Second session complete (follow me on tumblr/twitter@ I'mmovingtoJapan for updates on my progress) So on Monday I finished my second session. After my first I felt a little disillusioned with the task ahead but the second has indeed allowed me to feel the potential I could have to progress. The idea now is that I will be going into each session with a scenario that I have created. It will depict a situation that may occur when I go to Japan in the future. So my first one was to do with coming of the plane at Narita and trying to find my way to a destination. I had pre-discussed this situation with my wife (who is Japanese and is in Japan whilst I am in England currently saving up for the move) and we went over it creating a possible outcome. I decided not to tell my tutor about that outcome and just started off with my first phrase, which is speaking to someone at the train station (basically underneath the airport). Here's what I learnt: せんせい：こんいちわ (Konnichiwa) [hello] ぼく：こんいちわはじめまして (Konnichiwa, hajimemashite) [hello, nice to meet you] せんせい：はじめまして (hajimemashite) [nice to meet you] ぼく：このでんしゃが安孫子へいきますか？(kono densha ga Abiko he ikimasu ka?) [this train go to Abiko?] せんせい：いきません (Ikimasen) [It does not go] ぼく：どのでんしゃが安孫子へいきますか？(doko densha ga Abiko he ikimasu ka?) [which train goes to Abiko?] せんせい：あのでんしゃをつかってください。そのとうりです。(ano densha wo tukatte kudasai. sunotouridesu.) [I request you use this train. It will find it's way] So this was the end of the first scenario! We then went into a new dialogue. Same scenario but different consequences: ぼく：このでんしゃが安孫子へいきますか？(kono densha ga Abiko he ikimasu) [this train go to Abiko?] せんせい：なんていいましあか？(nanteiimashitaka?) [what did you say?] ぼく：(much slower) このでんしゃが安孫子へいきますか？(kono densha ga Abiko he ikimasu ka?) [this train go to Abiko?] せんせい：さっぱりわかりません or どうでしょうかね？or ぼくなにもわからないとちんかんです (sappari wakarimasen or doudeshou ka ne or boku nani mo wakaranitochinkann desu) [I really don't know/I have no idea or I am not sure or I am a dumbass] ぼく：ええっと.........そうですか？ 　　もうにどとぼくに、はなさないでください。(eetto....sou desu ka? Mou nidoto bokuni, hansanaide kudasai) [ahhhh....Is that so? From now on next time do not talk to me, please] More to come 1/2

Lesson 1 Soooooooooooooo I have found from my first session that I have non existent Japanese spoken and reading skills, but that is fine! I shall not be deterred!!!. I will try to take as much as I can from the first session, which was expertly taught! Here are my notes and what we have talked about: -First off we talked about Japanese culture and why I am interested in learning Japanese We created my first spoken Japanese sentence: にほんごのぶんかおもしろいこいはすしとかひとぴとです。 にほんごのぶんか - Japanese culture (の is a possession marker in this sentence, this is new for me also) おもしろいことは-Interesting things (は being a topic marker) すし - sushi とか - and so on.... ひとぴと - people This was very interesting to experience sentence structure! Also listening to a Japanese native made me realise that I find it hard to separate the information that is spoken so I can work out the sentences, but I think the more conversations I have, the more I will be able to understand. -Next we talked about citizenship in Japan and how a general conversation would go. We used the following sentence: げんざいにほんはがいこくじんをあまりうけつけませんそのためにあなたのりれきしょがひつようになります。 This sentence states　that　at　the　current　time　in　Japan,　there　is　not　much　acceptance　for　foreigners and for that reason my personal history is necessary. げんざい-Current/present にほんは-Japan がいこくじんを-foreigner あまり-not much うけつけません-acceptance そのために-for that reason あなたの-your りれきしょが-personal history (paperwork) ひつようになります-necessary -Then we talked a bit about family あなたのかぞく - your family たいじ-infant ぼくは-I ごかげつの-5 months もってます- with つま-wife (this is just my babbling notes just so I remember) ぼくはにほんえ子れてとっても嬉しいですーI am very excited to come/be in to Japan じかいにほたありましょう Please visit me on https://www.tumblr.com/blog/stewymitch I will be updating my progress as I prepare within the next 4 months for my move to Japan. Hopefully the blog will be useful to anyone fancying a move. I will be stating every step it takes for me to get to Japan throughout the blog and also updating my Japanese progress!