(Lit. "The Japanese language is currently making me dead." In other words "Japanese is killing me." There's probably an easier/more colloquial construction for that, but I'm pretty sure this one's right, gramatically...)
So, I'm in an intensive Japanese class this summer. We're going through all of second-year Japanese in 9 weeks. It's freakishly intense. I have about 4 hours of class, 3 hours of homework and 2 hours of studying a day, for a total of 9 hours of Japanese on the brain. The results... haven't been pretty. My difficulty putting phrases together in English is probably more the result of my lack of sleep than anything else, though; I've got to wake up at 8 every morning, but I still just can't get to sleep before 2 am.
I think I'm learning Japanese, though, so that's a plus. I can probably hold a (very slow) conversation about the weather right now. Yay.
I've got a new Japanese teacher, too. Well, new to me. This one's Japanese, not American, but she's also cute. Also like 32 and married, so don't even ask. She and the TAs, though, seem to assume that most people in the class are going to Japan to pick up chicks when it's over. A little strange, that.
I remain disturbed by how young everyone is. I'm partnered with a girl from my old Japanese class. She's 8 years younger than I am. 8 years. I feel so fucking old.
I'm far from the best student in class, but I'm far from the worst, too. That feels good. I wonder how long it'll last?
Comments (11)
If you're feeling old being partnered with someone 8 years younger, then how am I supposed to feel knowing that I still remember the day I took you for your driving test?
I need to stop typing...this age thing is gonna get to me.
Posted by Brian | June 23, 2005 6:38 PM
Posted on June 23, 2005 18:38
Ah, I remember Japanese class. I, too, was never the best student, but I was rarely the worst in the class. Hooray for average!
The problem comes when all of the students who aren't getting it start to drop the class, and your buffer starts to shrink. The pressure's on, man.
Posted by Eric | June 24, 2005 5:19 AM
Posted on June 24, 2005 05:19
You think you're learning Japanese? You really think so?
Posted by Erik | June 24, 2005 6:08 AM
Posted on June 24, 2005 06:08
Brian - Yes, well. I'm old, you're ancient.
Eric - I dunno. It's a summer intensive course; the folks who are there seem to be there for the long haul. I mean, if you're staying at school over the summer for a course like this, you're already committed.
Posted by Jason | June 24, 2005 4:36 PM
Posted on June 24, 2005 16:36
Just wait until you try to put a Russian sentence together: "Padoga wa harosho!"
Posted by Bekah | June 25, 2005 6:07 AM
Posted on June 25, 2005 06:07
Ahem. Pagoda. It's early, sue me.
Posted by Bekah | June 25, 2005 6:07 AM
Posted on June 25, 2005 06:07
Ahem. Pagoda. It's early, sue me.
Posted by Bekah | June 25, 2005 6:07 AM
Posted on June 25, 2005 06:07
*sigh*
Posted by Bekah | June 25, 2005 6:08 AM
Posted on June 25, 2005 06:08
Hee hee. Probably not any problems, though - I'm not so much taking the Russian anymore.
Posted by Jason | June 26, 2005 2:59 PM
Posted on June 26, 2005 14:59
Japanese will kill you, but when you rise from the ashes, you will be the most badass gaijin ever. I promise.
At least, that's what happened to me.
Posted by Susan | June 26, 2005 10:07 PM
Posted on June 26, 2005 22:07
Well, it has been a life-long goal of mine to be a badass, so...
Posted by Jason | June 27, 2005 1:38 AM
Posted on June 27, 2005 01:38