Back to school part 2
My ass is back into gear! I’ve had a bit of time off but I’m ready to ROLL!!
…maybe not this ready
So I’ll start with how the school year is going. It’s been nearly a month and I’ve learned… nothing! Joke.
Our modules are set out a little differently this year; I no longer have to do Japanese Reading and Writing because I was ahead last year (shwing!) and instead there is an extra module called Japanese Conversation (does what it says on the tin really) as well as the usual grammar lessons. Hopefully by the time I go to Japan next year my language skills will be SUPER AWESOME!
Other than that I am doing a semester of Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching, where we learn about how to teach foreign languages! I’m attending a seminar about the JET programme later today, for those of you who don’t know the JET programme is an exchange and teaching programme between Japan and other countries. It’s quite a big deal and very helpful if you manage to get in, it’s something I might consider when I finish my degree (‘when’ being the key word here!)
We’ve also got quite a few seminars about our year abroad (SO CLOSE NOW!!) which I am super excited about!
And of course I haven’t forgotten about the lovely team at Japan Cinema, occasionally I have to check out the ‘About’ section to make sure Marcello hasn’t gotten rid of me for being such an aweful team member! Now that university is back on my life has more structure and I can write again! And hopefully I will have more readers too!
Mata ne!
Nearly back to school!
Argh! It’s nearly time to go back to university! I am so excited!
I’ve had a really awful month, a lot of bad things have happened so I’m really ready to get back to life. I started by writing another review for Japan Cinema! Can’t wait until it’s up!
I also went for a run today (shock horror!) I couldn’t believed it, there was so much sweat!
And I’ve been learning Japanese too. I’m quite pleased with myself actually, I’ve been doing new vocabulary for September so that I can be a little ahead when I start. Luckily Sensei gave me the whole vocabulary list before I left so I figured I’d be an idiot not to use it!
Before I go back to uni though I have to move house, meh! I hate moving house, but this time at least I’m living with 3 wonderful girls and we have a dog! How exciting is that! I can’t wait to take him for walks (I’m so sad I know!)
Apologies served with a review to sweeten you back up!
Well it’s been a while, but hey summer seems to have finally arrived in jolly Old England, a girl’s gotta enjoy it while she can! I also went on holiday and in between I’ve had to show the shoe industry how to make money. Before all of this I wrote a new review and I haven’t even checked that it got put up! Obviously it did, here it is:
Click for Vital Review!
I promise to be back soon! I have to get back onto revising some Japanese!! September is so near now, it’s kinda freaking me out!
Lesbian Invisibility in Japan
NEW POST FOR LINGUALIFT!!!!!! It’s about lesbians in Japan. I did an essay on this topic and I found it really interesting, so please read! (Click the pic)
Click for my article on Lingualift
Sorry I’ve been away for a while, I’ve been back home to Liverpool (YAY) Before that I interviewed the creators of Fullmetal Alchemist!!!!!!!!!!! The interview will be up on Japan Cinema soon, I’m so freaking excited!
Oh and the best news of all I PASSED ALL MY EXAMS!!!! Wow! I got all B+ so that ain’t half bad! My sensei even emailed me to tell me I’d done really well! Wonderful news 🙂
I’m just working full time at Russell and Bromley right now so life is a little dull, but I must get back to studying Japanese!
Fullmetal Excitement
So I have some brilliant news, next Friday I will be interviewing the creators of Fullmetal Alchemist! *scream*
This amazing opportunity has arisen after one of the glorious staff members of Japan cinema (John) unfortunately realised he wasn’t able to make it and so passed it onto me. I am so super excited!!! Thank you John (I don’t actually think he reads my blog? Actually I’ve never read his either… here’s the link, you guys check it out and I’ll catch up later: John H Marshall)
So from the information I have, the interview will be in London with 2 other journalists (I say ‘other’ as if I am actually a journalist!) and it will be around half an hour long with Mr. Kazuya Murata and Mr. Masahiko for the release of FMA 2: The Sacred Star of Milos. I have a bunch of questions already and now I’m just rekindling my love for the series by watching the whole thing again! Why not ey!
So as today is my day off from the shoe-craving public, I am going to lie in bed, watch Fullmetal and write for Japan Cinema and Lingualift. (With plenty of tea!)
Exams and Pornostars
IT’S EXAM DAY!!!
This is not an overreaction of my feelings!
I am so scared you cant imagine! BUT to take my mind off these awful events I HAVE A NEW REVIEW! It’s literally been months! So here you go guys enjoy… I’m off to face inevitable doom.
Click for my review of Pornostar for JapanCinema.net
Polka dots and lesbians
Loving life today..
Had a reasonably fun Japanese lesson; some sort of stereotypically cute Japanese trainee teacher taught us… I didn’t understand a word she said but she was nice to look at (looking back at this comment I realise that, combined with the fact that I’m doing an essay about lesbianism, I must appear inclined that way..) Anyway, it was fun let’s leave it at that.
Got an hour before Japanese Modern History (BANE OF MY EXISTENCE!) but now that that awful exam is over I can go back to not paying any attention which will undoubtedly lead to failing again next time. The joy.
I managed to write another post for Lingualift about Yayoi Kusama, she’s awesome, let’s all just look at how awesome she is:
She’s in her 80s, living in a mental institution (voluntarily) likes painting polka dots and is collaborating with Marc Jacobs for Loius Vuitton. Oh, she also likes to get people naked and cover them in polka dots…
Hopefully the post will be up on Lingualift soon because quite frankly, I’m not gonna repeat myself when I’ve already written a whole article about her!
I also watched another crrrazy Japanese film last night ‘Apartment 1303’. Verdict: Don’t watch it, but DO read my review (which I haven’t actually started yet… Sorry Marcello, you will have it by the end of the week!)
Right, history lesson time….
Cure to flying time?
It’s been a while! I’ve had so much work to do you wouldn’t believe! And as we all know, time flies… 
I had my oral exam yesterday (describing that photograph that I showed you..? Remember?) which, needless to say went pretty horrific! I had prepared and gotten myself an AWESONE little speech together and then as soon as I got the computer room to record it, everything went away! Hopefully I will have still passed because what I did manage to say was pretty good! Then today, another exam! This time a writing test, eek! I had to talk about food from Japan and England WITHOUT A DICTIONARY! Who do these people think I am???
AND next week I have another exam on Japanese History! I seriously don’t know how I haven’t pulled my hair out! I don’t think I can cope much more! In between all of this I haven’t managed to write any more posts for Lingualift.com, but somehow pulled another film review out of thin air….
READ READ READ.
So I’ve gotta go and revise now! But I will be back soon!
Remembering my natsuyasumi when all I have now is work!
It’s a wonderful day! I’ve had another post put up for Lingualift! Yesh! It’s about the Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara. He’s pretty awesome and a bit obsessed with the concept of time and existence, it’s deep stuff! Check it out yo!
I’m currently working on another little art-related article for the wonderful people of Lingualift BUT I mustn’t neglect Japancinema.net so tonight I’m gonna watch another explicit movie and see what everyone has to say about it!
Until all of that however I have a lot of uni work to do (it never ends!) Today I’m focusing on 2 (TWO!) presentations that I have next week! One is a Japanese speaking test, I’ve gotta describe a photo, I’ve decided to use one of me and my friends on holiday in Italy… I’ll show you it:
Ahhh, my beautiful long hair *sniff*
I figure that there’s quite a lot to talk about in this picture so it should make for a good presentation.
My next presentation is about… Hmmm… I don’t actually know! That doesn’t help… Let me see…
The history of Japan – The Twenty-one Demands (don’t know what that is?) The Peace Preservation Law (again, what?) and The March First Movement! So all in all, I’m pretty screwed for that! Sounds as boring as it gets doesn’t it really? Any takers?
Valentine’s blogging and gross houmous.
I’ve been LAZY today, instead of doing work like a good little girl I’ve been shopping for clothes. Beautiful clothes! Since it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow and all I’ve gotta be keeping up those appearances!
Aww, Valentine's Octopussy
And luckily, here in the UK we get chocolates and presents, yay! I know that in Japan it’s customary for the women to give chocolate to men and then you have a sort of ‘reply day’ a month later? But from what I’ve read the women get back about 3 times what they gave so that can’t be bad! To be honest, Valentine’s Day is a bit of a jib really, all this commercialism is enough to make me wanna throw up! And literally all the shops turn pink and fluffy, it’s a bit too much (Japanese shops are probably pink, fluffy and kawaii all year round so it wouldn’t be that bad!)
I’ve just eaten out of date houmous. Ew.
In other non-Valentine’s news, I got myself a post for a wonderful blog; Lingualift.com 🙂 The site is aimed at those wanting to learn Japanese but they also have a brilliant blog section with all sorts of articles about Japanese culture, food, fashion etc. It seemed apt that I start out writing a post on a Top 5 must-see Japanese films sooooo GO:
Click for my post 🙂
All this blogging and review writing gets me really excited 🙂 Anyway, on with my Japanese studies, I’ve been a bit naughty and neglected it! Happy Valentines Day Everyone..
A Hundred Views of Edo