Learning a new language I joined this site on 26 January 2011 for the sole purpose of learning Japanese. Now, I have added a new language. My girlfriend's first language is Spanish, and it often causes problems due to the language barrier. So I have decided to take up Spanish for her, and while I will still be learning Japanese, Spanish will now be my primary language to learn.

Return to teaching I took two years off teaching because it was going nowhere. But now I think I want to try it again. I'll do things a little different this time. I'm only going to accept certain students. It really just depends on the the student, and their profile, so I can't really list the things I will take into consideration. There could be two identical students requesting a lesson and I might only accept one of them. I will say that if I look at their profile and see they've only done trial sessions then I won't even waste my time with them. These kind of student just goes from teacher to teacher and does the cheap/free trial sessions, which is wasteful. If we do a lesson and you either refuse to confirm it happened or report me and claim I didn't turn up when I did, I will report you (or dispute the claim).

New approach to my teaching I recently took a break from teaching because it was getting too stressful. That was because I was getting lesson requests from people other than China or Japan, and I wasn't learning any other languages. It was difficult trying to teach English to someone who didn't speak the language I was learning. So I kept getting into arguments with students because of the added language barrier. So I took a brief break from teaching because the stress was getting too high. I decided to come back and only accept lessons from students who speak Chinese or Japanese. But now there is another issue. I am not getting any recurring students, and the few I get are only doing the trial. In the trail, they still ask the same questions over and over (the same questions I answered in my previous notebook entry (which proves that most students don't research teachers at all). Every lesson I am doing now is the same thing over and over, and it's getting to where lessons aren't enjoyable for me or the student, because I am starting to not care anymore. So from now on, I am not excepting new students, because then it will only be repetitive and even less enjoyable for anyone.

Break from teaching Due to personal reasons, I will be unable to teach for awhile. I'm sorry.

Are there any Chinese shortcuts? [note: I only put "Chinese" as the language this was about because you can only pick one. As I am learning both Chinese and Japanese, I usually mean both when I ask one of these.] For those who are confused by by question, a shortcut is an easier way to write something. Like in English you would say "How are you?", but the shortcut would be "How r u". I personally do not use them. One of my Japanese friends told me long ago that when she was learning English, she knew she was good when she was able to do English shortcuts without thinking about them. The other day, I was was chatting with one of my Chinese friends on QQ, and she asked me a question. I answered and she said, "ic". I was so proud of her that I started clapping (she was struggling with English when we met months ago). Now I am sitting here wondering... Are there any Chinese (or Japanese) shortcuts?

Message to my students (or potential students) I am getting very frustrated with the lessons I have been giving, because every single one consists of me having to answer and re-answer the same questions over and over again. So I have decided to post this notebook entry so we can get on with the lessons. Frequently Asked Questions: Where are you? I live in America. ____ Have you ever been to China? No, I have never left America. But I want to visit China and Japan. ____ When did you become a teacher? Technically, I didn't. I joined iTalki in late January 2011 in hopes of learning Japanese. But I started meeting alot of Chinese and they asked me to help them with their English, so I did. After a few months, a few of them suggested I apply to be a language teacher on the site. After a couple weeks, I finally gave in and applied. I have been a language teacher since 21 March 2011. ____ What are your courses? I offer three. 1) Conversations Course type: Speaking / Listening Hourly Rate: 50 ITC Basically, in the months before I applied to be a teacher, my Chinese friends told me that they are tired of teachers who have very complicated courses and have them memorize all sorts of different things. Alot of them told me that they just wanted someone to talk to, to just practice English with. So the Conversations course is just having conversations to practice your English. I have been criticized by students who say I "don't even have any real lessons". Well, take some of my other courses! 2) Creative Writing Course type: Writing / Reading Hourly Rate: 50 ITC Before I became interested in helping people improve their English, I was a writer. Have been since 2004. I have always enjoyed reading material others have written. In this course, I will give you a topic or scenario (or have you chose one) and have you write a short story using that topic or scenario. when you are done, I will read it and correct any mistakes you have made and explain to you how that is the correct way of wording something or why I made the corrections I made. 3) American Culture and History Course type: Culture Hourly Rate: 50 ITC Another thing that my friends and students have asked me is about life in America and what the history here is. I am a major history nerd and absorb almost anything to do with history. when I am not giving lessons, I am probably looking up videos or articles on historical events. Just give me the aspect of American culture and/or history you are interested in when you schedule, and I will gladly prepare a lesson just for you on that topic. ____ Now I have some "rules" for the lessons. Lately, I have had a few students who were quite obviously simply wasting time. They schedule the lesson, and when I go to correct them on something they have incorrect, they either tell me I am wrong and that they are right, or (in most cases) so silent and won't respond to anything I say after that. Now, I understand that the criticism will make you too shy to speak sometimes. but you are paying for the lesson and by not even trying to learn or improve you are not only wasting my time, but you are also wasting your time, and your money. I have been very patient with these students for a month now, but from now on if it seems like the lesson is just being wasted, I will end the call and cancel the lesson. I hate to sound mean, but I can't help you if you're not trying to help yourself. You have to meet me halfway. I want to help you, but I need your help to do so. Consider this your warning. If I end the call and cancel the lesson, don't say I never said anything. I feel this message has gone on for too long, so I will end it by saying I hope this message doesn't scare you off. I give everyone chance when they want to learn or improve on their English, so feel free to schedule a lesson. I would be glad to help you in any way I can. =]]

When do you become fluent? I thought of this just now while walking home from church. When, while learning a language, do you officially become fluent in that language? Do you sit up one morning and go, "Hey! I am fluent in Chinese!", or does a standardized test tell you you are fluent, or do the native speakers inform you that you are, indeed, fluent?Or, more realistically, is it something that is gradual and not a "*snap* I'm fluent" sort of thing? But at some point, you have to realize it. Like a person getting older, at some point you have to stop and say, "I'm old". While learning a language, you have to stop and say, "I'm fluent". But when is that point? I have been speaking English my entire life, but I don't know every word in the English language. So, technically, I'm not fluent in English. do you have to learn every word in the Chinese/Japanese/etc language to become fluent? Is there a certain percentage you have to know to be considered fluent?

Can anyone give me the Japanese words for my youTube channel? I have a youTube channel, and I have started posting videos about my thoughts on Japan and learning Japanese and all things in that topic area. But It's at the point now where I want to create a new channel just for that. What I am wanting is the Japanese for my youTube channel. I want the Romaji, because I am not sure if I would be able to login using Kana. The name of my youTube channel is "MarfaFilmz". Or, tell me something else you would think would work better or that would like to see a channel like that be called.

What are other uses of "sugoi"? I have always been told that "sugoi" means "awesome" and "amazing", but I watch the anime Shugo Chara! alot, and they "sugoi" alot, but the subtitle always says "wow". Is this a mistranslation, or are there more uses of the word?