Not much going on here.

I don't know what to say in the blog. I have a lot of work. I don't get adjectives... are we going to study that some more?

Satosensei always confuses me with his comments.

I'm not quite sure what Satosensei was writing in his response. I get that he likes beer, but the last sentence... hmm... I really ought to know, too.

Anyway I went to a party last night and met someone who did the JET program. It sounds very cool. He learned a lot of Japanese while he was there. I was just yesterday morning doing research into applying for this program, so it was somewhat of a coincidence to then run into someone who'd done it.

His Japanese girlfriend rolled up a little later on so I got to talk to her a little bit. She was very encouraging. Although I feel kind of silly saying the things that I know how to say because I'm learning such a formal way of speaking. Nobody seems to talk the way that I do.

Okay I ought to go write my Chinese diary now. I learned how to say twin this week so I can write about that. How convenient.

Hmm...

So I unfortunately did not get the first grant that I applied for. But I refuse to be discouraged! Especially if I listen to the Carter Family for support. I still intend to get to Japan sometime in the couple of years on someone else's dime. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm quite open.

I had this embarassing moment the other day when I saw that one of my favorite breweries introduced a seasonal ale called Hanami. I thought, hmm, I wonder if this'll be any good, so I bought it without reading the label. I totally had this brain laps when I realized that it was for the cherry blossom festival! I mean, I like the cherry festival and I like cherries, but I am not particularly fond of things that are cherry-flavored. And that's what the theme of this beer happened to be. If anyone wants to come over to my place for a cherry-flavored beer you are welcome, because I don't think I will get them out of my fridge anytime soon otherwise.

I have to miss Japanese class

What a bummer. I plan on going to Professor Noguchi's section, but it just won't be the same (although Dougsan from my Asian Art class will be there). Alas. That's all I can think of in terms of this week.

My blog must feel neglected

So it's been a while, alas. I forgot to write this week due to lots of studying, which I feel paid off on the big exam. Jennysan and I got together a couple of times (also Dougsan from one of Noguchisensei's sections) over break to benkyoshimasu.

Anyway I didn't really encounter any Japanese people which seems to be the impetus for my writing in my blog. I am gearing up for another intensive yoga weekend, where I'm sure to encounter at least one. I know because I actually emailed her. I've started researching ANOTHER grant propsal because I want to get some money to go to Japan after I graduate to study and teach yoga. I heard that yoga is getting really big there, but that in Japan the interest is in studying yoga from the United States, not from India. So you have this kind of roundabout way in which an Eastern tradition moves to the United States, becomes very Westernized, and then people in Japan get turned onto it and it moves back to the East. Whoa! So how does that all work out? That's the crux of my research question, although there's some other questions involved, too. If anyone knows anyone who practices or teaches yoga in Japan I'd really like to get in touch with them.

Okay I guess that's all for now.

not much to write about this week.

I AM TOO BUSY but I'll write a little bit anyway. I wrote a grant proposal to go do reasearch in Japan this summer; on Wednesday I had this strange experience where I called a museum to see if I could do research there this summer if I get the grant. But they didn't speak English! Oh no. The weird part was that I was talking on the phone with a Japanese person. Not that that's weird, I guess... what I'm trying to say is, I'm so used to hearing recorded Japanese in these canned circumstances through courseworks. So hear I was again hearing a digitized version of a human's voice, but it was actually a real human!!! It was one of those disequilibrium moments where the sheltered academic environment of Butler library brushed up against the real world. Hmm... I hope I get this grant.

My step-mother called the museum later on to feel them out about my visit and they are apparently excited about the prospect of me coming. And they can get me a translator from the Matsue tourism board. So the story has a happy ending.

My composition!

はじめまして。なまえはコンラドです。ニユーヨークからきました。２４歳です。Columbiaだいがくのさんえんせいです。　せんこうはちゆうごくごです。いちねんからちゆうごくごをべんきょします。せんでつからにほんごをべんきょうします。わたしはまいにちColumbiaのButlerとしよかんににほんごとちゆうごくごをべんじょします。どうぞよろしく。