Hi, it’s been a while, but here are some updates. Now we are beginning to learn Chapter 5. It means I’ve got a new partner and a new seat. But this time the change is a bit different. We still got to pick up the numbered stick as usual, but this time we can pick our own seats, the one that we and our partner like. You bet, I chose the one at the back, near the door, on the left. Third row from the front, one row from behind, but nobody sits behind me because it’s practically a passage for everyone to get to their seat. So it’s perfect! I mean, I don’t need to pass any students to get to my seat ❤️❤️❤️
And I love my new partner. I mean, I’ve been observing everyone here because I want to learn about foreign language teaching and learning, right? So I want to learn different types of students, aside from me myself. And this new partner of mine, I’ve been observing her as well. Now it sounds a bit creepy or cringey, but you know it’s not like that 🙈😅✌️ She’s an International student too like me, but she’s an undergrad like everyone else in the class. And I’ve noticed that she’s sharp. I believe she is smart. And she is nice, too. She participates quite a lot too. So I love this period of new chapter ❤️😍👍 I mean, remember what I say about having a good partner in learning a foreign language? My new partner is excellent for that! (She isn’t busy with her phone as well ❤️🤗)
And by the way, we have started learning Kanji since the previous chapter: Chapter 4. Gosh, it’s not easy. So I just learned that Kanji has two ways of reading: on-reading (Chinese ways) and kun-reading (Japanese ways). So for instance, this kanji 大 is read “dai” based on on-reading but read “oo” based on kun-reading, and to know how to read it or what reading we should use, we must know the context. Overwhelmed already? Same here! Now imagine, you have Hiragana, Katakana, and now Kanji with two ways of reading. My, I feel like exploding 😂😂😂 And you know what? There’s no really a pattern for this. It’s purely memorization. Memorization for every single pattern. And you know what? Kanji is actually written based on pictures or pictograph. They say that a character in kanji represents the the meaning of the word. For example, a kanji for river looks like a shape of a river, the kanji for the word “tree” looks like a tree, etc. But let me tell you: they are not. They don’t look like it at all 🙈🙈😅✌️✌️✌️ But I admire those who can read and write Kanji even more now. I mean, it takes a lot to be able to do that 😊
Aaaaand, I know I’m always curious, but I have no idea that I can be this inquisitive 🙈😅✌️ I mean I’m so “critical”. There was this listening homework. And I really found it hard to comprehend. I guess I heard a word that we haven’t learned before, and so I asked. I was right. It was actually not in the vocab list. But I was “clever” enough to find it in the vocab list at the end of the handbook. I mean, it was listening; we should listen to some questions, and we should write the answers. If we didn’t get the question correct, our answers would automatically be wrong, right? It’s frustrating. And there is no context. For example, there was this question of what we can find in the convenience store, and in our answers, we should combine adjective and noun. But the nouns and the adjective we have learned are so limited, so I practically experimented with new words that have not been taught in class by using Google translate and browsing. I was right, though, and my teacher said it was awesome. Hhe I am that “exploratory” 😁🙈✌️✌️✌️
And there was also this dictation assignment, and I noticed that there were some words and structures and we haven’t actually learned. I somehow knew it. I mean I dont get it so it must be new 🙈😅✌️So in the assignment, I wrote my curiosities and questions, basically my inquiries. I mean, I am not always brave enough to ask such questions in class. We have limited time as well. Sometimes I just don’t get the chance to ask them. But this way I can learn a lot. My inquiries are answered and we have the context so that the teachers know what I am actually asking. In class, we spend more time for the materials instead of Q&A sessions so sometimes our question is not answered quite satisfactorily because the teachers need to turn to another student or move onto the next material or activity. But maybe because I’m more of a writing person that’s why I love to pursue my inquiries better this way😊
And, oh, the teachers keep saying that the materials are getting harder and might be too much to comprehend, but that we should hang in there. They say we have been doing well so far. It makes me happy 😊 But at the same time I wonder: do they always say it to other students in other classes as well? 🙈😅 But, well, I love my learning. I love my class. I love the teachers and their teaching as well 😊
