I have been learning Japanese for the past few months. I am currently working at Kyoto University under the JSPS International Scholarship, living near the main campus. Every morning I run along the Camo River, which runs north-south through the east side of the city. This is an amazing resource for runners, walkers and more. Although I’ve been learning Japanese formally, nothing beats the real experience, just meeting people in the alley where my house is located or interacting with people in the supermarket has taught me to speak faster than formal learning much more. Outside my office window, I hear people talking, and the sound of the language is like music to my ears – allowing me to “repeat” what they’re saying (in the privacy of my office) to lower the rhythm and intonation. Anyway, that’s about it for today. Tuesday will largely remain a non-blog launch day.
