Yet another introduction.

Hi, my name is Rochelle.
I am primarily learning to read Japanese right now, but I will work on writing and speaking later. I am starting with absolutely no formal training beyond counting to 5, but I've always been one to learn by trying the most difficult thing possible so that everything after seems easy. Thus, I am on the first page of a museum book about the history of tea. I struggle a little since there is no furigana, but I've finished 3 sentences since Christmas.
I'm very good with phonograms, and although I don't have hirigana and katakana memorized yet, I can recognize them. This is my first time reading logograms, though, so learning and recognizing Kanji radicals is taking a while.

Welcome to jref and good luck with your japanese

Welcome to the forum.

Are you using any study books? And what other interest do you have in Japan?

Dutch Baka said:

Welcome to the forum.
Are you using any study books? And what other interest do you have in Japan?

Click to expand...

I'm more or less working with internet resources and common-sense. I've found jisho.org really helpful. I've got one study book called "Kanji in Mangaland," but I don't do the exercises - I just read the comics.

I do some Japanese handicrafts, such as Origami, Kumihimo and... I hesitate to say Bonsai since I have already killed 5 trees (I intentionally pronounce it Bansai, not as a cultural mistake, but because my first two died from multiple leaps off my windowsill).

I'm also interested in Japanese history, as I am part of a historical group that researches medieval cultures. I decided to learn to read Japanese out of frustration in researching details: I tried to write an essay on the cultural development of tea in Japan, and though they cited convenient quotes from original documents, nothing was translated.