I have a lot of background information I need to go through with you, but a part of me keeps screaming "I just wanna start writing." Though as a brief recap, I'd like you to know that I am learning Japanese. It's something I enjoy.

I am not just a member but presently the Meetup Organizer for the Orlando Japanese Language Meetup. Currently, we hold meetups on Sundays (Beginner and Intermediate) and Wednesday (Beginner). The Wednesday meetup host has been an interesting fellow and a lifesaver when I became the organizer of the group after the previous organizer moved to Japan. I enjoy his meetups and the meetup's structures. Typically it's a lineup of vocabulary, kanji, and reading. Though lately, he has been experimenting with the order and adding in different subject matters.

The group has been online for about 17 weeks now due to social distancing practices in light of COVID-19 (Corona Virus).

So we started with vocabulary. Typically each member is given a slide, and if they know the Japanese equivalent of the word or have a guess, answer. Afterward, options display in the next slide. In addition to the main word, they give the meanings for the three other words from the options. If you get all four correct, you win a sticker. Yes, you heard me a sticker. What once started as an inside joke for awarded a job well done became a reality with the event host came to class with stickers back when we met in-person. We could pick between two options what we can "anime girl", in actuality is Hatsumi Niku et. al, and Hello Kitty. I don't know how to describe the joy and motivation these stickers brought to a group of adults age 20 and above. Kids aren't the only ones motivated by them. We're currently doing a review of the words we've gone over since the start of the year, in tonight's case April's list. The group has been online for about 17 weeks now due to social distancing practices in light of COVID-19 (Corona Virus).

Wednesday night started with vocabulary. I lost out on a sticker particial due to my lapse in memory. There was a minor error on the slide showing a term from the previous slide but since I wasn't paying attension during the previous participants turn I did't catch the English meaning.

So here's my slide:
Refriderator.
I answered immediately:　れいぞうこ - 冷蔵庫.
Options:

• よこ - 横 - beside, side, width
• りょうしん - 両親 - parents, both parents
• れいぞうこ - 冷蔵庫 - refriderator
• ろうか - 廊下 - corridor, hallway
• *What was mistakely place for the second option:
  はれる - 晴れる - to be sunny

But then I receieved a redemption slide. 😃

• ぼうし - 帽子 - hat
• みち - 道 - road, street
• むこう - 向こう - over there, on the other side
• もんだい　問題 - problem (e.g. societal) question (on a test)

And guess what? I won a sticker!

Dialogue Practice

Afterwards we do dialogue practice and are paired off with one another in order of when we enter the video call. We make use of NHK's 2015 Easy Japanese. We did lessons 25 - 30.

Next Up Was Reading

So we take part in reading Japanese folk tales. We've done "北風と太陽 - きたかぜ　と　たいよう / The North Wind and the Sun", "ジャックと豆の木 - ジャック と まめ の き / Jack and the Beanstalk", and are now in the middle of reading "注文の多い料理店 - ちゅうもん　の　おおい　りょうりてん / The Restaurant That Has Many Orders". The event host creates these awesome slides that seperate the sentences. Those who volunteer then read the slide and on the next slide contains a break down the words and vocab followed by the English translation.

Last But Not Least

Lastly, we've started this new thing where we, now just stay with me for a moment, watch Sesame Street in Japanese - セサミストリート日本公式. It has been wildly entertaining. We watch a video in one go and afterward rewatch pausing at portions and translating what we heard. Usually, we have a Japanese native member who helps when we get stuck. Though the meeting host had a video ready, because our usual Japanese native wasn't present, he asked if anyone of us had a suggestion. So I made one, for us to just watch not translate though. It was hitting at 9:30 pm. So we ended by watch セサミストリート： CBCC （Cookie-Butter-Choco-Cookie) クッキー・バター・チョコ・クッキー フルバージョン／ピコ太郎、エルモとクッキーモンスター. It's a video where PIKPTARO, from PPAP(Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen Official), teaches Elmo and Cookie Monster how to do the dance right. A couple of the members had a good laugh.

Well, that's all folks, thanks for reading.

*Since this is my word vomit dumping ground you can find my more refined written words on Medium. I love using this space to explore my journey as a designer and developer while not getting pressed to write in the most splendid manner. Proofreading, revising and consistently editing take up so much time personally. In the past, this has caused me to write less often something I to avoid. My aim is consistency.

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