Thoughts on Language and Trip Updates

With the addition of Japanese, I will know three (four if you count my feeble attempts to learn Italian last summer). Not saying that I am fluent in any of them besides English (and only sometimes), but I was just thinking about the process of learning a language other than the one native to you. The one you first learn automatically becomes your base language. Like when you learn a phrase in a new language you always think about what that phrase means in your base language. This got me thinking about how difficult it must be to learn your base language. I mean children barely start talking semi proficiently until they are like 2-3 (not sure about how good of a ballpark that was but you get the idea). Just a thought that hit me the other day while studying.

As for some trip updates, this past Tuesday we had a traditional tea ceremony put on for us by two women in kimonos. It was amazing to see them preform this. The ceremony itself had so many different steps and they made each move very precise and deliberate. After they did the whole ceremony once they invited us to join in. I really enjoyed this cultural activity.
Today my class is finally going to see Hikone Castle. I've had my eyes set on it ever since I got here. Everyday I've just see it on top of one of the mountains, almost as if it were watching over the city around it. I can't wait to go inside and check it out!
On the agenda for tomorrow is Tokyo! A few friends and I are going to travel to Tokyo and stay and night. I cannot wait to explore one of the worlds biggest and nicest cities and take loads of pictures!

Picture note: Castle from a distance