 9,800 yen per month.  With the current exchange rate, that’s around $115.  My membership, with the family discount, is about ten or fifteen dollars fewer than Karl’s.  So total, we pay over $200 a month.

Expeeeeensive! 

But so worth it. 

It provides extra motivation to exercise.  The people there are very nice.  The facilities are incredible.  Plus it’s only a ten-minute walk from our apartment.

Gym for the win.