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Who Am I? (English)
I haven't used lang-8 much recently. I have been receiving friend requests daily and many of them do not speak Japanese or Chinese so I feel guilty when I write things my friends cannot read.
Also, many of my friends don't know me very well. When I first came here I wrote messages daily to my friends but now I am unable to do so because of the sheer amount of people I know. I try really hard to help you with your English, when I don't leave a correction it is because I feel other people have provided you with enough help. It's not personal!
So -- Who am I? What are my goals? And why am I here?
I was born with a language disability. I didn't speak until I was over 4 years of age. I grew up in a Catholic family and was home-schooled (taught by my parents and siblings) for 10-11 years before high-school.
My parents taught the blind and helped communities in Africa and Papua New Guinea. They both speak French but they spoke to me in English so I can't speak French. My father hated learning French. He said that it was difficult and that he hated only being able to describe himself like a child -- unable to speak like the adult he is.
Languages are what connect us humans. I believe we are universally the same at our core -- our hearts. Languages are the key to understanding and I want to help our world see all the beautiful colors and hues of our world.
I used to believe kids when I was teased me saying I was, "retarded" or "stupid". Japanese at first started as a test to prove to myself that I was just as capable as anyone else. People have been extremely rude to me because of my choice in languages. (Japanese, Chinese, Korean) They have told me that I was a lier and that I was making things ups to impress people. Some insisted that I would fail and that it was impossible to understand an Asiatic language. Even in my family there was some fights. My grandfather didn't particularly like my choice to study Japanese and my brother said my efforts were "useless" and "why learn something useless when everyone speaks English?" That isn't the way to treat people! That's just sick. I don't want to be forcefully dependent on anyone.
I was called "unpatriotic"! This made me very upset! Nothing can replace America to me--even though there are many beautiful things about other countries. (Please don't get the impression that my country is ALL like this. All countries have mothers, fathers, celebrities and jerks. ^__^' ) Japanese didn't just expand my view of the world , it helped me understand my place in it. Likewise I think we need to be ore trusting and understanding of each other.
Slowly my English is becoming more and more clear. I am more confident and I don't fog my head with silly talk like, "it's impossible". I'm currently a junior in high-school taking college courses on the side to save money on my education. I plan on getting a teaching degree in college and I will test out of a Japanese major and take Chinese and Korean when I get the chance.
This year I am focusing on Japanese and Chinese characters as a whole. This year I take the second highest level of the NJLPT (New Japanese Language Proficiency Test) for high-school and college. I can read, write and understand 2000 characters but I am still trying to improve my grammar and vocabulary. I will need you guys' help on this!
Next year I will start Chinese as my focus! I will continue reading and writing in Japanese though. After memorizing 2000 characters in Japanese I think I will just study the pronunciation of all the characters and just try writing journals and read online. Examples will be very much appreciated! Some of the Japanese pronunciations are closely related to Chinese. 空 is pronounced, "kuu" in Japanese but it is pronounced, "kong" in Mandarin.
When I start college I will start Korean. (I can already read hanguel thanks to a friend of mine :3) I won't memorize any more Hanja other than a few hundred because they aren't really needed -- particularly in Southern Korea. (There is no political reason, I just don't think it will help me any.)
I'm not sure exactly I will start teaching but as my final goal I would like to teach online creating many tools available to students. That way I can reach the most people!
Thank you so much everyone for helping me reach my goals!
I miss you HJ, Roy, Hypothetical person, and よくい! <B
/Gyuujuice/牛ジュース/牛汁/암소쥬스/
Also, many of my friends don't know me very well. When I first came here I wrote messages daily to my friends but now I am unable to do so because of the sheer amount of people I know. I try really hard to help you with your English, when I don't leave a correction it is because I feel other people have provided you with enough help. It's not personal!
So -- Who am I? What are my goals? And why am I here?
I was born with a language disability. I didn't speak until I was over 4 years of age. I grew up in a Catholic family and was home-schooled (taught by my parents and siblings) for 10-11 years before high-school.
My parents taught the blind and helped communities in Africa and Papua New Guinea. They both speak French but they spoke to me in English so I can't speak French. My father hated learning French. He said that it was difficult and that he hated only being able to describe himself like a child -- unable to speak like the adult he is.
Languages are what connect us humans. I believe we are universally the same at our core -- our hearts. Languages are the key to understanding and I want to help our world see all the beautiful colors and hues of our world.
I used to believe kids when I was teased me saying I was, "retarded" or "stupid". Japanese at first started as a test to prove to myself that I was just as capable as anyone else. People have been extremely rude to me because of my choice in languages. (Japanese, Chinese, Korean) They have told me that I was a lier and that I was making things ups to impress people. Some insisted that I would fail and that it was impossible to understand an Asiatic language. Even in my family there was some fights. My grandfather didn't particularly like my choice to study Japanese and my brother said my efforts were "useless" and "why learn something useless when everyone speaks English?" That isn't the way to treat people! That's just sick. I don't want to be forcefully dependent on anyone.
I was called "unpatriotic"! This made me very upset! Nothing can replace America to me--even though there are many beautiful things about other countries. (Please don't get the impression that my country is ALL like this. All countries have mothers, fathers, celebrities and jerks. ^__^' ) Japanese didn't just expand my view of the world , it helped me understand my place in it. Likewise I think we need to be ore trusting and understanding of each other.
Slowly my English is becoming more and more clear. I am more confident and I don't fog my head with silly talk like, "it's impossible". I'm currently a junior in high-school taking college courses on the side to save money on my education. I plan on getting a teaching degree in college and I will test out of a Japanese major and take Chinese and Korean when I get the chance.
This year I am focusing on Japanese and Chinese characters as a whole. This year I take the second highest level of the NJLPT (New Japanese Language Proficiency Test) for high-school and college. I can read, write and understand 2000 characters but I am still trying to improve my grammar and vocabulary. I will need you guys' help on this!
Next year I will start Chinese as my focus! I will continue reading and writing in Japanese though. After memorizing 2000 characters in Japanese I think I will just study the pronunciation of all the characters and just try writing journals and read online. Examples will be very much appreciated! Some of the Japanese pronunciations are closely related to Chinese. 空 is pronounced, "kuu" in Japanese but it is pronounced, "kong" in Mandarin.
When I start college I will start Korean. (I can already read hanguel thanks to a friend of mine :3) I won't memorize any more Hanja other than a few hundred because they aren't really needed -- particularly in Southern Korea. (There is no political reason, I just don't think it will help me any.)
I'm not sure exactly I will start teaching but as my final goal I would like to teach online creating many tools available to students. That way I can reach the most people!
Thank you so much everyone for helping me reach my goals!
I miss you HJ, Roy, Hypothetical person, and よくい! <B
/Gyuujuice/牛ジュース/牛汁/암소쥬스/
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For studying, no matter what to learn, whether it is useful, just keep on. One day, people will see it is REALLY SOMETHING USEFUL. China has an old saying, "书到用时方恨少", which means when someone came to the moment that really need certain knowledge, he regreted he didn`t read many books. Language study really takes time and need watering everyday. The western and eastern worlds are so different. But that is exactly what attract us.
Toward China and Chinese people, and this is also the same to other countries, there are three kinds of people. First, hate Chinese everything; Second, love and enjoy the culture and communicating with our people; Last, also the majority, no speical feelings, something are acceptable to them, and something are not.
Since America is the biggest melting pot in this world, it can be the most amazing place and, the most culture conflicting place. I`ve heard a lots of stories about teasing and いじめ, both in the States and Japan. This condition in China is better, but still exist. Because of those painful slanders, we grow up, we become stronger.
让世界变得更美好，让所有人都看到世间最美丽的东西，这就是你的心愿吧。一切都不会一帆风顺的，贵在坚持。You`ve had a perfect plan about study and the future, so just keep on it, insist to it, and fulfill your dream. One day, those who don`t belive you, will shut up.
Good luck, 牛汁！我是你的支持者中的一员！你写中文的话，我一定尽自己的努力帮你！^^ v
Sorry for such a long commet.
BTW: I have a question. Do all Catholic people have to be home-schooled until high school? Is this your tradition? I`m really curious about different culture.
I can't speak for 牛juice, but from his journal it sounds like it was his family's tradition to home-school and maybe his family had religious reasons. However, other people and their family's can have very different reasons and backgrounds from his family, whether they are religious or not.
Thank you so much for your reply! *hug*
Everyone on Lang-8 is an inspriration so I thank you too. :>
"书到用时方恨少" That's a neat expression, I would have to agree. People usually can't recognize something important unless they miss it. :\
Every country has stereotypes both good and bad:
Chinese people are seen as intellegent, hard working people but we also stereotype them to be cheep in deals. (maybe becasue we don't have markets like yours?)
As for America, we are pictured as fat, lazy, and stupid. I never had a PE class until High-school because I have been home-schooled all my life. I'm really tall and so I weigh a lot but I'm not fat. (6,2 inches 130 pounds or so)
I'm not super smart but I have been an B+ -A student every year so that's also false.
America is unique because EVERYONE is a foreigner! It's also rather hard for immigrants now becasue we have really high standerds for people who come to visit. We live in a world where everyone speaks English fluently. I know many Chinese-Americans who speak English but can't speak a word in Chinese. So when people from China come over we forget they can't speak English like the people here. :\
But even so we welcome people from all over! :D
Don't apologize! I now feel energized to do my best! 我加油！
Sometimes I receive only a few comments on my entry. Haha, it happens when I write a long entry or record myself reading a difficult and boring scripts, but I'm going to keep study on this site. I was a lazy couch potato until last April, but I could change my life thanks to a man.
One of my best friends was recording himself reading a novel, and uploaded them EVERY DAY. He had some good and kind friends, but they also had their works to do every day, so sometimes he got only one comment.
I kept encouraging him to record his reading because I knew very well how he was doing his best through messages we exchanged and converstaion on skype. He was studying Japanese 5 hours a day, and I knew that recording took long hours because we had to practice again and again to make it better.
Recently he finished reading and memorizing all of unfamiliar words and phrases in the novel. I was so impressed with his efforts. My recording is much shorter and needs less works than his, but I'm doing them following his advice.
I think he is something and I feel that you're something too. Let's keep up a good work!
I've read about 'home schooling in the US', so I was interested in your story. Thank you for sharing nice entry.
Hey, 大高个儿牛汁儿~~
Yeah, I know those stereotypes. We just laugh it off and let it go.
Just as what abcさん said, keep it up, and time will tell. ^^ v
"I have some good friends here at Lang8 whom I can respect. Their entries always encourage me to write or read aloud. " Thank you so much! ^__^ I have great friends aswell here on lang-8! (Actually most of the people here are nicer than in the classroom)
"Sometimes I receive only a few comments on my entry."
I'll be sure to change that! I spend 30-40 minutes on lang-8 everyday.
5 hours everyday seems quite tiresome! He must of had lot's of encouragement!
I can only manage 2 hours a day but I managed to replace things I like to do in English with Japanese substitutes. (Stories, movies and games)
"My recording is much shorter and needs less works than his, but I'm doing them following his advice. " You are rather harsh on yourself! I can't tell that you're Japanese by your writing. You have a rather clear and interesting writing style that really fits well. Yes, you need more practice with speaking but no-one here is here because they are allready fluent and speak perfectly. As for me....
不得意は文法です。（＝＿＝’）
Oh, I guess now that I think about it, home-school children are quite rare aren't they? I'll write about it later on after Holy Week. (my next entry)
Everyone, Thank you so much!
I didn't know you're his friend, too.
I'm impressed with your comment. Haha, thank you for reading my comment.
Hi, 牛juice.
"Sometimes I receive only a few comments on my entry."
I'll be sure to change that! I spend 30-40 minutes on lang-8 everyday
↑
わあ、どうもありがとうございます! でも時間のある時だけでいいですよ。無理しないで下さいね。
Recently I've been so lazy that my entryies are not so long...haha, but thank you for your kind offer.
but no-one here is here
↑
I couldn't understand this phrase. Could you explain it to me?
I accidentally added a "-" instead of a space! :\
"but no one is here" =「でも、ここに誰もいない」
すみません！
看完你的日记，我觉得我要全力帮你学习中文，我甚至觉得如果我不能教好你中文会很不开心。
Good luck!
Confidence is the key to success I think -- ironically I used to be very shy as a kid. :D
我們一起加油啊！ （Thanks for reading my journal!）