Student comments of the day

The question: Tell me something interesting about yourself.

The answers:

My left toe has 6 pieces of nails
My charm points is blue glasses
I am a book
My body is stiff
I like bogs
I am a gentlewomen
I like sing a song in a bath
Winnie the Pooh is my pet

I'm sure my Japanese sounds just as strange at times.

To balance it out here are some of my best quotes in Japanese

はい僕はマークさんです　　(Yes I am mister Mark)
Referring to yourself as 'san' in Japanese is very inpolite and one of the first things you learn not to do. I got into the habit of listen and repeat - ie many people asked: you are Mark san? I replied: Yes, Im Mark san (this may not sound too bad, but in Japanese this sounds like baby talk and is inexcusable after being in Japan a month!) I knew immediately after saying it that it was wrong, but it was difficult to correct.

あなたは急がしですか　　(literally - are you busy?) Having used this several times with no comment one day I said it to my Vice Principal who laughed out loud. A better term is ちょっといいですか　　(Do you have a minute).

彼は果物です　(he is a fruit!) I was supposed to say - he is a child.
Fruit > kudamono Child > Kodomo

先週僕のかそう日本にきました　　(Something like last week my dressing up clothes came to Japan) What I meant to say was last week my family came to Japan! .... Whoops!

I am sure there are more but the worrying thing is that Japanese people are so polite that they are unlikely to say that you made a mistake. I will be sure to post more when I find out... Please check back here.

Visit from the Old Peoples Prefecture

Last weekend Matt and Nick drove up to the Guch (Yamaguchi Prefecture) from Saga Prefecture (aka 'the old peoples ken'). Saturday night we sampled Onoda's best snack/hostess bar and sang badly with some Japanese businessmen. Sunday we headed up to Akiyoshidai (caves), Hagi (where we met Matt D), Senchojiki and then on to Tsunoshima along the coast road before heading down to Shimonoseki. This has become my favourite tourist route for visitors. These guys are mad. I really enjoyed the weekend.

Matt as Freddie Mercury...

The beautiful beaches in Hagi on the coast road to Oumijima.

Senjoujiki wind farm.. the best coffee shop in the world can be found at the top of this mountain.

'Jack... I Love you.... King of the World!!'