Fluency-
Looking back on what I wrote almost 2 years ago in regards to language fluency, I can objectively conclude that although my attitude towards language learning was in the right place, my idea of fluency was fundamentally mistaken. With having significantly improved my Japanese since I began my study abroad, and continuing to do so even after having returned to the United States, I have come to understand through personal experience that the concept of fluency as a comprehensive whole is and always will be an illusion. In more specific terms, even in one's own native language one cannot talk on a fluent level in all discourses: science, law, philosophy, and other esoteric disciplines couched in technical terms are areas that take time and discipline EVEN for native speakers to master. Knowing this is not an excuse to feel discouraged; rather, it sheds some much needed light on how one should actually going about learning to communicate in a new discourse. Passive to Active- I can say without a doubt that I have made a major step forward in becoming a very active player in my own long term educational and life goals. There's a famous quote from a late Japanese author by the name of Shuuji Terayama that can be translated as "ditch the books and hit the streets". Although study and disciplined learning through books and such has its place, I found that I have improved and retained the most when it comes to functioning in certain discourses by sticking to an 80% experience/20% study routine. This of course isn't simply limited to acquiring language; this idea can arguably be applied to a number of disciplines that require a combination of retained information and practical application. Keeping Complacency at Bay- My thoughts towards this idea of keeping complacency, in other words keeping self satisfaction at bay are still in many regards the same as how it was nearly two years prior. If I was forced to say, however, I think one thing that has changed in regards to my feelings towards this idea is the framing of it. Keeping complacency at bay is not what is important here, it is enjoying actively seeking the novelty that makes like interesting for its own sake. In other words, there is no feeling of resistance on my part, but rather a voluntary, genuine feeling of curiosity. I think in my case at least this re-framing of my perspective in regards to this idea has made all the difference in my attitude towards actively seeking new information.
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While I lived in Okayama Japan, I worked at a hostel & bar located in Kurashiki City's Bikan Historical Quarters. Featured in this photo are many of the employees that I worked along side with at this establishment, all of whom I share many fond memories with.
One very interesting thing to note about this particular photo is that there is a method as to how every one is positioned in this photo. Positioned to the far right closest to the camera is the head honcho (Japanese pun intended) of the business, notably referred to as Shachou (社長). Of course this positioning is done completely with the attention of displaying his status in the company.Similarly, many of those positioned closer to the camera behind Shachou also hold high managerial positions and the like. Three of the men featured in the photo, those positioned farthest to the back and on the far left were the chefs of our restaurant. I think how they are positioned in the photo suits the idea of the chef being the one to work behind the scenes. You will also find me positioned in the far back middle, a place that I myself wasn't expecting to stand in on account that I was only a part-time worker. This is a photo shot of one of the homes that was affected by the flooding that occurred in Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures this last year. Knowing that I had the spare time as a student, I took it upon myself to go out and volunteer in whatever way I could when possible. The outside of the building as well as the entire structure of the house looks still very much intact; however due to the muddy water having completely flooded the first floor of the home, all the floorboards needed to be taken out, and on top of that nearly all of the sliding doors and furniture were completely ruined. There were only a limited amount of things that those of us not exactly trained for emergency disaster situations could do, but as I wrote earlier, I went about doing whatever I could. As a member of a larger community, one should help their neighbors in their time of need.
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2019
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