Goal Statement

I want to sound like a natural speaker and to have Japanese flow smoothly from my tongue.  So, to get better, I definitely need to work on my double consonants, intonation, and pitches.  I find myself sometimes adding arbitrary pitches to certain sounds where there shouldn't be any pitch changes.  A fun activity I can set for myself is that, when I watch anime, I can start to really listen to what characters are saying and how they pronounce the words they use.  Moreover, I can't wait to shadow my favorite anime characters and to go to Japanese language table every week.  Meeting the other senseis in the Japanese language program and learning and practicing food mannerisms will help me not only to sound smoother but also to act casually in a cultural sense.

Self-Introduction Video

Self-Introduction

はじめまして、そです。わたしわにゅじゃじのCherry Hill からきました。プリンストンだいがくのだくせいです。わたしわにほんごのいちねんせいです。わたしわあにめそしてすしがすきです。どうぞよとしく。じゃ、また！

Because my parents were both raised in China, they wanted me to pursue Chinese as a second language when I came to Princeton.  Initially, I was okay with the idea.  Why not study a language that surrounds my life culturally and socially?  Hey, maybe I could finally communicate with my relatives at a stronger level.  However, while looking at the course registrar and doing some introspection, I realized it's important to choose that classes that genuinely interest me and not just my parents or anyone else.  I had no real personal interest to study Chinese, and I was only thinking about taking it solely because my parents had subtly pressed the idea into me.  On the other hand, Japan's culture has always fascinated me and, to be honest, I really want to watch anime without subtitles.  So much contextual meaning is lost during translations of language!  And you can't forget about Japan's food, technology, and strong presence in international business!  After playing with the idea of taking Japanese, I knew I had to take it.  It was a language that I would have fun learning and motivation to pursue further.  I'm so excited about learning how to speak, listen, read, and write at a competent level.  Over just these past 3 days, JPN 101 has already become my favorite class and I can't wait to see how much I'll learn this next semester.  That's it for now!  Jaa mata!