Schooled

I figured if I didn't post something soon, I'd never get around to it at all. School has started again, and against my better judgement I took the second semester of Japanese. During the first semester I was sure I was going to get either an unpleasant grade, or run wild and insane off into the woods. Oddly neither happened, and all the stuff that never settled to the bottom and made sense during the first semester unexpectedly made sense this semester. I still can't speak Japanese to save my life, but I suspect that it has to do with me being extremely apprehensive about saying the wrong thing. Especially when everyone else doesn't seem to have a problem catching on. I'm just a tinsy bit frustrated with myself. Reading and understanding the language is much easier for me. 

What really makes me nuts though is that my teacher, while he doesn't pick specifically on me anymore, he does tend to pause before asking me a question, and then awaiting my answer. Both are given in Japanese... Except he pauses and will ask me something before the question he asked everyone else. Last night it was, 'pause' "Kon'ban wa." Which means good evening, and I replied in kind. I know how to do that much at least. Then he asked what type of car I have, as in what country is it made in. I responded, stuttering a bit because I don't like doing things wrong, and he nodded and moved on. No Kon'ban wa to the next 4 people. I can't figure out what he's trying to do... Make me feel more comfortable? Assess just how miserable I am at speaking his native tongue? Totally throw me off? Or it could just be that I'm unknowingly giving him a beaten puppy expression when he steps up to me desk. The kid who sits in front of me keeps telling me I worry too much. Maybe I am. *sighs*

The second class isn't nearly so dire. Although the time and day of the class sort of makes for long days on Tuesdays and Thursdays because it falls before work, and the Japanese class is after work. This tends to make days that start at 7a.m. and end close to 10pm. Fun! Not! The second class is Western Civilization, and I'm taking it backwards. The second semester first, so on some things I get a little bit lost, but for the most part I love the class. It helps keep my mental platform from tilting too much when I start panicking over Japanese. Oddly, I understand the homework, and I can write now in katakana and hiragana without too many problems. And Kan'ji at the moment is just pure fun. This will probably change later when my brain melts and more grey cells perish before its lava like cascade from my ears.

I keep telling myself that there are only 13 weeks left... only 13.....