はじめまして。

You're learning Japanese---how do you feel? Excited? Happy? Frustrated? Overwhelmed? Whatever you feel, I hope we'll share it together using blogs.

Learning a language means not only taking a course, but also transforming yourself---becoming able to communicate with someone whose language you didn't understand before. The process involves your experience, feelings, and everything you do in and outside the class. This blog links to your blogs and your classmates' so that you can see what others think and feel about their learning process or just simply what they're up to.

I'm interested in your experience as a language learner: what you feel, how you see it, what you think about it, etc. Please feel free to write anything you want. You are encouraged to express yourself about any topics in any language. The sky is the limit!

1) Go to http://www.blogger.com to open your blog.

1. Select "Settings" from the top tabs. Click "Formatting" and select "Universal" for "Encoding" so that you can type Japanese.
2. In order to receive comments from as many people as possible, please select "Comments" and choose "Anyone" for "Who can comment" section.
3. If you want to know how to type Japanese, please click the link listed on the right side.
   

2) Send your blog address to me (mf2249@columbia.edu).

• If you have trouble opening a new account, please let me know.
• If you already have a blog and if you can use Japanese, you do not have to open a new account.
  

3) Post a blog entry once a week.

• Here are some inspirations for your blog topics (they are just suggestions, so write whatever you want!)
• I could read Japanese!
  
• I spoke Japanese!
• I went to Japan!
  
• Why I study Japanese
• My Japanese friends
• I'm confused! Help!
• My secret study tips
  
• My daily schedule
• Japanese restaurants in town
• My hobbies
• Japanese music, dramas, food, anime, manga
  
• What I like/dislike about my Japaense class
• What I'd like to do in my Japanese class
  
• My favorite websites
• My classmates
• Japanese grammar
• Japanese vocabulary
  
• Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji
• My favorite language lab exercises

4) You are also encouraged to visit others' blogs. Links to other interesting blogs can be seen on the right-side of this page. (they include links to other Japanese learners' blogs!)