わたしわにほんごうたおします。それからにほんごのうただんすおします。にほんごのくらすおみあした.おもしいろこったです。

I really enjoyed the Sakura Matsui festival. We really did a great job working as a team, and our performance was solid because of the work we put in on Sunday morning. Seeing the other classes perform was really cool too. They showed me what my Japanese skills could look like if I really work hard at it. I hope to be able to perform like they did one day. Overall, it was a great experience, and seeing the Japanese community come together was very cool. 

Various Katakana Expressions

What I found was that words written in katakana are often closely related to their english translations. A few examples include but aren't limited to how  "daburu" is Japanese for double, "gurasu" is Japanese for glass,  and "toire" is Japanese for toilet. That is the main difference between times when hiragana is used and times when katakana is used. These are often referred to as "loan words," and they are written in katakana to show that they aren't of Japanese origin. In other words, they come from other countries, hence why they are called "loan" words. I also found animal words such as "panda" and "hamasuta," which translate to panda and hamster respectively. Again, they are written in katakana to signal foreign origin. 

Things I do and don't do

１。 わたしはよくおんがくをききます

２。わたしはよくすぽおつをみます

3。わたしはあまりまんがをよみません

４。わたしはあまりあさごはんをたべません

５。わたしはぜんぜんダンスをしません

６。わたしはときどきげえむうぃします

７。わたしはまいにちみずをのみます

"Lemon" Review

I recently listened to Lemon by Kenshi Yonezu, and I really enjoyed it. It was very different than the previous Japanese song I reviewed, which was Sukiyaki, but I enjoyed it. The song was released in 2018 and is considered a pop song. While the instrumentals sound somewhat positive, the theme of the song is quite different as it is about the grief Yonezu experienced during the loss of a close relative of his. There was a lot of synth in the background with drums keeping the beat as well, making it a catchy song. Overall, while it is a catchy pop song, it is written about a period of grief. I really enjoyed listening to it and look forward to exploring more Japanese culture. 

What I like

わたしわおんがくとええとすぽおつがすきです。

I like movies, music, and sports. If I don't have a lot of homework on a given night, I watch a movie in my dorm room. My favorite movie is Good Will Hunting. I like music a lot, specifically classic rock music. My favorite band is Pink Floyd. Of all of those things though, I like sports the most, and I watch and play many different kinds of sports. My favorite sport to watch is probably baseball. 

Four Weeks Into Japanese Class

はじめまして。わたしわJackです。わたしわNotre Dameのいちねんせいです。わたしのしゅっしんわOhioのCincinnatiです. どうぞよろしくおねがいします

Sukiyaki Review

I looked up the most streamed Japanese songs on spotify, and one of the highest streamed songs was Sukiyaki, by Kyu Sakamoto. It was first released in Japan in 1961 before being released in the US in 1963. It is a very calm and peaceful song with slow vocals and soothing instrumentals. There is also whistling in the background which I found very cool. The song is about finding hope in times of trouble, which was especially relevant to Japan during that time with the tragic post-war experience occurring in the country at that time. While the music is calm, the lyrics are rather sad. Overall, this song was very impactful in both Japan and the United States