shuji
well, it's been two months now that i've been studying shuji in addition to my regular language classes. shuji is japanese calligriphy. because it's so cool and i imagined it would be excellent language exposure, i've been interested in taking a class since i got here. i just wasn't sure where to start. i figured that it would be quite difficult to convince an instructor to take on a 98% illiterate foreigner in a writing class. it wasn't possible for me to actually call a studio and ask about class times, locations, and prices either.
we were having dinner at tomohara-san's and i was lamenting to him in broken japanese about this wish and dilema and he told us that his son studies shuji. his son is 8 years old. "oh, that's so nice. what a talented boy," etc. i wasn't really sure how to respond. what i didn't understand was that he was thinking i should join the class. before i knew it, he was on the phone with the teacher and asking me about my schedule. turns out she was willing to let me join on a trial basis. i was so excited.
i had to wait two weeks before my first trial lesson. i was so nervous it reminded of catching the bus the first time without amanda to hold my hand and sit next to me. i rode my bike to class and tomohara-san and his son, kenta, met me in front of the building. they escorted me inside and introduced me to the teacher. there were about 15 other students. apparently i passed the trial lessons and am now a regular.
my classmates are all between the ages of 7 and 10 years. hah. can you imagine how intimidating a class full of foreign children are? they have the ability to be as mean to me as children can and i have no idea. i can't understand most of what they say because they speak so quickly. japanese is also a language built with a structure of conjugation based on politeness. the language that i am learning is standard polite/stranger speech. the language that children first learn is completely different and slighty regional.
the first day, kenta sat next to me and helped me with the routine, but after that i was on my own. he sits on the boy's side and i sit on the girl's side. i've made a few friends although we don't say much to eachother. they know i have three sisters and two cats and that i'm from america and teach english. i know roughly the same about them. it's nice.
we were having dinner at tomohara-san's and i was lamenting to him in broken japanese about this wish and dilema and he told us that his son studies shuji. his son is 8 years old. "oh, that's so nice. what a talented boy," etc. i wasn't really sure how to respond. what i didn't understand was that he was thinking i should join the class. before i knew it, he was on the phone with the teacher and asking me about my schedule. turns out she was willing to let me join on a trial basis. i was so excited.
i had to wait two weeks before my first trial lesson. i was so nervous it reminded of catching the bus the first time without amanda to hold my hand and sit next to me. i rode my bike to class and tomohara-san and his son, kenta, met me in front of the building. they escorted me inside and introduced me to the teacher. there were about 15 other students. apparently i passed the trial lessons and am now a regular.
my classmates are all between the ages of 7 and 10 years. hah. can you imagine how intimidating a class full of foreign children are? they have the ability to be as mean to me as children can and i have no idea. i can't understand most of what they say because they speak so quickly. japanese is also a language built with a structure of conjugation based on politeness. the language that i am learning is standard polite/stranger speech. the language that children first learn is completely different and slighty regional.
the first day, kenta sat next to me and helped me with the routine, but after that i was on my own. he sits on the boy's side and i sit on the girl's side. i've made a few friends although we don't say much to eachother. they know i have three sisters and two cats and that i'm from america and teach english. i know roughly the same about them. it's nice.
posted by nel at 9:17 PM
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