I’m studying honorific and humble verb-forms (which are completely different words to the original) and I really hate it. Maybe it’s just the book, but it is making me hate the language (I’m pretty sure it’s this crap course book). My supervisor saw this and told me that even “Japanese [people] can’t use” these forms (but he thinks it’s wonderful I’m learning). The middle-aged lady in the office started laughing nervously saying she didn’t know how to use them, and to please teach her.
It’s good to know even the native speakers have no idea what’s going on.
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I was searching for a vegetarian restaurant in Kyoto and I ran across your blog. I saw you were vegan and you live in Japan and I am always looking for friends like that I decided to write you.
Actually, I am doing the vegetarian thing now but I was vegan in the states (Olympia, Wa). I was an exchange student in Miyazaki University and then I came back to Japan 3 years ago. Now, I live in Kyoto.
There are lots of veggie restaurants here. The amount of people who are interested in veganism and vegetarianism is growing. Actually I got a few Japanese vegan friends. I had a vegan washoku potluck a while back. It was rad.
There are a couple things I think you might like:
I am building a website and I want it to be a place for exchanging information about living environmentally consciously in Japan and in Japanese and English. That is the main part but I also want it to be a place where people who have this mixed international culture can share ideas and information. Many of my friends speak 2 languages, have lived in another country, and have lots of similar interests and experiences. But, lots of times we are separated by distance. We have so much in common so I wanted to make somewhere to share ideas and stuff.
I am setting up a server for the site but until that happens I made a google group called reikan2. Right now it is only people I know, anyone can join though. (you do have to ask to sign up so we can avoid spam). Not much has been posted yet but hope it will get going. I want to make connections with people like you who care about stuff like veganism or the environment to post.
In the future I hope one part of the site will develop into a wikipedia of living environmentally friendly in Japan -of sorts- so that anyone can add to it in Japanese and English. Like, "What are the laws about genetically modified foods in Japan?" or "What is the word for trans-fats in Japanese?" or a collaborative list of vegan restaurants in Kyoto. I get excited just thinking about it :)
Anyway, a lot of that is just ideas at the moment. The google group just started so don't be discouraged by the lack of posts. Post about anything, events, recipes, whatever. And any language is fine too. Originally I was just going to do English and Japanese but I have been meeting loads of French people lately so... C'est la vie.
You can join the group here (I think) http://groups-beta.google.com/group/reikan2
The other thing that I wanted to show you was something my friend made. I think I will just let you see what it is, that will make it more exciting. There are 2 files here http://kokekokkou.net/vegan/
I didn't want to post my email address on the net cause robots steal them and send you spam. Robots! So, I added your AIM name to my ichat thingy. I hope you don't mind.
My name is Brett, by the way. Do you speak Japanese? Can you read and write? What did you do in Japan before you came back as an English teacher? Do you ever come to Kyoto?
Anyway, I hope you are into this stuff. I really like your blogs and it shows that you put a lot of time in to it. It's rad.
I really want to go to Hong Kong... ...but if it looks like Cleveland...
Hope to hear from you. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu :)
Ugh, you are learning keigo? I can't even speak regular Japanese. But it could come in handy professionally. Good luck! - Nick
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