The Basics

I know I just posted, but I realized I haven't said a single thing about my classes at Keio yet! My bad!

Most of the exchange students, including me, are enrolled in the Japanese Language Program, or JLP. We took a placement test at the beginning of the semester to determine which level of core courses we would take. There are 14 levels (though no one is in the top two yet, I think), and many of them overlap. For instance, I got placed in level 3 this semester, but after taking another placement test in February, I will probably move onto level 6 or 7.

The core courses are paired up so that each time I have class, I have two periods in a row, each period being an hour and a half long. Level 3, like most levels, is three days a week, and we have a different professor for each day. Thursdays are Kim-sensei, a Korean woman who went to school in Australia and is a former alumn of the JLP herself. Saturday is Ikeda-sensei; she has two speaking speeds: the speed of light and I-know-you're-a-foreigner-so-I-will-heavily-emphasize-every-single-syllable. We prefer the latter. On Tuesdays, we have Ohba-sensei, this wonderful happy woman who is absolutely adorable. The first day, she was so frazzled because we were running out of classtime. She kept saying "Oh, not enough time! Not enough time!" and wiping her brow (it was hot).

All my core classes are first and second period, from 9am to 12:15pm. I've never had a college class that lasted three hours before, so it's quite a challenge to sit still that long and concentrate, but the professors are pretty good at keeping us on our toes. A couple of weeks ago, they came to the mutual decision that since our reading and writing skills were great, we should emphazise speaking and listening in class. The good part: less homework and I can improve on my two greatest weaknesses. The bad part: they are always calling on students to answer questions, meaning if you lose concentration for even a minute, you're likely to make a fool of yourself in front of the class.

I know because I've already made this mistake. I let my mind wander for about 20 seconds and then Kim-sensei called on me to make an example sentence or something. I had no idea what she wanted, so I just said "wakarimasen" (I don't know) until she moved on to someone else. Never gonna make that mistake again!

I kind of screwed up the placement test, so I've actually already learned all the grammar we're going over in class. But like I said, I'm really weak in listening and speaking, so the pace of the class is alright for me. I get a great review of grammar so everything really sticks and I improve my weak points. Melanie, another American who has also taken two years of Japanese in college, is in the same boat as me. We'll just have to study better for the next placement test. At least there won't be a four-month vacation between our last class and the test this time ^^;;; Thank you summer vacation.

We also take courses that focus on specific elements of Japanese. I am taking an orthography course: kanji writing. Kanji are the class of characters in Japanese that are originally Chinese. To be fluent, you have to know about 2,000 kanji. I know 500+. The kanji class is pretty simple and straightforward: do practice homework, take test. Practice homework, test. And we use the same books I had at CMU, so I've already got the text.

I am also taking two Optional Courses about Japanese culture that will help fulfill my major at home. They are taught in English and half the students are actual Japanese Keio students. Today I have Intercultural Communication II. So far, we've discussed racial minorities in foreign countries and Japan's history of interactions with other cultures. I find the topics very interesting, and Professor Tezuka always makes sure we have mixed discussion groups of Japanese and foreigners.

On Thursday night, I have Arts/Art Workshop Through Cross-Cultural Experience, another mixed class. I have no artistic ability whatsover, but my AP European History class in high school taught me how to appreciate different art forms, so I thought it would be interesting to see foreign art. Also, more than half the classes are field trips ^_^. So far, we've made collages and photo albums, photographed a historical neighborhood in Tokyo, and last week we went to the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills to see an installment by a French artist.

All in all, I really like my classes, my professors, and the other students. I think by the time I return to America, I will have a much higher degree of fluency than if I had stayed and taken the normal Advanced Japanese classes at CMU. I'm not knocking them, but there is a big difference between three one-hour classes a week in America and ten and a half hours a week in Japan, where I am actually forced to use Japanese on a daily basis. All language majors should study abroad for this reason. And if you're not a language major, just having the opportunity to experience a different culture, a different lifestyle is a priceless experience.

My only regret: I miss my natural peanut butter. Send me more peanut butter, Mom!