2012. A new year. Time to start with something new.

Why this blog? Simply because I want to share my experiences of learning Japanese, along with resources and tips. So that’s what this will be about: learning Nihongo, nothing else.
I’m a real beginner at Japanese. At this moment I am attending the third year in evening class. Besides that I make a lot of efforts to understand the language and how it is used.
We live in a great era. Internet has made everything available and we can use it as a tool for finding information, use online dictionaries and other resources, read about other people’s experiences, share knowledge, and so on.

Sometimes I try something new, like watching FNN news broadcasts, but than I find it’s too difficult and I have to give up. No problem, that’ll come back in a later stage, when I do have enough background to follow the conversation. [Actually I did not give up, just don’t listen that intensively on a daily basis.]

Most important is to know where you’re going and how to get that, and not to overload yourself. Just take your time, and have fun.
Everybody’s different, so there is no general rule how to learn a language. But there are proven methods that will work for most of the people, so probably also for you.
Everybody’s situation is different, so there is no fixed rule on how much you must study. But you need to put effort, do what it takes, and not give up. If you’re in a situation where you’re getting older and your memory is getting worse, where you need to travel a lot for work so you don’t have time to study, where your work is so exhausting that you have no energy left in the evening, where your family needs your full attention in the weekend, don’t worry: go for the easier path: try to watch video clips or movies and learn to understand through that. The real study may come at another time when you can free up the necessary time.

So, enough blabla. Let’s get on with it. Don’t forget, I’m not a writer so you won’t find nice lyrics and well-written poetry here. Be ready for plain information and direct opinions. Also, I am open to feedback and welcome more info and tips.

はい、以上です。はしめましょう。「はい、いじょうです。 はしめましょう。」[That’s it, let’s start].