何で?!

Even though it might be the holidays, I haven't really had much free time. I've been working four to five days a week to save money for my exchange... it's kinda expensive. I'm not really sure how much spending money I'll need once I'm over there, as I will be spending most days at school. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

On my days off I have been trying to improve my Japanese. I've realised how incredibly little I know, and how much more I have to learn! I want to try and get all the basics down, so then in Japan I have something to build upon. At the moment I'm stressing out about formal/informal language, and when it should and should not be used. I'm also worried about the Japanese honorific system, and unintentionally not showing respect to 'superior' people. Perhaps they'd just accept me as a dumb gaijin and move on... hopefully. For anybody who doesn't know what a gaijin is, it literally means 'outside person' and is the name given to a foreigner in Japan. That's me!

I've made myself a Japanese folder, and have been printing pages from the internet that explain a range of Japanese grammar. I've kind of taught myself the te and plain forms of verbs, but I'm not really comfortable with them yet. I've also been trying to increase my vocab, with lists of new adjectives and nouns. I hope to create one gigantic Japanese learning book folder thing which I can use to help me in Japan. I'm still waiting for my Japanese etiquette book I bought online to turn up from the UK, which should help me with the cultural side of things. I'm not sure how I will adjust to the Japanese culture, in particular the food... whale much?

I still have no information from SEA about my visa or placement, so I will just have to keep waiting for those. Time is going really quickly now, and it won't be long before I leave... can't wait!

Alex