I was very happy today: I deposited the rent into the housing management company’s account through the ATM.
This is such a small thing, but I am very happy. First, the system is in Japanese, and I am very excited to complete it by myself. Second, it unlocks the payment to the institution, and I can pay to other institutions in the future. I tried to use CMB cross-border payment, but I can only pay to personal accounts or schools.
I first went to an ATM near my home in Kyoto Central Bank, but I couldn't deposit cash, only cards. Then I rode my bike to a bank four kilometers away. It was a very wide road, which was rare. I had to cross an overpass to cross the road. There were not many people on the road. The sun was scorching the ATM room. I was nervous and sweaty in a short while. I entered various information and finally deposited 40,000. The ATM spit out 1,200 in change. I felt excited as if I had done something big.
In a completely unfamiliar environment, it is easy to have experience and a sense of accomplishment, although it may seem insignificant to others. It feels great to complete an unknown task by yourself.
I was also very happy yesterday: I got full marks on the Japanese grammar section test (lessons 5-9), a total of 29 questions, and I only spent half the time.
When I first arrived in Kyoto, I was studying on my own and didn’t know how to read hiragana and katakana, so I could hardly understand the entrance exam questions. Now I can read and answer them very quickly.
It sounds like a small breakthrough, but it makes me happy.
For example, I now know that the place where I live is Sagaarashiyama (嵯刚野岚山), the nearby river is Kazuragawa (嵯雁野岚山), and the Kamogawa is Kamogawa. Because I know the Chinese characters, I will ignore their Japanese pronunciations, and when someone asks me, I can't say it in Japanese. So now when I learn Japanese, I try to ignore the pronunciation of Chinese characters and learn kana like a foreigner.
After three weeks, my Japanese improved rapidly and I could selectively use Japanese to make simple expressions. I thought three months would be enough and I only studied symbolically, but in fact, the on-site teaching of Japanese teachers was very useful. They had limited English and spoke Japanese throughout the whole process, which had a subtle effect. In addition, there were classroom discussions and dialogue exercises, which were also helpful.
Our class is also very interesting. After four transfer students, there are now 12 students in total, from 10 countries, including 3 from China, 1 from Italy, France, Canada, the UK, the US, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, and Malaysia. The ages and reasons for admission are all different.
Sabrina, a French African-American girl, and I were short-term students, but we were both studying very hard. Tom wanted to be a chef, but he wanted to make beverages more than cooking. Chris, an American from South Carolina, liked anime and had just graduated from high school. He was preparing to apply to a university in Japan. I wasn't sure about the other people.
Another reason for my rapid progress is that I have been learning with Duolingo recently. I practice questions whenever I have time. I often practice until I am so sleepy that I can’t open my eyes. It is a great pleasure. I didn’t think Duolingo was useful before. I thought it was better to listen to the traditional lectures. I have been learning in this way, but it is getting more and more difficult to advance. I need to be very focused to start. The learning method is heavy and it is difficult to start in scattered time.
Until two weeks ago, I had a meal with Zhang Chen who was traveling. I was surprised that he was very proficient in ordering food and communicating in Japanese. He said that he did not take classes, but just practiced Duolingo, and practiced it completely. Now he is practicing it in English. I started to try it when I got home, and sure enough, I soon got into it and found it very helpful. It was through the seemingly simple and repeated practice of Duolingo that I subtly memorized the words, which were easy to forget before. So my experience is that you can listen to the grammar explanation, but you need to use Duolingo's practice system to consolidate the memory of words and sentences, and use them together.
In learning Japanese, being good at Chinese is an advantage, as you can understand Chinese characters. Being good at English is also a big advantage, as a large number of new words are borrowed from English, and even feel as many as Chinese characters. If you don't know English, it is also very difficult to memorize the pronunciation of these Katakana. So I should have some advantages to learn well.
The people in the dormitory gradually became familiar with each other. Since most of them are not students, everyone has their own pace of life. We occasionally meet in the dormitory on the first floor. If we can cook in the kitchen, we are more likely to meet. Usually, I, Japanese Yoshi, German Noah and Canadian Travor will cook. We will chat when we meet, and occasionally share food and some life experiences. Noah is a graduate student. He speaks good Japanese and can read and write Chinese characters.
There was also an Australian muni who looked Indian. He said he had been traveling and working in Japan for more than a year and had learned some Japanese, so he could barely communicate. We talked about the rise of China's manufacturing industry, and he said, "The things made by Japan before were not good, and they gradually got better. This is a necessary process." I said, "Yes, you know a lot about history." "Yeah, I don't believe those media."
Although there are nine people living in this two-story building, it is usually very quiet and you don't feel there are so many people. It seems that everyone is busy with their own things outside or in their own rooms.
My classmate X, however, was not so lucky. A teacher from the school came to talk to him that day. When asked what happened, he said, "I live in a den of Indians, and the noise makes me sleep poorly every day. People on the first floor shout at their fellow villagers on the third floor, and all my aunts and uncles call each other. I have dark circles under my eyes. I complained to the school teachers, but they didn't care." He also said, "I told the school that you should either return the money or change dormitories, or I will hire a lawyer to sue you." He has lived in the United States for many years, and he still has an American mindset.
Last night, when I was smoking outside the house, Taiwanese girl Ginny was cleaning up the garbage in her room, sorting it, and moving it to the big trash can outside the house. After saying hello, we chatted there for a while.
"I'm moving in the next two days and planning to look for a job in Tokyo."
“Are there fewer job opportunities in Kyoto?”
"Most of Kyoto's businesses are related to the service industry. I studied design and want to pursue my own specialty. If I can't find a job, I'll go back to Taiwan."
"What kind of design do you do? Have you worked in an advertising company before?"
“Illustrations. Not advertising companies, but product design companies.”
"Then can you consider finding an ordinary job first, and then look for another job slowly?"
"It would be easier to find a job that doesn't require a professional background, and some people would just make the transition first. The owner of the kimono shop where I work part-time asked me if I wanted to work there, but I didn't accept. She still wants me to train for a year, and I don't think it would be good to leave at that time."
She went on to say: "However, this year's life and study in Kyoto has been very rewarding. Even if I don't find a job when I return, I will be very satisfied."
"It will definitely be very rewarding to learn about cross-cultural life. Your one-year stay in Kyoto probably cost you about NT$500,000, right?"
"More than that, maybe 700,000. Later, I made more friends, so I spent more money on eating, partying, and traveling. But I also went to many places in Japan."
"How much can you earn working in a kimono shop?"
"I can only work 28 hours a month. I can earn 100,000 (¥5,000) a month from the kimono shop, but I spend it all and don't count it. I have to thank my parents for their financial support."
"Hey, are Taiwanese parents generally more willing to give their children a chance?"
"I have seen it. I am very grateful that you are willing to support me in my studies." "I will continue to pack up. I still have a lot of things."
