My Language

My Japanese teacher has tried everything to help me learn Japanese.  I am an enthusiastic and motivated student, but unfortunately, I don't seem to have a natural aptitude for learning the language.  My Japanese friends must think I am a simpleton.  Matsui-san responds to my interest in learning how to cook simple Japanese food by bringing recipes, which we then study.  Later, by myself, I try to make the food.  I am learning the kanji for mix, bring to a boil, cut, various ways to cut, plus ingredients like soy sauce, sake, eggplant, tofu, soba, etc.  

This is a very simple recipe for Kitsune udon.  Kitsune means fox, and udon is the white wheat flour noodle.  This is basically udon with fried tofu on top and a yummy soy based sauce.  I guess there's an old story that this is a food that fox's like.  Yesterday I made it for the first time.  It was tasty and a good way to get tofu in my diet, but it was not as good as the sobu shop's.  Duh!

私の日本語の先生はすばらしいです。　毎日日本語を勉強します。習いたいでも頭が悪いです。　　ｄｄ私は日本料理を好きですので先生は時々レシピを持て来ます。それから勉強します。これはきつねうどん。　作りました。　食べました。　よかった、でもうんどんやのほうがおいしですよ。　もちろん。

As much as I enjoy learning Japanese, English is MY language.  It sounds like a joke when I tell my Japanese friends that I am very good at English.  Well of course.  But the truth is, my parents read to me from the very start and reading good fiction is one of my lifelong pleasures.  I enjoy the way that words work together to convey story and emotion.  The subtle shades of meaning, the beauty of imagery, the cleverness of wordplay, the way a well written story is a complex matrix unfolding layer upon delightful layer. 

I am currently reading "In the Language of Love".  It is so good, that now I am rationing it to myself.  I don't want to finish it, but I know I must.  It is compelling.  A simple plot, a woman explores her life and loves, but oh, the way she writes... the words she uses... Lovely. 

Comments

[kusada]

パメラさん、うどんを作ったんですか。
うどんには2種類あるんですよ。Udon has two kind taste. 関東風(Kanto-taste)と関西風(Kansai-taste)です。味がまったくちがいます。those taste is quite different. 僕は関西風が好きです。I lile Kansai-taste.

[J.]

パメラさん、

ブログを　ありがとう。　いつも　面白いです。
私は　あまり　食べ物の漢字を　読めない。　いつも、レストランへ行く場合、　メニュで　写真を　見て、料理を　決めるんです。

日本語の勉強を　がんばってください。

イエルン。

[kay]

I learn English from some Winery brochure.
Some words are very difficult(I have never heard), but my teacher said "you can remember high level words!"
I need to stady hard from them....

お互いに頑張りましょー。

[Pamela]

Point and order. Been there, doing that. Sometimes I'm surprised by what I get. はは
I don't know if I made Kanto or Kansai taste. I used the つゆ sauce from my Japanese co-op.

Kayちゃん、ironically, after our talk Sunday about your interest in working in a vineyard in Australia, I came home and watched "French Kiss" in Japanese with Martin. I saw it in English years ago, so I could guess at the dialog, plus it had Japanese subtitles, which was another hint. You have to see this movie．ぶどう園と愛についてある。面白くて、すばらしいです。