On Oct 7 last year I joined Wanikani after several weeks of hesitation. It seemed like a huge mountain to climb and I wasn’t sure if I could do it. It was only several weeks before my first travel to Japan and I decided to try it out. Up to then I had ‘learned’ some kanji on the fly with duolingo, which I recognized vaguely if I saw them in the right context. So now was the time to start a thorough and systematic study.
Today, after 78916 reading reviews and 80673 meaning reviews, I (should) know 1541 kanji! After reading some children’s books I have started my first manga (not really my taste - sorry to all manga fans) and I am struggling with my first real Japanese novel, both with the helpful book clubs here. My thanks also go to ichi.moe, jisho.org, google translate, netflix, youtube, … and the fantastic community here in the forum.
I still have deficits in grammar, listening, not to speak of speaking. But I am confident that I will further progress - to be ready for the next travel to Japan in 2022.
Hitting the one year mark is only a matter of time, what counts is what you have been doing during this time. I have had much sparetime, thanks to retirement and Corona, and learning Japanese has become my fulltime pastime.
Well if I can pass through Levels 3-12 homeless during a pandemic I guess I shouldnt be so hard on myself. (Not everyone is retired voluntarily). I kept up with my Russian as well thanks to Lingvist. Managed to learn a lot of Spanish as well. I make the best of every situation life presents. But if I have to hear one more celebrity brag about their book they wrote during quarantine I’m going to scream. That’s something that really bothers me.
I wish you good luck on your journey, and I promise not to become a book writing celebrity.
I saw your other post and I admire how you are learning several languages simultaneously. I speak German, French, English, a little Italian (enough to order a meal and understand some bits in a conversation), and when I try to think of a translation to Japanese, there are often Italian words coming to my mind first. How do you manage not to mix up everything?
Congrats on the 1st year anniversary! 46 levels is pretty good progress in just a year. Hopefully travel will be safe by 2022 so you can put that new knowledge to good use.
I’m also coming up on my WK anniversary, but I’m hoping to hit that golden level before that happens.
The more you practice switching back and forth from one language to another, (which is something you can do during a quiet meditation alone creating various scenarios and letting them play out) the easier you will recall words or phrases in your target language. Thinking in the target language while having a second language or even a third sitting in the wings of your mind just takes practice. Build the connections then strengthen those mental pathways by everyday practice. Easier said than done! Takes real diligence when you aren’t… say… working at the United Nations…or at a vacation spot like Monte Carlo.
Spring 2022… That was my plan as well. Visit Japan in 2022. Because of Covid that just isnt going to happen. I went down to Mexico because my husband needed better medical care and figured I’d finally get certified Teaching English As A Second Language. I would work in South America for at least two years before applying for a special work visa in Japan. But…Mexico’s hospitals were not as forthright about my husband’s care basically forcing us to stay in a tourist trap in order to gain the greatest amount of money from our bank accounts which meant… No certification…then Covid hit and then it was…no treatment. So I kept up with my Japanese as best as I could despite everything, but it doesnt actually serve any purpose anymore. I probably will end up teaching English in Russia instead and attending University so I think I will slow down my Japanese once I hit Level 30 which should be at my year mark despite all the setbacks.
@KyokaJiro Congrats!! What a tough year to start anything right? I started in January…lost my iPhone and internet for months and had pick it up again in May so eventhough my year anniversary will be in January, I try not to be so hard on myself. I want to complete the program in two years, but I have finally learned to slow the heck down when I need to and I’m still making good progress. How has the year been for you? I also posted “what I wish I knew when I started off” Maybe you should share your year journey.
Good luck on your journey to level 60 
