Kanji learning through the media 5-6
Feeling really good about this class. Study a list of kanji before class every week and put it into practice using newspapers, magazines, and I think even some TV shows. It's actually a big focus on kanji VOCAB so that is really helpful. I'm stoked.
Japanese Sentence Patterns for Communication (1) 6
I pretty much knew what to expect here since it is just the continuation of the grammar class I took last time. Well, sort of. I flipped through the latter half of book 5 over the summer, so it's technically the continuation to a class I skipped.
This could be good or bad. I'm really excited that we're supposedly getting the scripts for each movie. We're watching Laputa, then either Totoro or Kiki's Delivery Service, and Ponyo. Really hope we do Kiki, as I have not seen that in a while and feel it would be really nostalgic. I love Totoro and all but I don't really need to WATCH it again for a while…
I actually just dropped this to take Writing Correspondence: Letters and E-mails 5-7...which I imaging will be really hard, given that writing letters in Japanese is...hard. I need the business unitsI didn't get to go to orientation since I was screwing around in the Miyazaki class,
Explore the Essence of Japanese Classic Novels 5-6
This class is going to be a pain in the neck, I can tell. For one, there are all these cultural activities that are not really necessary. Like we have to go on mini-field trips or learn to play cards or wear kimono. Are you kidding? I just wanna read a book >< There are also various things we need to memorize, which I suck at. But I think it'll be worth it for the lit survey in Japanese so….suck it up. But damn, I hate reading excerpts XD
Kanji in the Contemporary World 6-8
The first guy teacher I've had at Waseda. This class is going to be hard, but that was on purpose. Looks like we basically cover the N1 kanji? I don't know. I hope that between the two kanji classes I am taking that there will not be m/any gaps left in characters I have covered. I am wellllll aware that just having looked at the kanji and even won points by using them on a test does not mean you have mastered the character, but at least having a basic idea (or having at one time had a basic idea) of all of the daily use characters would be nice. The thing about what you are missing though is that you are missing it, so you can't really identify it…
Intensive Japanese 6
Just the continuation of last time. There were only six kids in class. Would be nice if it stayed that way XD [Update: I guess there are seven.] It seems somehow easier than last semester, but I guess when you use the same textbook (and the textbook is just essays) you're bound to feel like you've improved. I got almost a full score on the pre-test, but it's not like I'm going to mess with my schedule now. I think there is still a lot to learn in this class, esp when it comes to vocabulary.
Critical Reading 5-6
Well, I guess it'll be ok. I like to read essays and whatnot :P
Refining Your Japanese Pronunciation with Ondoku & Shadowing 6-8
This should be and somewhat challenging. I bought the teacher's new pronunciation textbook. We're not technically required to for this class, but it seems like we'll be doing some supplementary lessons out of it since the feedback from the first semester (probably mostly from people who hadn't taken a pronunciation class before) was that they didn't really know much about pronunciation in the first place. And also probably a good warm-up for the class that comes after it.
Eating a parfait and wondering why there are no translation classes.
Listening Comprehension: Improving Accuracy in News Listening 6-7
This class should be pretty good, I think. It's kind of similar to the news class I took last semester except without the discussion time (which honestly was mostly just us and the Japanese students talking about summer vacation plans anyhow…) Anyways, I hope I can keep up. I want to get better at listening to the news…
Reading and Discussing Novels by Contemporary Writers 6-8
Well no shit in a lit class you're going to have to read and so we were assigned 30 pages of Murakami right off the bat. That's fine with me, but there is no word list so it's gonna be me sitting in a tree with my dictionary. And then once we read it we just talk and talk and talk and that part might be a pain in the ass, but I'm excited to read, I guess.
Japanese Idioms 5-7
Wow, the teacher basically spent most of orientation telling us who should not take this class.
-If you want to learn a LOT of idioms, sayings, and four character compounds (because apparently this class is depth over breadth).
-If you are level 4. (Really she is looking for near level 7.)
-If you want to use a dictionary to look things up instead of listening to her Japanese explanation.
I get that last one, but look, I'm a translator. I'm gonna need to know the English eventually. That's half the reason I'm here is so when I see them if I'm translating I can "solve for English." Obviously that means understanding the Japanese context, so I'm stoked, but…you know.
That said, I'm annoyed that the final presentation for this class is giving a speech on a saying from our own country. Zero interest in doing that research or presenting on that topic. God damn. But whatever, I need to start somewhere with idioms so.
AND THAT'S THAT. In 2.5 hours I have tai chi practice and I have barely thought about tai chi at all in the past three weeks. I feel a problem coming but I have to just face it head on and try to remember how to rotate my hips etc.
