Well... Yes and no. It really depends on how you work with it.
I personally object Rosetta Stone because, for one thing, it's overpriced. I have actually tried a friend's copy of Rosetta Stone and I simply have no need for it. A full package costs $400, with the online tutor an extra $240/year. Why pay more when I have resources that already do the same thing for less money or even for free? (iKnow! for vocab and dictation, EduFire for the tutor, Livemocha)
Another thing. There is still more to learning a language than sitting at your computer. The brain is like a muscle. It needs exercise. Use what you learned with Rosetta Stone to keep it in your head. Watch movies/youtube, read books, listen to music, make friends who speak the language. In my five years of experience, immersion requires more time and effort than what Rosetta Stone touts.
Am I saying that Rosetta Stone is a bad resource that nobody should try? No. Far from it. The software provides the basic needs for learning a language like flashcards, dictation exercises, reading and listening. It can be beneficial for a person's ability to learn. if you can afford it and it seems to work for you, then go right ahead. But try to combine it with another resource. Maybe fill the gap by watching movies, and communicating with native speakers on Skype or Lang8.
Language learning works like a multiplayer game. By this, I mean there are multiple combinations of classes and perks to choose from. My preferences involve watching Japanese movies with Japanese subtitles combined with an iPod dictionary. I have Japanese friends for conversation, and I use flashcards with mnemonics for vocab. Another person may choose to buy Rosetta Stone and combine it with movies and social interaction with a tutor on Edufire or maybe a friend on skype.
Overall, when it comes to language learning, to each his own. I may not be a huge fan of Rosetta Stone, but if it works for you, I say do it. Just remember that no one resource by itself is perfect.
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Monday, 28 November 2011
Guh... Crazy... Month...
I know I haven't posted a blog entry in a while. I apologize for that. It's just that I find it incredibly hard to balance so many things at once. At this point I am starting to regret taking three elective classes...
Masui-sensei's class is what I'm having the most trouble in, but that's mostly due to me not focusing on vocab, where half of the quizzes are. At this point I'm scared stiff about my grades, especially since I got sick a second time in a row and had to skip out on a lecture last week... At least I'm finally starting to catch up on my vocab thanks to an SRS flashcard software called Anki.
Still... There is also the typing class in building 14 that I am unsure about. I feel a bit misguided in what I need to do, and at this point I'm afraid of how my grade will turn out in that class as well.
Organization was never really my strong suit. And anxiety about keeping track has made me slip up in my classes even more. I can't even think very well in the language I am trying to learn because of it.
Either way... I'll close this article by talking about the subject from last week's Seminar lecture. The idea that Japanese men tend to focus on the cuteness and child-like appearance of their women. As opposed to America's view of women, being big-breasted and hour glass-shaped. I will try to make this as to the point as I can. I don't really mind the appearance of a woman as much as I care about her personality. There are some things related to looks that I often find more attractive, but I don't let it override what I see in a woman's heart.
Masui-sensei's class is what I'm having the most trouble in, but that's mostly due to me not focusing on vocab, where half of the quizzes are. At this point I'm scared stiff about my grades, especially since I got sick a second time in a row and had to skip out on a lecture last week... At least I'm finally starting to catch up on my vocab thanks to an SRS flashcard software called Anki.
Still... There is also the typing class in building 14 that I am unsure about. I feel a bit misguided in what I need to do, and at this point I'm afraid of how my grade will turn out in that class as well.
Organization was never really my strong suit. And anxiety about keeping track has made me slip up in my classes even more. I can't even think very well in the language I am trying to learn because of it.
Either way... I'll close this article by talking about the subject from last week's Seminar lecture. The idea that Japanese men tend to focus on the cuteness and child-like appearance of their women. As opposed to America's view of women, being big-breasted and hour glass-shaped. I will try to make this as to the point as I can. I don't really mind the appearance of a woman as much as I care about her personality. There are some things related to looks that I often find more attractive, but I don't let it override what I see in a woman's heart.
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Weekend Trip to Nagasaki
Anywho, I just got back from a weekend trip to Nagasaki with my Seminar II class. Guh... I did not get any sleep last night because the Japanese and Korean students were up all night drinking at the hostel.
Onto the topic at hand... It felt really strange, and eerie, visiting the second city in history to have an atomic weapon dropped on it. Standing there at the black monolith marking the hypocenter... Looking up to see that I was standing in the spot directly underneath the bomb's detonation point. The feeling was not unknown to me though. Two years ago during my first trip to Japan I traveled to Hiroshima and felt the exact same sensation.
Comparing the two, I guess I'd have to say that the A-bomb dome in Hiroshima had a slightly more profound effect. At Nagasaki, there were the very few remains of the entrance to the Urukami Cathedral. Just the right side of the entrance. In fact, churches and cathedrals are seen all over Nagasaki. The streets and structures are also oddly European. Then again, it isn't surprising when you know that Nagasaki has had the most historical relationship with the West than most cities in Japan.
Back on topic, the Peace Park outside the museum was beautiful. Very vast and open with monuments spread out all over, and a huge sky-blue statue overlooking the entire place. It was here that we met a survivor of the atomic blast, who was 14 when the event happened. Describing the sight of those who weren't so lucky, lumbering about with shards of glass sticking from them, and purple skin sliding off... And how he tried to give water to them, using a futon as a sponge.
Overall... I had the same experience as Hiroshima on a smaller scale. I could say that the reason why Hiroshima seemed to leave a greater impression on me was due to no subtlety in displaying everything that happened. Right down to human remains. At Nagasaki, the museum seemed to focus on inanimate remains, such as melted bottles. There still seemed to be a very eerie essence floating around though. And it would definitely leave an impression on people who haven't already been to Hiroshima.
On a lighter note, after visiting the museum and the Peace Park, we went to the Nagasaki Chinatown. I guess I could say it's a warm-up to my visit to Hong Kong come Christmas break. What can I say? I can't get enough of Char Siu buns. It did feel fairly authentic, which isn't surprising given how Nagasaki has one of the most recognized Chinatowns in Japan. Like I said before, Nagasaki is historically the most open Japanese city to international trade. I may have to wait until I go to Hong Kong for a final verdict on Nagasaki Chinatown's authenticity though. There is a possibility that some food might have been altered ever so slightly for the Japanese palette.
Well, nothing much happened after that. Having slept most of the way there, it feels great to be back in my own bed.
ではまた次回！
Onto the topic at hand... It felt really strange, and eerie, visiting the second city in history to have an atomic weapon dropped on it. Standing there at the black monolith marking the hypocenter... Looking up to see that I was standing in the spot directly underneath the bomb's detonation point. The feeling was not unknown to me though. Two years ago during my first trip to Japan I traveled to Hiroshima and felt the exact same sensation.
Comparing the two, I guess I'd have to say that the A-bomb dome in Hiroshima had a slightly more profound effect. At Nagasaki, there were the very few remains of the entrance to the Urukami Cathedral. Just the right side of the entrance. In fact, churches and cathedrals are seen all over Nagasaki. The streets and structures are also oddly European. Then again, it isn't surprising when you know that Nagasaki has had the most historical relationship with the West than most cities in Japan.
Back on topic, the Peace Park outside the museum was beautiful. Very vast and open with monuments spread out all over, and a huge sky-blue statue overlooking the entire place. It was here that we met a survivor of the atomic blast, who was 14 when the event happened. Describing the sight of those who weren't so lucky, lumbering about with shards of glass sticking from them, and purple skin sliding off... And how he tried to give water to them, using a futon as a sponge.
Overall... I had the same experience as Hiroshima on a smaller scale. I could say that the reason why Hiroshima seemed to leave a greater impression on me was due to no subtlety in displaying everything that happened. Right down to human remains. At Nagasaki, the museum seemed to focus on inanimate remains, such as melted bottles. There still seemed to be a very eerie essence floating around though. And it would definitely leave an impression on people who haven't already been to Hiroshima.
On a lighter note, after visiting the museum and the Peace Park, we went to the Nagasaki Chinatown. I guess I could say it's a warm-up to my visit to Hong Kong come Christmas break. What can I say? I can't get enough of Char Siu buns. It did feel fairly authentic, which isn't surprising given how Nagasaki has one of the most recognized Chinatowns in Japan. Like I said before, Nagasaki is historically the most open Japanese city to international trade. I may have to wait until I go to Hong Kong for a final verdict on Nagasaki Chinatown's authenticity though. There is a possibility that some food might have been altered ever so slightly for the Japanese palette.
Well, nothing much happened after that. Having slept most of the way there, it feels great to be back in my own bed.
ではまた次回！
Friday, 4 November 2011
My Opinion on "Sōshokukei-danshi"
Today in Seminar II class, we talked about a recent trend in modern Japanese culture. "Herbivores" or "Grass-Eating Boys" have been popping up in Japan in recent years. The term defines the decline in the expected macho masculinity in males since the bursting of Japan's economic bubble, where boys have taken on a more feminine side. These "Grass-Eating Boys" often take up an effeminate appearance as a way of going against the usual expectations of men in Japan. Often preferring shopping, cosmetics and aren't as status-driven as previous generations.
What I find rather disturbing is how these men are actually starting to revert to plastic surgery to achieve a more feminine appearance. In one video clip we were shown, one man actually got his lips altered to look more like an AKB48 singer. Some men even go to special workshops where they learn to adjust their vocal cords to sound more like a lady...
As for my overall opinion, I don't think it is wrong for guys to show a bit of a feminine side. Men who have a soft spot will often have an easier time with women. But it's a completely different ball game when they actually go about physically changing their appearance just to fit in. And another huge problem with this particular demographic is how they aren't very interested in sexual activity. This does not contribute at all to Japan's declining birth rate in the least bit.
It's definitely an interesting topic to think about with a lot to cover... Well, I have to go to bed. It's after 1:30 in the morning and I have to get up early for my trip to Nagasaki.
ではまた次回！
What I find rather disturbing is how these men are actually starting to revert to plastic surgery to achieve a more feminine appearance. In one video clip we were shown, one man actually got his lips altered to look more like an AKB48 singer. Some men even go to special workshops where they learn to adjust their vocal cords to sound more like a lady...
As for my overall opinion, I don't think it is wrong for guys to show a bit of a feminine side. Men who have a soft spot will often have an easier time with women. But it's a completely different ball game when they actually go about physically changing their appearance just to fit in. And another huge problem with this particular demographic is how they aren't very interested in sexual activity. This does not contribute at all to Japan's declining birth rate in the least bit.
It's definitely an interesting topic to think about with a lot to cover... Well, I have to go to bed. It's after 1:30 in the morning and I have to get up early for my trip to Nagasaki.
ではまた次回！
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Spooks and Sneezes
This week? A cold... Yeah, a friggen cold. Oh well, not really anything I can do about it. Unfortunately, even though it was just a cough and runny nose, today I thought it would be a good idea to just stay at the dorm and rest. Due to that poor decision, I missed out on what was apparently an amazing trip to the Miyazaki prefecture. Crap.
Well, like my cold, not really anything I can do about it. Anyways, on to something less depressing. Halloween parties! First Halloween party of the week was two days ago on the 25th at the English lounge.
That night we had well over two dozen people show up in costumes, including Yukari and many others. Some people just wore pumpkin shirts and witch hats... While some of us exchange students dressed in more elaborate costumes.
For the last four years I have always dressed up as a mad scientist for Halloween. Only this year I've finally settled on a name of this persona, one Dr. Blitz Von Bonkerous.
I have been breaking out the lab coat every October since 2007. And each year I do something different. Starting last year I made a crazy-ass death ray as a prop and this year I've continued that tradition. Three cardboard tubes, two pumps, two PET bottles, three cheap flashlights, a toy gun, and a lot of duct tape and spray paint was used in the making of my Physically Upsetting Thalamus Zapper or P.U.T.Z. gun. Not quite as good as last year's Paranormal Turbulent Shitstorm Dish or P.T.S.D. but it'll have to do.
Well, like my cold, not really anything I can do about it. Anyways, on to something less depressing. Halloween parties! First Halloween party of the week was two days ago on the 25th at the English lounge.
That night we had well over two dozen people show up in costumes, including Yukari and many others. Some people just wore pumpkin shirts and witch hats... While some of us exchange students dressed in more elaborate costumes.
For the last four years I have always dressed up as a mad scientist for Halloween. Only this year I've finally settled on a name of this persona, one Dr. Blitz Von Bonkerous.
I have been breaking out the lab coat every October since 2007. And each year I do something different. Starting last year I made a crazy-ass death ray as a prop and this year I've continued that tradition. Three cardboard tubes, two pumps, two PET bottles, three cheap flashlights, a toy gun, and a lot of duct tape and spray paint was used in the making of my Physically Upsetting Thalamus Zapper or P.U.T.Z. gun. Not quite as good as last year's Paranormal Turbulent Shitstorm Dish or P.T.S.D. but it'll have to do.
You know how the Japanese make a peace sign when they have their picture taken? This is the Von Bonkerous take on it. Just substitute the fingers with syringes!
One thing that boggles my mind is how the Japanese tend to overlook such a festive holiday as Halloween. It's perfect for the Japanese custom of having a festival or two almost every week. At least university students are catching on to the costumes and partying side of the holiday. And at this age it's all that matters!
Japanese pizza is weird... Yet decent. First time I've ever had egg on a pizza.
Well, I best be off. The P.U.T.Z. gun is falling apart... Needs more duct tape. I also have two more Halloween parties this weekend. One at the Abashi Curry House with a former Gakuen student named Yo, and another party being planned by Hyun-Goo and Misa.
ではまた次回！
Monday, 24 October 2011
Entry Number One! The Last Month...
WARNING! RIDICULOUSLY LONG ENTRY AHEAD! I promise my future articles won't be this long.
Hello everybody! I apologize to my Seminar teacher for not starting on this blog soon enough. I thought I'd have my shot at a video blog, but since that fell flat on its face I decided to make a text blog and embed youtube videos whenever I can.
So many things have happened over the last month and a half. On September 8th, mom and I flew from my hometown of Bozeman, Montana to Seattle. After 11 hours in a flying metal tube shooting over the Pacific, it was great to finally get off the plane and sleep away the 13-hour layover. The next day we hopped on our final flight to Kumamoto.
Upon arriving, mom and I were greeted by Mr. Takashi Osawa. A staff member of the international office whom I had been in contact with in the months before my flight. He had a taxi ready to take us straight to the dorm, where I got to meet other exchange students including my crazy South Korean roommate.
The dorms remind me of the Hedges Suites on my campus back home. With a shared living room and three private bedrooms. My nice, cozy corner has a balcony that overlooks the massive ocean of buildings.... Pretty jarring for a Montana kid like myself.
Hello everybody! I apologize to my Seminar teacher for not starting on this blog soon enough. I thought I'd have my shot at a video blog, but since that fell flat on its face I decided to make a text blog and embed youtube videos whenever I can.
So many things have happened over the last month and a half. On September 8th, mom and I flew from my hometown of Bozeman, Montana to Seattle. After 11 hours in a flying metal tube shooting over the Pacific, it was great to finally get off the plane and sleep away the 13-hour layover. The next day we hopped on our final flight to Kumamoto.
Upon arriving, mom and I were greeted by Mr. Takashi Osawa. A staff member of the international office whom I had been in contact with in the months before my flight. He had a taxi ready to take us straight to the dorm, where I got to meet other exchange students including my crazy South Korean roommate.
The dorms remind me of the Hedges Suites on my campus back home. With a shared living room and three private bedrooms. My nice, cozy corner has a balcony that overlooks the massive ocean of buildings.... Pretty jarring for a Montana kid like myself.
Over the next coupe of days I got to meet my other roommate, Alex. A Canadian from Toronto, he has a complete obsession with Monster Hunter... And has tried to get me in to it on countless occasions. Later in the month I finally bought a PSP and a copy of MH Portable 3rd, but that's another blog entry in and of itself.
Hyun-Goo and Alex, respectively.
The first week consisted of nothing but orientation after orientation, and a CRAPLOAD of paperwork. The week was finally capped off with a relaxing homestay with the family of a nice young lady by the name of Yukari.
First off, Yukari and her father took me to the famous Kumamoto Castle. I will go into greater depth in a future blog entry, as there are way too many things I am trying to cram into this entry as it is.
After the castle, we went out for lunch at a restaurant Yukari used to work at. All three of us ordered "dagojiru." A lunch set with the main dish being a hot iron pot of udon noodles.
After lunch, I got to hang out around the house watching American TV shows with Yukari and her father. Did I mention that her dad is a huge fan of Lost? Later that evening we had sukiyaki for dinner. Love the stuff... The savory slices of beef with konyaku and vegetables all simmering in a concentrated salty-sweet broth. And I got to help in cutting the ingredients!
Moving on with the blog, since it's five after 2 in the morning and I have a quiz I need to study for... The next day, we picked up mom and drove all the way to Kyushu's famous Mt. Aso volcano. At around 1,000 meters above sea level the weather was cooler and windier than the normal sub-tropical climate of Kyushu. But as a Montanan, I wasn't badly affected by it. I will go into greater detail about Mt. Aso in another entry, so for now here are a few pictures.
From left to right: Yukari's father, Me, Mom, Yukari's Mom, Yukari
After experiencing the asthmatic green crater of death we went to Aso Town. There, I experienced the Aso shrine, munched on a korokke filled with ground horse, and got to meet Yukari's grandparents. Personally, I'd love to live in this small town. Far quieter than the train tracks my dorm is right next to.
JUMPING forward to the end of the first week, my mom had to stay an extra five days due to Typhoon Roke closing all of the airports. Not... Fun... For both of us. Five days after her initial departure date she hopped on a plane home. It's been almost a month since mom flew back home.
Now... On to the topics set in front of me by Mr. Masden over the last month... Regarding these topics, I will have to keep them as to the point as possible. But for future assignments I will be sure to stay up to date.
First topic. My opinion on the recent Japanese laws that are supposed to help suppress the Yakuza and how TEPCO is hiriing them to do dangerous work at Fukushima.
Wow... Do I have mixed feelings about this. Up front, yes, I am all for new laws that could help in suppressing the influence of the Japanese mafia. And at the same time, I can't help but think that what TEPCO is doing by hiring them for work at Fukushima is ethically and morally wrong. It makes me think TEPCO is under the delusion that they are helping the cause of stopping the Yakuza by exposing them to a lifetime of slow and painful deterioration by radiation.
On to the next subject. Sleep. The average worker in Tokyo gets only six hours of sleep a day. As opposed to other working class people in the world who get a healthy eight to nine hours... In all due respect, I am surprised that Japan has such a long life expectancy when its people only get that much sleep... Sleep is needed so you can focus and do well at work. Speaking of which... I need to get my share of sleep, right after posting this article.
Now for the final topic of the night. Whaling. I will make this as to the point as I can.
Whaling as it is currently is way out of control. Japan is killing way too many whales. This does not mean I am completely against it though. Many cultures around the world have hunted whales for hundreds of years, including Japan. If they want whale meat so badly, then they should only hunt the amount that's necessary for the general demographic that enjoys meat with brain-meltingly high mercury content.
Now... If you all excuse me, I have a nice comfy futon waiting for me. This takes care of the bulk I missed out on, so you can all rest easy. The rest of my articles shouldn't be this taxing of a read.
ではまた次回！
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