Introduction

Hello!  My name is Malia, and welcome to A Joyful Journey in Japanese!

I chose to study Japanese due to my interests in Japan's culture - both the traditional and modern aspects.  My interests have started when I was fairly young, since I played video games from various Nintendo franchises (especially Pokémon).  As I grew older, I discovered Vocaloid music, which was what first sparked my interest in studying the language itself.  Now, I explore more of the culture through YouTube, learning of the history and traditions.  In addition, I have picked up a few words and phrases from listening to Japanese music.

During this past summer, my family and I visited Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.  I was very impressed with the preservation, organization, and technology that I saw around the cities.  Being able to experience some of the events I have only seen online was exciting, and I am hoping to see different regions of the country during my next visit.

I am excited about finally learning Japanese kanji and grammar, as well as writing the characters.  I have attempted to study Japanese through Duolingo, but I believe it was not very effective.  Through university, however, I finally have the chance to properly learn the language and maybe study abroad!