(L-R) Lauren, Myself, and Catie in front of Touchdown Jesus
INTRODUCTION
Thursday August 23, 2018

Hey! I'm Alina, an anthropology major in Ryan Hall here at Notre Dame. I went to high school in the D.C. area, but I moved around a lot as a kid (my dad works for the federal government). In elementary and middle school, I took French and some Spanish; I have zero experience with languages outside the romance, slavic, and germanic family. I decided to take Japanese I this year because I'm really fascinated with traditional Japanese culture and history after learning about Japan in courses like AP World during high school. I've never been to Japan before, but I'd really love to study abroad my junior year in Tokyo (I'm also considering participating in one of those summer language immersion offerings as well, but I haven't decided either which way yet. Even though I took French for almost a decade in high school, I still feel like I'm missing so many fundamental skills, vocabulary, and vernacular with the language. By the end of this academic year, I would love to be more confident and familiar with the Japanese language. Since I'm in the College of Arts and Letters, I'll have to take at least two years of a language, but I'd definitely be taking it next year anyway. If things go well, I might consider minoring in Japanese as well (but I'm also considering other topics like sustainability and so on). After my undergraduate years, I want to pursue a master's degree in urban planning and development, and it would be amazing if I could converse comfortably with other speakers. I'm a little anxious over how foreign the system of language is to me, as just learning the alphabet seems daunting, but I'm hoping with some vigorous studying and repetition that I can develop my Japanese skills gradually over time. I'm about to go make flashcards for some Hiragana characters right now, actually. Till next time!

Comments

  1. HanaAugust 23, 2018 at 6:26 PM

    It is very nice that you put your photo on your first post! I like it a lot. You are really motivated to learn this language, which I really appreciate. We can talk about study abroad, summer programs, majoring, etc. soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. FrancinekoAugust 23, 2018 at 6:53 PM

    I think it is so cool that you plan on studying urban planning and development...so unique. I hope that we will have class together for the next few years!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AlinaAugust 23, 2018 at 6:58 PM

      Me too! I'm really looking forward to developing my language skills and fostering a strong sense of community in our class.

      Delete
  3. Brenden WongAugust 26, 2018 at 10:27 AM

    You've got some very ambitious goals but you've definitely got the drive and determination to make them a reality! I look forward to being in class with you for the next two years, and potentially even longer!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AlinaAugust 27, 2018 at 4:06 PM

      Oh thank you so much, and the sentiment is mutual! I definitely think you're ready for the test tomorrow, but good luck studying nonetheless!

      Delete
  4. UnknownAugust 26, 2018 at 2:21 PM

    It's cool that you're considering studying abroad in Japan your Junior year. I'm sure it'll help you become a more fluent speaker.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AlinaAugust 27, 2018 at 4:05 PM

      Thanks! I'm also considering doing to the summer language immersion program as an alternative, because I'm not sure how I want things to fit with my academic schedule for anthropology, but either way I want to visit Japan during my time here at ND!

      Delete

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