Now that most of my packing woes are behind me, I can contemplate all the challenges that I will face in Japan. Japan's culture, I feel, is so nuanced, and it will be a real challenge to learn the correct behaviors for various social situations. I'll have to learn what types of gifts are appropriate, how to eat sushi and sashimi correctly, and what is appropriate to wear (my regular wardrobe - a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops - is too casual for everyday activity in Japan). Furthermore, I feel such pressure to become fluent in Japanese. I know graduate students who have studied the language longer than I have, and they are not fluent. How can I expect to achieve fluency in nine months? I think I will need to reevaluate my original goal of fluency. I also feel that because I frequently speak the little Japanese that I do know with fellow students, people who have heard me speak assume that I'm quite capable when in fact I have a long way to go before I'll even be at an advanced intermediate level.
But I guess I can worry about that all when I arrive in Japan. Right now, I'm going to spend my last few hours at home with my parents.
Good luck, JuneBug!! I'm going to miss you so much! But I know you'll have a wonderful time. I look forward to reading about your adventurez
ReplyDeleteThat really depends on your definition of "fluency." Is fluency the same level of comprehension as an average Japanese adult? Or perhaps it's being able to write and communicate with your own voice?
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, what's the rush with becoming fluent? Who cares about fluency anyway? Just go out, live your life, make friends, watch movies, read books, listen to music, do everything you would normally do for fun. Except do everything I just said in Japanese and the language-learning will take care of itself. So basically, what I'm saying is
HAVE FUN GIRL! I'M SUPER JEALOUS OF YOU AND IF YOU COME BACK AND YOUR JAPANESE ISN'T BETTER THAN MINE THAT MEANS YOU HATE FUN.
Andrew,
ReplyDeleteWhen I say fluency, I am thinking along the lines of a comprehension level similar to that of the average educated, Japanese adult. I know I can't rush fluency because I must study and experience a lot to obtain it, but I do care about it. I love studying languages, and in my mind it is frustrating to study a language for a long time and not obtain fluency. But after listening to a few professors during the orientation, I'm reevaluating my goals and thinking that fluency may just not be obtainable at this point, and proficiency may be a more reasonable goal.
Of course I will have fun! ; ) And if you would actually speak Japanese with me for once, we will definitely compare skill levels when I return home, and I hope I can blow you out of the water, but we'll see...!