いま にほんご を べんきょしてます。 とても むずかし です ても おもしろい です。 にじゅうこ かんじ が わかります。
Oops--I forgot and wrote in Japanese! (Just kidding!) I thought I would let you see how it is to read Japanese. This sentence, though, is all in the simple alphabet called hiragana. Most Japanese would write it shorter by use of the chinese characters--kanji. Anyway, it says, "Now I am studying Japanese. It is very difficult, but it is interesting. I know 20 kanji."
My biggest struggle right now is figuring out how to practice my Japanese. I realize that it seems strange when everyone here speaks Japanese, but I need people who I can just practice saying sentences to--not necessarily conversation yet. I've got a few ideas--perhaps my neighbor downstairs, or do more Japanese lessons--depends on how my schedule and job goes. Anyway, I am hanging in there with my learning. Actually learning the kanji has been kinda fun--it is fun to see that I can recognize a few of them on the traffic signs, etc. Dangerous, though, because I need to look at the road and not the signs!
Speaking of "job", Lois is getting some better. She still struggles with episodes of severe pain and doesn't sleep the greatest, but we are gradually getting into more of a routine.
Sorry, no pictures lately! Hopefully I can post some pictures next week as we are planning to travel to a southern island for a workshop Akihiro will be giving. I get to go along as cameraman!