yay me!

It's official. I'm very proud to announce that I have now joined the ranks of the literate in this neck of the world. I can read and write both katakana and hiragana!! Not very well or fast, and I still make goofs, but I can do it! I sound things out like a six year old but it's definately a start. Now you may be wondering, can I actually form decent sentences and understand what I'm reading? Often not so much. BUT that at leat I can form sentences I can't understand and I can also read a good deal of most menus I come across. It's exciting and it took me quite awhile. I learned katakana first (used for foreign words mostly, for those who don't know) and then hiragana, which I found came a little faster than the former. It's also so much prettier and more fun to write!

Also on the subject of the Japanese language, I had a personally rewarding converstaion yesterday. As most, or probably all other people learning a foreign language, I understand much more than I can speak. When out shopping I often resort to a form of cherades to get what I need and that usually works well enough. Yesterday however, no cherades were needed! I was out shopping and the woman who worked there asked me if I was a teacher at the junior high. I said no, but my husband was. There was a little more that I half understood before and after as well. It was a really simple conversation, but the fact that I understood instantly and was able to reply easily and quickly with no next to no difficulty was very exciting for me.
Hmmmm, inspiring. Now I think I'll study some more. I have a few more CD lessons to go through that I haven't touched since I got here, and a bunch more reading to do and writing to practice. I should get on that. I'll be speaking yet!

In other news: Maurice's sister called us up on saturday and talked us in to opening the Christmas presents from her with her, mom protesting loudly in the background. Gradually this lead to opening all the presents under the tree, which at that time were the ones only from his family. So we had an early Christmas and though I was hesitant and didn't really want to open them until Christmas, I'm glad we did because we got some good things that we were in need of. I got some much needed and very nice long sleeved shirts and Maurice's parents sent this beautiful tree ornament of a Northwest Native American whale. I just love the style of the art work. It would have been a shame for that to sit in a box under the tree when it could have been hanging on it! Also, Reese got some books which will keep him busy awhile. He's read through most of them here and isn't interested in the others, and consequently he was getting really antzy for a good read and was seriously considering reading through the Koran. A good book in many ways to be sure, but not exactly an enthralling and fast paced read...
So thanks again to my wonderful in-laws! PLUS his aunt sent us almond roca, which is lasting only slightly longer than I anticipated. Oishii.

And lastly, check out my early Christmas present from my husband. This little guy came home a little over a week ago to add some Christmas cheer to the apartment. Really when you think about it, as Reese pointed out, it's quite festive. It's a Christmas bear because it's brutally mauled the false figure that is the forefront of this holiday, taking the aim away from where it's really supposed to be: on Jesus!
(GAHHHH!! Blogger won't upload my photos AGAIN!!! Must resort to photobucket. Terribly sorry.)



And here's our collection that will go home with us eventually. A tanuki on the left, followed by our Gloomy Bear collection. Reese is quite handy with those vending machines! Our kids are going to have the coolest stuffed animals!