Frame at last

Our final Japanese class before the summer this morning. Today we were down to just two - Joyce is packing up ready to head back to California and 'U-san has already returned home to Dairen in China. So it was just Neale and I left for our final lesson from Maejima-sensei on Minna no Nihongo Book II. Fifty meaty chapters of Japanese over the last three years - and so now I know it all eh? I mean, there ARE only fifty chapters!

Only joking! After the summer break we'll probably have to do the whole of Book II over again but at least we can say we've worked our way through it once. AND now I can say that I 'know Japanese' like most Japanese people 'know English' - that is, I can hardly speak a word but I'm getting good at doing multiple choice questions on grammar!

No, seriously now! I swear I'll try harder next year. I feel ashamed to have been here so long and yet able to speak so little. Now that Neale and I are the 'seniors' - a position to take seriously here eh? - we have to shape up and look the part. Our local IVC volunteer teachers have done a good job on us.

I had one nice suprise though at the end of the class today. I got awarded a certificate for not missing a single session this term. A fairly low key achievement you might think but hey! It's the first recognition I ever had for Japanese studies. I'll frame it for sure.

Tomorrow - a visit to Sojiji so probably no blog ...