My apologies, but as this week’s essay contains quite a lot of personal information about me, I’d rather not post it on this blog. That means that next week’s essay, assuming we are set one, will be the last one I write before my exams, and will be the final one I post on this blog. Whilst it has been great fun translating them for you guys to read, and then enjoying the “You are utterly insane” emails I get on a somewhat shockingly regular basis, I want to move away from relying on my work for content for Japan Is Doomed.

I’m going to start a new series of updates which introduce grammar points that I found very useful or very difficult. I’m doing this for two reasons - the first is to create a useful resource for anyone wishing to learn Japanese. The second reason is it will help me solidify my understanding of grammatical points.

The winter is nearly over, and as a result I will be able to go outside without freezing to death. I really want to get around Sheffield with my camera at some point and take lots of photos of the city I call home. I really should do one set now and one set in the summer. Sheffield, despite it’s size, is a city with plenty of nature, which is really nice in the summer, so I shall endevour to get some photos during the two nice days a year we experience in the north of England.

In the meantime, here is a lovely song by Japanese rock band L’Arc~En~Ciel. It’s called Daybreak’s Bell and is the themetune to some anime program. I don’t know which one, but the song is fantastic, which is a suprise L’Arc~En~C’iel usually play boring Dad-rock.

As I said, next week is my final week at university, which means more frequent updates! Hurrah!

Another week, another essay! I’m not 100% happy with this essay but it will have to do. The idea here was to talk about what future students could look forward to at Sheffield University. Enjoy!

シェフィールドで日本語をべんきょうしている人はたいていいそがしいですが、そつぎょうするの後で、いろいろなしごとをできます。日本語をべんきょうすることができる大学は多いですが、イギリスの大学の中で、シェフィールドはいちばんと思います。

シェフィールドのふゆはいつもさむい。大きいオーバーを買った方がいいと思います。なつもさむいでしょう。ざんねんですね。Tシャツをきらないで下さい 。

日本語のじゅぎょうはアーツタワーの6回にありますから、パタノスターにのることができます!たのしいです! でも、来年、新しいビルでじゅぎょうをすると聞きました。

専門はむずかしいですが、ほんとうにおもしろいです。毎週、新しいごいとかん字があります。しゅくだいをふたつがあります。ときどき、午後１から夜中までインフォメーション・コモンズでしゅくだいをします。がんべってほうがいいです!

日本語の先生が四人です。いつもげんきです。N先生のたくさんおもしろいものたがりを読むことができます。A先生はいつも『あかワインが飲みたいよ!』と言います。

大学のクラブが多いです。たとえば、日本のソサエティや泳ぐ ことソサエティなどがあります。私は日本のソサエティは泳ぐことソサエティよりたのしいと思います。

People who study Japanese at Sheffield are always busy, but after they graduate they can do lots of different types of jobs. There are many universities where you can study Japanese, but out of the ones in England, I think Sheffield is the best.

Sheffield’s winter is very cold. I think it would be good to buy a big coat. Summer is cold too. It’s a shame, isn’t it? Don’t wear a t-shirt please.

Japanese lessons are on the 6th floor of the Arts Tower, so you can ride the paternoster! It’s fun! But I heard next year we will be studying in a new building.

The major (Japanese) is hard, but it’s honestly fun. Every week there is new vocab and Kanji. There are also two pieces of homework. Sometimes, from 1pm to midnight you will study in the Information Commons. Try hard!

There are four Japanese teachers. They are always energetic. Mrs. N has lots of funny stories you can read. Mrs. A is always saying “I want to drink red wine!”

There are many clubs at Sheffield. For example, The Japan Society and the Swimming Club and so on. I think The Japan Society is more fun than the swimming society.

Somewhat of an abrupt ending, but I’m tired. Leave me alone.

It’s been a while since the last update, and for that I apologise profusely - I’ve been really busy as a big essay was due this week and I hadn’t really got to grips with it until the last moment. Hopefully I managed to cobble something together that’s at least in English.

Last week we learnt about relative clauses, which means plenty of potential for hilarity. This is probably my most insane essay yet. Enjoy!

これは私の家でしたパーティーのしゃしんです。

私の家ぞくは4人といっぴきです。父と母といもうとといぬです。あかげの女の人は母です。今年、43さいです。週末子どもに花火をあげるしごとがある。来年のなつ休みにはちをはっしゃすることができる車でもんだいがいっぱいある友だちのエヅガーさんとカナダに行くつもりです。

母のとなりにたっている人は父です。3週前から、しろにすんでいます。父のしゅみは泳ぐことです。よくあひるをとることができる川で泳ぎます。父は泳ぐことを私におしえました。

ゆびわをしているいもうとはローズです。ゆう夜、私たちはスペイン語でアンジェリーナ・ジョリーさんと話すことができるクラブにいきたかったですが、ローズさんは16さいですから、クラブに行くことができません。ざんねんですね。

このいぬは海の中に生まれたケーピです。いつもげんきボーダコリーです。みどりのしゅくだいを食べることが大好きです。

私の家ぞくがいつもしんせつです。

This is a photograph of the party that was at my house.

There are four people and one animal in my family. My father, my mother, my younger sister and my dog. The redhead woman is my mother. This year, she is 43 years old. She has a job giving fireworks to children on weekends. In the summer holiday next year, she plans to go to Canada with her friend, who has lots of problems, in a car that can shoot bees.

The person who is next to my mother is my father. For the last three years, he has been living in a castle. My father’s hobby is swimming. He often goes swimming in a river where you can steal ducks. My father taught me to swim.

My sister Rose is wearing a ring. Last night, we wanted to go to a club where you can talk to Angelina Jolie in Spanish, but my sister is only 16, so we couldn’t go. It’s a shame isn’t it?

My family are always helpful.

It’s a little short this week, but I was up until about 1am the night before writing it, as I spent ages trying to work out how to sign plagarism forms for the essay I mentioned. This is however week 10 of 12, so in just two short weeks I will be free to run around like a stolen duck. Hurrah!