Normally, I take the local train once a week, filled with high school students. It's good Japanese listening practice and I find that I learn a lot of Kanazawa-ben, the local dialect from them. The conversations are typically high school: so-and-so is so cool, she likes him, he likes her, homework sucks, i want a boyfriend, when is the next test...etc, etc, etc.
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This is the inside. Normally crammed brim-full of uniformed students, but Monday was a holiday. I think, "Nation Founding Day", as it was described to me by a Japanese person. Not the most stylish ride, is it?I also went to a Study Meeting in Komatsu, a boring, little town near here. However, on the way back I missed the local train, so I had to catch the Express. The Express is very cool!
The seats inside are like a luxury train. It reminds me a bit of VIA in Canada. Contrary to the local, it was filled with business men. And the ride that normally takes 45 mins on the local, took about 15 on the Express. Now, there's faster trains than the Express; the Thunderbird, for example, and the Shinkansen — what we call the 'Bullet Train'.All in all, it was a fun trip. Only $7 more expensive too!
3 comments:
whenever I get on a train and its irrevocably friction-full instead of friction-less... My heart and soul in a simple 2 part harmony whisper "we miss japan benjamin. Shikensens specifically"
You've become very, very serious about learning Japanese. I'm astounded. Truth be told I was impressed at how much you had grasped when I visited you only 2 months after you had got there.
Well Benjamin, my Japanese is still amateur but it's passable. I met my girl's parents the other day and communicated entirely in Japanese. On the one hand, it was a relief to manage a few hours of conversation without resorting to English, but on the other I realised how bad my polite Japanese is.
I kept using short forms...I suppose it was OK because I talked mostly with her mother, and as a guy, I'm allowed to use more short forms...But as soon as her dad come home, I was buggered!
Ouch! Speaking is one thing, reading a completely different matter. I'm still a 6 year old when it comes to reading. (See the Katakana entry)
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