Comments on: The Start of the School Year http://joeinjapan.com/2008/04/13/the-start-of-the-school-year/ The blog of an American student abroad in Japan Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:10:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: YokohamaBogi http://joeinjapan.com/2008/04/13/the-start-of-the-school-year/#comment-69 YokohamaBogi Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:01:14 +0000 http://joeinjapan.com/?p=28#comment-69 Japan is Joe's home now. He may not realize it yet, but no one moves to Japan for 5 months. They might think that's what they're doing. I was supposed to come for 9 months in 1997. Haven't been back to the States since then. I haven't seen a man or woman go back when they were supposed to if they could help it, unless they just ended up hating Japan. Joe you better get your GF to make the big move before it's more than just a girl from New Zealand you (and your GF) have to worry about. Norwegian Wood isn't a bad book, but I'd also recommend Murakami Haruki's 羊をめぐる冒険. Murakami Haruki's writing is such that it's really easy for someone with beginner-intermediate Japanese to follow aided with a dictionary. He doesn't pull any fancy grammatic punches and his writing is completely straightforward (that is the writing structure, something else could be said for his plot structures which are usually a bit more surreal at times). He's taken some flack for it but overall it's one of the reasons for his popularity. I also enjoyed his books 世界の終りとハードボイルドワンダーランド and ねじまき鳥クロニクル. I think his books are an excellent way to improve ones Japanese extremely quickly. Japan is Joe’s home now. He may not realize it yet, but no one moves to Japan for 5 months. They might think that’s what they’re doing. I was supposed to come for 9 months in 1997. Haven’t been back to the States since then. I haven’t seen a man or woman go back when they were supposed to if they could help it, unless they just ended up hating Japan. Joe you better get your GF to make the big move before it’s more than just a girl from New Zealand you (and your GF) have to worry about.

Norwegian Wood isn’t a bad book, but I’d also recommend Murakami Haruki’s 羊をめぐる冒険. Murakami Haruki’s writing is such that it’s really easy for someone with beginner-intermediate Japanese to follow aided with a dictionary. He doesn’t pull any fancy grammatic punches and his writing is completely straightforward (that is the writing structure, something else could be said for his plot structures which are usually a bit more surreal at times). He’s taken some flack for it but overall it’s one of the reasons for his popularity. I also enjoyed his books 世界の終りとハードボイルドワンダーランド and ねじまき鳥クロニクル. I think his books are an excellent way to improve ones Japanese extremely quickly.

]]> By: Joe http://joeinjapan.com/2008/04/13/the-start-of-the-school-year/#comment-68 Joe Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:55:38 +0000 http://joeinjapan.com/?p=28#comment-68 Thanks for the correction on the difference between tonkatsu and tonkotsu, but I do have a girlfriend at home so I'm a casual observer only. :P Thanks for the correction on the difference between tonkatsu and tonkotsu, but I do have a girlfriend at home so I’m a casual observer only. :P

]]> By: Zoe http://joeinjapan.com/2008/04/13/the-start-of-the-school-year/#comment-67 Zoe Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:50:46 +0000 http://joeinjapan.com/?p=28#comment-67 What is gruupu-sansu? I tried to Google it and only this page came up, haha. Do you know which level of Japanese class you're going to be in yet? Does that start this week, or are you just picking out classes? Send me your schedule when you get it all figured out. Sorry for so many questions! ;) What is gruupu-sansu? I tried to Google it and only this page came up, haha. Do you know which level of Japanese class you’re going to be in yet? Does that start this week, or are you just picking out classes? Send me your schedule when you get it all figured out.

Sorry for so many questions! ;)

]]> By: Zoe http://joeinjapan.com/2008/04/13/the-start-of-the-school-year/#comment-66 Zoe Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:14:15 +0000 http://joeinjapan.com/?p=28#comment-66 Joe has a girlfriend already at home, thanks. Joe has a girlfriend already at home, thanks.

]]> By: YokohamaBogi http://joeinjapan.com/2008/04/13/the-start-of-the-school-year/#comment-64 YokohamaBogi Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:10:14 +0000 http://joeinjapan.com/?p=28#comment-64 tonkotsu is 豚骨 or pork bone which refers to the broth of the soup being based on pork bones, and the pork in your soup is chaashuu, which is kind of a meager Japanese version of the heavenly Char-siu, but isn't too shabby and probably better in ramen. You are thinking of tonKAtsu which is. The kiwi chick is smoking. Don't let the Japanese girls turn you away from her too long. -bogi@yokohama tonkotsu is 豚骨 or pork bone which refers to the broth of the soup being based on pork bones, and the pork in your soup is chaashuu, which is kind of a meager Japanese version of the heavenly Char-siu, but isn’t too shabby and probably better in ramen. You are thinking of tonKAtsu which is.

The kiwi chick is smoking. Don’t let the Japanese girls turn you away from her too long.

-bogi@yokohama

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