Update!

Just received a call from an AFS advisor and I was told that the nearest volunteer was in Wichita, Kansas. That's awesome! If they are willing to take a two hour drive down here to Enid I might be able to go on the spring trip to Japan! I'll have to raise up the $13,200 though. I've raised about $730 by selling my paintings on Facebook, and I'm getting a part-time job. I'm so excited!! I've been wanting to go to Japan for years! I'm going to apply for the scholarships too. I already have my essays written. Wish me luck! 

Japanese Lesson One

Basic Overview

*Pronunciation

     Japanese pronunciation is fairly easy and straightforward. If you have ever taken Spanish, the vowel sounds are nearly identical. Here is a list of the Japanese vowels and their pronunciation:

あ a  "ah" as in "mama"
い i   "ee" as in "me"

う  u  "oo" as in "moo"
え e  "eh" as in "medicine"
お o   "oh" as in the Spanish "no"

     In Japanese, unlike English, vowels don't have special pronunciations when they are placed next to one another. No "magical" sound change happens. The only exception to this rule is in the case where the short vowels become long vowels. I will go over this later. But as a rule for now, each vowel gets its own sound. Don't blend the vowels together like you would in English. Here are some examples for you to practice with! Try memorizing the hiragana vowels. (I will go over this later, as well.) Disregard trying to understand their meaning, most are just meaningless vowel combinations.

  

あい ai    ah-ee

うえ  ue   oo-eh

あお ao    ah-oh

いう  iu    ee-oo

あえ ae   ah-eh

あおい aoi  ah-oh-ee

TIP: Make sure you're not pausing between the vowels. You can say them in one breath, just make sure you aren't coming up with some crazy sounds!

Here is another list of hiragana to practice pronunciation with:

か ka      ka "kah"

き ki     ki  "kee"

く ku    ku "koo"

け ke   ke "keh"

こ ko    ko "koh"

  

かい kai

あき aki

けお keo

こい koi

えき eki

くこ  kuko

おき oki

See you Monday! Ja, mata ne! (See you later) \(^-^*)/ 

 

Konnichiwa, Mina-San!

     I'm a sophomore in high school, living in the small town of Enid, Oklahoma. For the past six years, it's been my dream to someday travel to Japan and experience their culture. Ever since I was ten years old I've been learning everything I could about Japan and its people: history, holidays, language, mannerisms, customs, and other cultural aspects. Japan is a vastly different world, and it draws me in like a moth to a flame! I just can't get enough of it. 
     Now, I've finally taken the initiative to become a foreign exchange student; however, the tuition is very expensive. I'm using a program called AFS-USA (formerly known as the American Field Service), and the tuition for a year high school program in Japan is $13,200. This is a large sum of money that I can't simply afford. I have applied for scholarships, but even this does not guarantee my trip to Japan. 
     Thus, I have created this blog to help raise money towards my tuition. To make a donation, please click the "ChipIn" button, which is a secure, non tax-deductible donation. I have been auctioning my artwork on Facebook in a public group called Japan Trip Fundraiser. So far, I have raised about $500. When fall rolls around, I plan to paint and sell pumpkins. For the chilly months, I am crocheting scarves. I have a long ways to go, but nothing will deter me. It is my dream to join these two worlds together and help others better understand what Japan is all about! There is so much to learn from this country, and I hope to create a bond that will last a lifetime and beyond. Thank you for your support! 

 To sponsor my AFS program now, please click the ChipIn button.