Karaoke in Shinsaibashi, Japanese TV and Kanji

Dear family and friends IMPORTANT NOTICE:

If ever anyone wants to send me mail by post put SUZUKI Family on the bottom followed by my name, because the houses I live in don't have numbers, they have name plates. I learnt this the hard way when I was being told off in Japanese, apparently the post man was wandering around looking for the 'Charlotte Bailey' name plate for days. So, put Suzuki on there, please. And use this website for how to write the address I gave you (and english is fine btw) if you're confused : http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2224.html .

In terms of news, I have a japanese bank account now with Sumitomo Mitsui!

so I can just live off my job money earned in Japan and save my student loan for travel or whatever. Having travelled quite abit this year I'm getting a bit restless. 

Also I'm craving potatoes with bisto gravy. Or even just a fish and chips wrapped in paper from the mayflower in Sedgley, you know?

Halloween is close, the Americans on my course are making it seem like a big deal. And suddenley it feels like I haven't had Christmas in forever, too. My host family asked me whether I was staying for christmas and I said yes because okane ga nai yo! ~ and she said I was the first host student (out of very many host students) to stay over the holidays. Not sure what to make of that...and come to think of it I may just go travelling during the term break ~

so I'm taking a class in learning Korean now, in japanese, because I'm hard core I may go to Korea in feburary, but I'm not certain about that yet.

Also my spelling ability in English is fading fast. I keep spelling things as they are pronounced because that's how words are spelt in Japanese, so any mistakes you see, sumimasen!

Apparently my spoken japanese got better over night after Nomihoudai and Karaoke for Ryan's 20th birthday, though. It was truly a great night, even though I spent about 4000yen in total, which is the price of a typical night out in Shinsaibashi, apparently. (It's a subway ride from Umeda in Osaka, for those wanting to go to the place for a good night out ~).

nomihoudai is all you can drink for about 1500yen

japanese trains during rush hour - the JR line has nothing on Tokyo though

According to Suyun who moved to America from China aged 13, and who is now learning Japanese and Korean, partying is the way to practice and get fluent at languages, and I guess she was right! ^^

I've been trying to better my listening skills by actually paying attention to Japanese TV at dinner time and breakfast, but it's getting on my nerves.

BEWARE, A RANT FOLLOWS, PROCEED WITH CAUTION:
Aside from the writing constantly all over the screen, the celebrity in a little window in the corner of the show watching the program with you and the english speakers dubbed with badly acting japanese voice actors, the content is simply not what I'm used to, repeatitive and often just plain bad. Nothing serious or actually good is ever on, the slap stick comedy game shows are the only thing worth watching.  So called 'documentries' are actually badly acted dramas and never on anything serious and usually about Bad things abroad, like Kowai Onatachi (scary women). That, or mean spirited shows where they have to select the boy out of a line of 8 year old girls, making them cry if they get it wrong.

So the choice is between cartoons, food shows, housing shows or game shows. That's it. Even the news isn't really about anything serious, the weather is introduced with someone in a giant bunny suit swaying to cute music with a girl. All very cute. A bit irritating.

So even though I never watch much TV back home anyways, and I never thought I'd say this: I miss British TV -_-.

So, my speaking and listening I'm making an effort on, but I realised I'd been neglecting my Kanji. I have to know up to 1020 something by May next year o_0 that's...do-able, actually. Kanji is my favourate part of learning the japanese language and about the only thing I can actually make steady progress at.

For anyone wishing to study japanese, Kanji in Context is the way to go.







first week in Japan in Sannomiya - I just found this!

In responce to Laura's comment, my favourate foods in Japan so far (suitable for vergetarians) are Miso Soup, Melon Pan, Kitsune Udon, Yakisoba, Tempura, Okonomiyaki and Tamagodon.



tamagodon



Note: don't be fooled by the appearence of any japanese food! It make look questionable but it is always great! (All so much better than any English dish, but I crave some potatoes all the same!)

                                        

                                           Also beware HiChuu's, they are deliciously addictive.