Thanks so much for the books everyone!
I've started to learn some Japanese and read a bit of kanji. I'm no where near the 2,000 characters the Japanese government deems 'essential' but I have figured out I live in Yamaguchi, or 山口. 山 [yama] means 'mountain' and and '口' [guchi] can mean mouth or opening. I think it is pronounced kuchi when you're talking about a mouth.
So, Im like practically fluent, right?
Ive been doing that to keep busy. And picking up a few English lessons. Jon came to Kudamatsu Friday, so Ive been bringing him around, showing him the sights... the rice fields, internet cafe, The Mall. We went to Miyajima yesterday and had fun going in the mountains looking at deer and looking for monkeys. I even saw a raccoon-dog! Which is a recent life-long dream of mine.
Tuesday night Im having a nabe party at my house, with Jon and some of the Japanesies (nickname for the gaggle of Japanese women we hang out with). Tonight we're headed to the Indian restaurant and Antonio's yatai.
Ok, my time is up!
4 comments:
I'm happy to hear about your progress, and so glad a friend is there! And if your Japanese friends are anything like mine, they're about to wet themselves with excitement over being invited to an American's home. Have a great party!
i love japanese. we moved to japan when i was 3 months old. (i had to be old enough to get cholera shots and typhus shots)
we didn't come back to the states till i was almost 6. my parents insist i spoke better japanese than i did english. i think i just preferred to express myself in japanese.
about 13 years ago, i attended UM, and took japanese. it was amazing how much came back to me in dreams...little snippets of conversations...phrases...that i would come to school with and as my professors, "what does this mean?"
i wish i could see japan again. asian faces are my favorite. to this day, i feel safest when i am with asians. it probably sounds silly, but i think it's because my earliest memories are of japan. shopping, neighbors, my nanny and her kids, the men who worked with my father...day to day people that i still think of as my clan.
i envy you.
btw, i have a link from my blog to your paper dolls and paper doll clothes. i think your line work rocks, and i love your imagination.
I mailed your books last week; it's a Martin Amis-fest. Be good, ;P
Yama guchi! Yama, yamayama guchi kuchi. Guchi guchi - yama yama (guchi? yama?) guchi guchi. Guchi...
Yama guchi,
Frederik
PS. Kuchi yama yamaguchi kuchi yama guchi.
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