Today will probably be a Two Update Day. This is because Japanese language midterms have shuffled our morning schedules around this, giving me large swaths of free time at unexpected moments. Also, several Interesting Things have already happened, so I thought I should write about them.
First, my chronic stomach problem is under better control right now than it has been in months, at least. This is good, and it means I can start coming down off my troublesome side effect medicine.
When I woke up this morning, I realized that I had just had a dream about Mrs. Spalding, my sixth grade homeroom teacher and science teacher throughout junior high school. For some reason I ran across her in Japan, and we had lunch together and talked about various things. She said that after OMOS closed, she went to teach English at Trinity. I don't think this is true, but that's how it was in the dream.
I received an email from Yukari this morning explaining that she's sick with a high fever, so we won't be going to the onsen today. I'm very sorry that she isn't feeling well, but I have to say that I'm a bit relieved not to do it today. I really do need that time this afternoon to study, and we can always go tot he hot springs another time. I just hope Yukari gets better soon.
On the way to school, there was a fuzzy black and orange caterpillar crossing the road. I nearly ran over him with my bike, but luckily I noticed what it was and was able to swerve and avoid him. But he was different from the black and orange fuzzy caterpillars we have in the States, the ones where you're supposed to be able to tell how long the winter will be. This one had a thin orange stripe down the length of his body, and he was kinda small. I don't know if he has weather predictive properties.
I had my oral exam for speaking class this morning. We were given a situation ("You're visiting your home visit family for the first time, and you were late because the bus didn't come.") and had to act it out for seven minutes in Sensei's office. So I went in at my assigned time slot, sat down, and did the situation. It went really well, I think: I started off with a polite introduction, explained my lateness, and answered all the follow-up questions Sensei asked. I definitely made some mistakes--there were some verbs I put in the wrong tense, and some vocab I forgot. Overall, though, I feel like I did really well. I didn't have long hesitation periods and I understood all of the questions. Being in Japan has really helped my conversation skills, I can tell. When we have done similar exams at Witt, I usually get really nervous and freeze up in front of Imai-sensei when I make a mistake. At this point, though, I'm so used to perplexing the Japanese with my weird misuse of their language that it doesn't bother me as much to correct myself as best I can and move on. I'm very proud of the progress I've made. I don't know what my grade will be like, but I feel very good about my performance today.
And now I am hungry and I have an hour and a half before my next class, so I'm off for some lunch.
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1 comment:
Congratulations on your speaking test! I'm sure you did fine, even with the errors. I imagine your study abroad experiences will really make a difference in your Japanese classes when you return to Witt!
I'm glad you've passed the half-way point of your semester, and I'm really looking forward to your return stateside. I remember counting down the days on my pre-doc internship and how good it felt, even though I was enjoying my internship, to know that I had passed the halfway mark.
Good luck with the whole getting naked in front of strangers and stewing in communal waters thing. You are more adventurous than I. Let us know how that goes. :-)
Love,
Dad
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