Learning a new language is certainly not an easy task but it's definitely fun to do so. I've been very interested in the Japanese language because since I was a child I often watch their animation. Though what I've watched was dubbed in Cantonese, the company left the opening and ending songs as it's original and often times I would sing along without understanding. Japanese animation has good music all the time and it's so enjoyable to listen to music that are different from western culture sometimes. Japan's manga is also a big factor in why I wanted to pick up the language because I believe the translated ones will have sometimes missed how sentences are suppose to mean to an individual. Reading it in its original language would be much true to the meaning. I also have a dream that someday I will be able to visit Japan without much trouble because of having a bit of knowledge of the language.
I started with a Nintendo DS game that was available and it taught me hiragana gradually and had games to test my knowledge. I then used the internet to print out all the hiragana and bought an exercise book to practice writing in it. I also tried to memorize and identify the letters when I see them on Japanese products, and anime where the subbers will often insert the text into the opening and ending themes. What I like about the DS game is that it gives information about Japan here and there and I love learning more. The games available are also gradually unlocked to harder ones once you proceed to more difficult levels of the game.
