I initially studied Law at Leiden University, but somehow wound up in the Information Technology world. :) Don't ask, LOL! I've always been very keen on languages, though. Brain permitting, I try to read to books and such in their original tongue (for instance, I'm the kinda guy who wants to read the NT Bible in the original Koine Greek; it's just who I am). Same goes for watching movies and, a particular interest of mine, Anime (at least what we, outside Japan, tend to call Anime: Japanese-style animated features). As a result of my love for Anime, I've become convinced it's time for me to learn Japanese now. It's just such an elegant language!
(On a funny side-note, the other day I read a blog from an English teacher in Japan, who reported Japanese kids, overall, seem to have some sort of mental block about learning English, in the sense of assuming they won't be able to learn it. She got a lot of "Eigo wakannai!" thrown back at her! I thought that was kinda hi-larious. :) I mean, if all y'all think English is hard, try Japanese on for size! LOL. Kanji alone will probably take me zillion years to master!)
Anyway, back to learning Japanese, I'm currently scrutinizing several of my fav Anime series (like Serial Experiments Lain) to get some basic knowledge going. Plus, I want to learn regular, colloquial Japanese -- you know, the kind the Japanese actually speak themselves. I won't be making the same mistake as I did with French, majoring in it at highschool, being able to read and write perfect academic French, only to find myself wanting, to a high degree, in my knowledge of day-to-day 'argo'.
I realize that just watching Anime won't fully cut it, though (maybe if you're ten years old; but I'm not ten any more). So, I'm currently exploring some avenues to familiarize myself with grammar and the like in a more formal fashion, like books and courses and such (and this board, of course). There's a lot out there merely focusses on a set of standard phrases for the average teenager going on vacation. I'm not really interested in just sounding out a few memorized phrases, though: I want to build up a solid grammar and syntax basis first, so that I really know what I'm saying.
Well, 'nuff said. This intro is likely already entirely way too long as it is.
