Nihongo (Japanese language)

Now that Haidee and I have settled into our apartment and have begun to figure out our weekly schedules and such, I have been eager to make some progress on one of my primary goals:  learning the Japanese language.  While I will likely begin helping to lead worship and Bible studies soon, and may even start shadowing Haidee in the classroom from time to time, I won't officially begin teaching classes until April.  That leaves me with a couple months here at the beginning to focus a lot of my attention on Japanese studies.  

How does one go about learning a completely new foreign language?  I studied Spanish in Junior High and High School - and had some really great teachers.  Those classes really provided me with a strong foundation to build upon when I traveled to Peru and Bolivia 7 years later.  I found it relatively easy to dive into conversations in Spanish - fumbling around with my limited vocabulary to eventually say what I wanted to say, albeit in a roundabout manner.

Here in Japan it is a slightly different matter.  My vocabulary is VERY limited.  When I arrived three weeks ago I could say "Hello" and "Thank You" and maybe five or six food-related nouns.  It is difficult to have any sort of on-going conversation without a more expanded vocab. 

The great blessing is that I'm surrounded by a community of Christians who are eager to help me learn.  Haidee has been very helpful!  She (and some of the other missionaries) are often able to translate conversations for me.  We went out shopping and found a useful book, "Living Japanese" from which I can study on my own.  There are some good online tools (such as JapanesePod101.com) that will prove helpful, I'm sure.  Just a couple days ago Namura Sensei (our pastor) offered to give me private language lessons once a week.  Also very exciting is that we've just learned about free Japanese lessons offered every Friday morning, taught by volunteers at a Catholic school in Fukushima.  (more about this in a future post)

(picture of Eric studying from his "Living Japanese" textbook)

And so, after a solid week of diligent language studies, I present you with the two conversations (both highly useful) that I can now successfully have in Japanese: 

Conversation One:  (introductions)

Good Evening.

Good Evening.

I am Eric.  Pleased to meet you for the first time (very politely).

I am Kim.  Pleased to meet you for the first time.

Ah, yes.  Kim, are you a first year student?

Yes.

Kim, what are you studying?

Law and Japanese.

It is a pleasure to meet you.

No.  The pleasure is all mine.  Nice to meet you.

Conversation Two:  (What is that?)

That (over there), is it an apple?

No, that is not an apple.

That (over there), is it tuna?

No, that is not tuna.

What is that (over there)?

It is an egg.

Excellent!  Eggs are delicious.  Thank you.

No, I should be the one thanking you.  It was nothing.  Thank you.

Yep, that's all folks! (And yes, please DO continue to pray for language progress and plenty of patience!)