During spring break I met up with レイチェルちゃん from http://isitpossible.posterous.com for lunch in the city.
We live pretty far from each other and so the city is midway for us. We're both small town girls so
it is slightly intimidating for me to travel to the city. Did I say slightly? I mean VERY intimidating. It was my first time taking public transportation to and from the city.
It'd be my third time seeing her.
We met back in 2010 when we both took the JLPT. Of all the places to make a friend!
I remember the day well. I was so nervous about the exam. I went to the waiting area and the place
was full of Japanese language students. I had never met other language learners before, and being
immersion self-student I was quite intimidated. The place was packed and I looked for a place to sit. Of everyone in the room I saw レイチェルちゃん and she looked like a nice person. I asked if I could take a sit and she let me.
At first I didn't know if I should stay silent or if that'd be rude. I don't remember how but we stroke up a conversation and we hit it off. We see eye-to-eye in a lot of things, and we share the same faith. Which is a big and important part in my life. I remember as we talked I thought she was older than me, because she was so thoughtful in her words and so mature. I'm embarrassed to think I'm the older one. ^///^
I was so excited that I finally had a study buddy. (sort of speak) Someone who understands the interesting aspect of studying languages. Thanks to the internet we've been in touch ever since. Not until January of this year did we meet again. She's grown so much and I love our conversations.
We went to a Japanese lunch place an we tried the ramen place this time. (We had gone to the yummy curry place in Jan) I spoke some Japanese when I ordered but I was shy of trying to use Japanese counters. I explained to Rachel that I have the hardest time with numbers in Japanese and Portuguese. I can't stand them. It's something that I should know with out a problem at my level.
Rachel agreed that things that are learnt at beginner level might not stick for self-studyers. It's not drilled like in school. So review and use is so important.
I hope that I'll become brave enough to speak more Japanese to her.
We live pretty far from each other and so the city is midway for us. We're both small town girls so
it is slightly intimidating for me to travel to the city. Did I say slightly? I mean VERY intimidating. It was my first time taking public transportation to and from the city.
It'd be my third time seeing her.
We met back in 2010 when we both took the JLPT. Of all the places to make a friend!
I remember the day well. I was so nervous about the exam. I went to the waiting area and the place
was full of Japanese language students. I had never met other language learners before, and being
immersion self-student I was quite intimidated. The place was packed and I looked for a place to sit. Of everyone in the room I saw レイチェルちゃん and she looked like a nice person. I asked if I could take a sit and she let me.
At first I didn't know if I should stay silent or if that'd be rude. I don't remember how but we stroke up a conversation and we hit it off. We see eye-to-eye in a lot of things, and we share the same faith. Which is a big and important part in my life. I remember as we talked I thought she was older than me, because she was so thoughtful in her words and so mature. I'm embarrassed to think I'm the older one. ^///^
I was so excited that I finally had a study buddy. (sort of speak) Someone who understands the interesting aspect of studying languages. Thanks to the internet we've been in touch ever since. Not until January of this year did we meet again. She's grown so much and I love our conversations.
We went to a Japanese lunch place an we tried the ramen place this time. (We had gone to the yummy curry place in Jan) I spoke some Japanese when I ordered but I was shy of trying to use Japanese counters. I explained to Rachel that I have the hardest time with numbers in Japanese and Portuguese. I can't stand them. It's something that I should know with out a problem at my level.
Rachel agreed that things that are learnt at beginner level might not stick for self-studyers. It's not drilled like in school. So review and use is so important.
I hope that I'll become brave enough to speak more Japanese to her.
Hello! I'll read each entry separately and comment.
ReplyDeleteRegarding things at beginner level not sticking, numbers are difficult for anyone studying a foreign language. It was not before I went on exchange to Japan before I got really confident with the Japanese counting system (100 10,000's equal 1 million, etc.). The difference between 'wa' and 'ga' for example can take years to sink in to one's head.
Good on you for using Japanese at the eatery!
コメントありがとう！And I feel so bad for taking so long to reply.
DeleteI still don't know my Portuguese numbers since I never really have to use them! So I guess I shouldn't be hard on myself. I just have to work on slipping it into my daily life. I thought about practicing at work since I have to count a lot. But I started to wonder, if I'm counting out loud paper bills and coins do I use mai counter? Or just regular numbers?
いつも頑張る！
Oh! Apparently, I have missed a lot of blog entries, because I never saw this one! I think I've just been so out of touch with everything since Spring break ended, haha.
ReplyDeleteI want to print this out and hang it somewhere <3
^///^恥ずかしい。
DeleteI always remember that day vividly and I'm still surprised that we met by such chance!
Though I think it wasn't really chance.
It was a friendship made in heaven long before.