Taking the JLPT This Weekend!

I`m now in a mad rush to study Japanese for my Japanese Language Proficiency Test this Sunday. Of course, I`ve been studying Japanese the whole time I was here, but started studying specifically for this test for around two months ago.

There are 5 levels, N5 being the lowest and N1 the highest. I`ll be grappling with N2, without having previously taken the JLPT before. May be in over my head, but I will try my hardest!

I prepared for the test by first studying Kanji, then vocabulary, and then doing 3 mock exams to get a grasp of what grammar I need to know. Judging from the mock exams, I actually have a chance of passing! My weakest point is definitely vocabulary, strongest is kanji, and as for listening and reading comprehension it`s a mix. Still gotta work hard and study as much as I can these next two days.

Something unexpected was that I found someone who is also taking the test near me! He`s Taiwanese and goes to my school, but since he`s been living in Japan a while he`s taking N1. So we`re planning on riding the same bus to the test site and then going out to eat dinner afterwards! I`m excited to get a chance to talk to someone from another country and learn about his hometown. He also seems like a pretty funny person.

Overall, I`m a little nervous but determined to give it my all. Even if I fail, I`ll just study more and take it again once I`m in America.

Coincidentally, next week is finals week for everyone at my Japanese school, so everyone else is just as stressed about studying as me ahah. But since I don`t take the finals next week, I`ll have time to wind down, explore Miyazaki, read some books, and study Japanese at an easier pace.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!
Camilla

National Pocky Day!

This past Saturday, 11/11,  was national pocky day! Of course Japan has to have a national pocky day ahah.

I started out my Saturday by helping out at my school's open campus. This meant performing a ~2 minute speech in front of middle schoolers. Since I was told on Friday that I'd be doing the speech, I had to write it on the train in the morning. Despite this, I didn't mess up, yay!

Then, since it was pocky day, everyone that helped out at the presentation got free pocky!


After that, someone who was coincidentally my friend bought $400 worth of pocky (wowza!) and was handing them out at the station. Since we're friends, he gave me extra :)

Pocky I got from my friend

Even though it may have just been pocky day, the city seemed more busy and bustling than normal. It feels great to eat some pocky with friends, so I'm happy this cute little holiday was created :)

I guess pocky day is my replacement for Thanksgiving!

Japanese High Schooler's Halloween

Although this halloween may have been the least dramatic halloween I've ever had, it was still fun in a sweet way!

There was absolutely NO way that we were going to be able to wear halloween costumes. Not even halloween makeup. However, that's to be expected, considering my school dress code doesn't even allow hair bands that aren't black or brown. Strict to the max! So on the surface, it seemed like a normal school day. But just entering the classroom, I could see that everyone was happy, cheerful, and in proper halloween spirit. Despite everyone never having trick-or-treated, I was shocked to hear my Japanese classmates saying things like "trick or treat!" and "happy halloween!"

In fact, most people (including me!) bought little snacks to hand out to our classmates. And sometimes, like people in America, they wouldn't give the candy out until the receiver said "trick or treat!" It was so cute! I was so glad I stopped by the convenience store on the way to school so I could also participate. Everyone was so energetic, even if they didn't understand the meaning of halloween. Wait wait, is there even a meaning?

I did miss trick or treating a little (this year is actually my first year not doing it!), but school turned out so pleasant that I didn't really miss it that much. At the end of the school day, one of the upper classmen even bought candy specially for me <3 and SOO many snacks at club, because the retired upperclassmen gave a lot to us. Yeessss!

I would also recommend everyone slowly eats their halloween candy. I ate mine all at once, and stayed up until 12 with stomach aches/problems. Pretty embarrassing to spend an hour on the toilet ahah!

As for costumes and make up, Japanese teenage girls get dressed up on the weekend before/after halloween, or for halloween themed events, and then take pictures in the Japanese photo booths. While walking downtown, I happened to see a lot of 'bloody' faces, maid costumes, etc. these past few weekends. It's been entertaining!



Hope everyone had a spooky halloween!
Cheers!