Merlin 2018

[SophiaMerlin_II]

I thought I should make a new log for the new year. All the cool kids are doing it

So while I’ve been here in Japan for the last ~25 days, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life, and Ive decided that I want to go to university for a very intense set of academic goals.

And that would require, at the minimum, learning French & German, as well as Classical Greek and Latin, and probably Hebrew as well. Spanish continues to be a “must” from a professional standpoint where I live. And if I learn all that, Arabic and Russian, as well as Coptic, would really round things out. But I get ahead of myself.

My motivation to learn French is exceedingly low, I would say I almost actively do NOT want to learn French, which is about my same feeling with Spanish, but that doesn’t mean I need to learn them any less.

German, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew are all basically neutral to me, which is good enough.

While I’m here in Japan, I think I’ll just focus on Spanish and Japanese though. I’ll be honest to say that I “read” better than a lot of foreigners here who are very eager and dedicated to learning Japanese, even though I can’t read loanwords (katakana).

JK, I’m gonna try to do everything at once, but try and do Japanese and Spanish everyday.

[Xenops]

I thought I should make a new log for the new year. All the cool kids are doing it

Does that include me? I'm a cool kid?

So while I’ve been here in Japan for the last ~25 days, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life, and Ive decided that I want to go to university for a very intense set of academic goals.

And that would require, at the minimum, learning French & German, as well as Classical Greek and Latin, and probably Hebrew as well. Spanish continues to be a “must” from a professional standpoint where I live. And if I learn all that, Arabic and Russian, as well as Coptic, would really round things out. But I get ahead of myself.

My motivation to learn French is exceedingly low, I would say I almost actively do NOT want to learn French, which is about my same feeling with Spanish, but that doesn’t mean I need to learn them any less.

German, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew are all basically neutral to me, which is good enough.

While I’m here in Japan, I think I’ll just focus on Spanish and Japanese though. I’ll be honest to say that I “read” better than a lot of foreigners here who are very eager and dedicated to learning Japanese, even though I can’t read loanwords (katakana).

JK, I’m gonna try to do everything at once, but try and do Japanese and Spanish everyday.

...Wait, what? Which part are you "just kidding" about? Why do you need to learn all of these languages? I'm confused.

[Systematiker]

I'd be interested to know what goal includes that set of languages. And if "academic goals" includes ending up in academia.

[SophiaMerlin_II]

JK, I’m gonna try to do everything at once, but try and do Japanese and Spanish everyday.

...Wait, what? Which part are you "just kidding" about? Why do you need to learn all of these languages? I'm confused.

I’m “just kidding” about being able to keep myself on some kind of a reasonable schedule.

I'd be interested to know what goal includes that set of languages. And if "academic goals" includes ending up in academia

To explain from the beginning:

Most mid-level jobs where I live require Spanish-English bilingualism.

Many good philosophy programs encourage or even demand the study of French and/or German.

Entrance into a Catholic Theology degree program requires 4 languages for admission: French, German, Latin, and Greek.

Depending on focus of study, I may need additional languages (which can be learned during the program): Old Testament would require at least Hebrew, Church History or Dogmatics might require Coptic, Russian, or another “Church Language”.

And if I learn Hebrew, Latin, Greek, French, and German, then Arabic would round it out by getting me into the “big three” monotheistic religions. But like I said, that is WAY getting ahead of myself. No one can reasonably plan that many languages ahead.

And would I want to end up in academia after that? Both yes and no. Would I want to contribute articles and papers? Absolutely. Would I actually want to work at an academic institution? Probably not, to be honest. I’d probably be happier having a job which deals with something more technically oriented like finances or law.

[Systematiker]

Ha! I looked at that and thought theology, and guessed Roman Catholic too because French.

So yeah I’m going to have more to say at a time when I’m not on my mobile and can form logical paragraphs.

[SophiaMerlin_II]

I’m posting this up a bit late, but oh well!

The Current State of Japanese

I am doing very well, in my opinion. I still haven’t learned my Katakana (d’oh), but I have learned the meanings of a few kanji which I do not know any readings of, such as “open”, “close”, “listen”. I’ve learned quite a few place names as well, like 上野、駒込、田端、中央区、文京区、原宿、渋谷、新お久保、日本橋、神田.

I now understand about 50% of the things the cashier says ay the Conbini.

Plans for Japanese until 12 Feb

Finish FMA:B up to episode 21 (I have to finish 64 by Feb 28)

FMA B: 1 / 64

Finish Ujishima Loan Shark up to episode 9 (the end of the live action)

Ujishima Loan Shark: 1 / 9

Poke around at my Japanese textbooks (maybe?)

The Current State of Spanish

Basically the same as ever. I learned some new words when I was at my previous job as an alarm monitor and dispatcher.

I’ve actually had 3+ conversations in Spanish while here in Tokyo. Spain, Columbia, and Argentina. Went actually better than I was expecting (or them, based on their faces, haha).

Plans for Spanish until 12 Feb

Read 7+ pages of War and Peace. (I’m honestly not sure how much I can read, so I’ll just shoot for one page per day this week).

Though I’ve never actually finished it in english I can easily consider it my favorite book. Tolstoy can be so biting and yet ephemeral— which is why some people hate him, but oh well.

I’ll probably copy out some sentences that I like. I tend to do that in English as well.

Guerra y Paz: 0 / 310

[SophiaMerlin_II]

This week in review

Here in Japan, I’ve realized there are many different types of English, in addition to the kind I’m used to (American, Canadian, Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, New Zealand)

I met a guy from Singapore who told me they speak English there all the time, but we could barely understand each other. It took about 2 hours to explain my situation in Japan to him. With other English speakers it usually takes 10-15 minutes. And I’m honestly not sure if he really understood in the end.

He has to be bilingual, right? Or is the English there really so different? I have a strange accent, so that might have played into it. But I’m not sure.

Also, I’ve realized that things are just about as hard as you make them. I tend to be the stoic, “suffer in silence” type, but that’s my choice. I can ask for help when I need it.

Also, I’ve gotten my job at the hostel (finally) so I’m going to try to settle into a routine of waking early and studying for about 5 hours, before I work for 4 hours, then try to explore for about 5 hours.

I also had a bit of a scary situation where I was (basically?) sexually assaulted by a Korean guy who is staying here. The next day one of his friends greeted me and I responded strangely so he went back to his friends and they got into a very intense conversation and since then they have all been pointedly avoiding me, trying not to be in the same rooms with me, not facing me, and making absolutely no eye contact whatsoever. So I feel it was just a case of the one guy had just had far, far too much to drink and is now feeling quite badly about what happened. They’re staying here for another two weeks (we share a dorm) but I don’t expect to have any more problems from the guy in question.

Japanese

Whenever I try to speak Japanese I get very frustrated because I lack vocabulary, especially verbs. If I say I want something that is not big, I can explain small. How can I explain other things though? I find it very difficult to make up for the verbs I don’t know.


Practical

Finally learned how to say “degrees” and am getting more comfortable with the metric system.

Full Metal Alchemist

FMA B: 18 / 64
I really wanted to get to 21, but this is okay. I’ve lost my headphones while drinking like a fish, so I stalled out a bit. I’ll need to buy some new ones.

I begin to realize that what I enjoy in an anime with English subtitles is NOT what I enjoy in an anime without English subtitles.

FMA Brotherhood is a perfect example of something which I love to watch subtitled. It is emotionally complex, it has some real depth, subtleties, complex foreshadowing, etc.

After about 9 episodes, it started to come back to me. I turned the Japanese subtitles back on and for some reason that made a lot of difference, even though I can’t actually read them?

Maybe I can read them more than I think I can though? One of the foreigners who is staying here reads and writes excellent Japanese was telling me that I know more than I give myself credit for. I’m not really sure if I agree with that assessment, but it was somewhat reassuring.


Ujishima Loan Shark

Ujishima: 2 / 9

I think watching a Live Action Drama is probably good/essential to round things out. I’m not nearly as much of a “weeb” as I used to be. But at the same time, it’s more difficult to bring myself to watch it.

Spanish

I should find a telenovela to watch. But that will probably have to wait until I am back in the States.

Guerra y Paz: 5 / 310

At this point I am mot sure that I’m actually “reading” per se. I know the book until Pierre confronts the officer extremely well. Through no particular effort, I have the English version I read half memorized.

Additionally, I hate reading on my phone, and for most of this week I’ve either been too drunk, too busy being sick from drinking, or too hungover to really read.

[SophiaMerlin_II]

This week in review

Also, I’ve gotten my job at the hostel (finally) so I’m going to try to settle into a routine of waking early and studying for about 5 hours, before I work for 4 hours, then try to explore for about 5 hours.

Uhh what? Is this an under the table kind of job, work for accommodation or you staying there longer term(work visa)? I hope you know what you can and can't do on a tourist visa...

Work for accommodation.

Even if it is not allowed, my other option is homelessness because I took this trip impulsively and only took 600 USD. My other options are worse, to be honest.

[Nandemonai]

Work for accommodation.

Even if it is not allowed, my other option is homelessness because I took this trip impulsively and only took 600 USD. My other options are worse, to be honest.

This really isn't a smart thing to do, there's been multiple instances of people getting arrested for doing so in the past. Not all options are worse, you could've taken the trip later in life once it's more affordable, and you wouldn't have to break immigration law. Saying you are doing so with an identifiable name and picture probably isn't a terrible great idea either... I hope it all turns out okay for you, stay safe!

[SophiaMerlin_II]

Work for accommodation.

Even if it is not allowed, my other option is homelessness because I took this trip impulsively and only took 600 USD. My other options are worse, to be honest.

This really isn't a smart thing to do, there's been multiple instances of people getting arrested for doing so in the past. Not all options are worse, you could've taken the trip later in life once it's more affordable, and you wouldn't have to break immigration law. Saying you are doing so with an identifiable name and picture probably isn't a terrible great idea either... I hope it all turns out okay for you, stay safe!

Well, I could take the trip later in life except for the fact, you know, that I am already here in Japan with no money.

I could, you know, not clean beds at the hostel and instead sleep on the street. But that seems like a worse option.

Its not as if there is anything I can do to UN-travel to Japan 30+ days ago.

I make poor choices in life, we can all agree on this.