私は日本語がだいすきです！

Although most English speakers view Japanese as an incredibly difficult language to learn, taking Elementary Japanese 1 has been very insightful and I now feel motivated to learn it as a second language. I feel that I have a very solid foundation to continue learning, and I plan to take Elementary Japanese 2 (pending approval with my master's program), as well as self-study for the JLPT N5 language exam. Also, the opportunity to travel to Japan will be something that I remember for the rest of my life, and I hope to go back in the future, potentially with the ability to hold a conversation!

When I compare my study of Japanese to my past study of Spanish, the best way to describe it is that something feels different. This is not to say that learning Japanese is easy, but rather that it does not feel tedious. I enjoyed doing the homework, which is not something I can say for most of the classes I have taken at ND. Ever since I was little I remember being fascinated by Japanese culture and history. It feels as though learning Japanese is a continuation of that interest. I am proud of what I have learned so far, and I hope to stay committed to learning Japanese.

In my opinion, the best part of this class was its size. It was great getting to know everyone, and using rotating partner groups for conversation practice eliminated any fear of speaking.

みなさん、ありがとうございます！