Final Preparations and Setbacks

Well, in 5 days we will finally be leaving! It's getting so close. Eddie is coming here on Wednesday and on Friday we will head to Japan! ^^

Unfortunately there is a minor setback: Himeji castle is closed from April 2010 until somewhere in 2011 for renovations. I was really looking forward to seeing it. ><

However, I've found a good alternative; Okayama. A small town which is also on the way from Kobe to Hiroshima (as is Himeji) and it also has a castle that looks similar to the one at Himeji (only smaller). And where the one in Himeji is white, the one in Okayama is black, causing it to have the nickname 'The Crow's Castle'. The rest of the town looks interesting too. So hopefully it will be just as good. ^^

I haven't been doing any RTK studies, since I don't want my reviews to pile up again, like they did when I had the computer problems. So I've only been reviewing, but not adding anything.

I've also started Tae Kim's grammar and I wish I had done it sooner. It's so easy and fast! So I will keep that up for a few more days and hopefully I can string a few sentences together when we're there. ^^

Getting up-to-date

So I got my computer back and the virus is gone, yay! But it did leave me a few days behind on my onyomi reviews (I had about 300 due), so I finally managed to catch up with them yesterday. Just a shame after three weeks in Japan, loads of them will be due again. XD

I've also been making all kinds of final arrangements for the trip to Japan. I've ordered my Rail Pass and I've printed out all the hostel bookings and all. Only 3.5 weeks until we go! ^^

Computer problems

So my computer has a very nasty virus that 2 days and 2 IT-guys at work haven't been able to get rid of. So now it's going to have to be reformatted!

I am soooo happy I recently joined Anki online; it keeps all my Anki progress online as well as on my computer. So when that is all deleted off my computer next week, I'll still have the cards I added and the reviews I've done online. However; I am borrowing a computer from work right now and it doesn't have the Japanese language pack installed, so I can't do my reviews online; the kanji all show up as blank squares. (>.<) So I'm looking at a few hundred reviews next week, many of which I won't be able to remember, probably. So yeah, it will take me a few days to catch up again.

I'm also not able to do Pimsleur at the moment, though I do have that saved to an external harddrive so I'll be able to do that when I get my computer back. I've only got up to Unit 19; it's becoming tedious.

I've started studying Japanese vereb inflections as well, so I'll spend my time doing that until my computer is fixed. And luckily Reviewing the Kanji is there and I can keep up-to-date with my RTK1 reviews.

Progress as of June 13th

I've finally made it past the 1/4 point on my Onyomi cards! ^^

RTK2: 517 cards in Anki
Pimsleur: Japanese 2, Unit 17 done

Progress as of June 10th

Ugh, school has been getting busy again, so I haven't had much time. I'm hopelessly behind on my Pimsleur, I don't think I can finish it before going to Japan. Same with RTK! But I'm not too bothered; perhaps I can do some more once the holidays actually start, but I think I'll also need my rest then. XD One thing's for sure; I went to the Efteling (Dutch fairytale theme park) yesterday and I so needed that! When I came home I was really relaxed and my IBS has been very mild since then. ^^

Anyway, progress report:

Pimsleur: Japanese 2, Unit 15
RTK: 475 cards in Anki (yeah, still not on the 1/4 mark, which is 511, by the way, but soon.)

Progress as of June 6th

IBS is slowly getting better. ^^

Pimsleur: Japanese 2, Unit 13
RTK2: 420 cards in Anki. Almost at the 1/4 mark! ^^

I want to see if I can't make it that far today, but I'm a bit worried about the amount of reviews I'll have tomorrow if I do. Everything I add today, I'll have to review tomorrow, and I've already added 28 today. If I add 100 more... Well. We'll see!

Progress as of June 1st

So my IBS has really been flaring up, so I wasn't able to do a lot. Yesterday I did a bit, though, as well as today, so my progress at the moment is:

Pimsleur: Japanese 2, Unit 9.
RTK2: 392 cards in Anki.