This is Andiie!
We want to share with you guys what we think about our room in the Akamonkai Nippori Dormitory!
Victor and I both made videos showing you around the dorm!I personnally like the dorms. It's a cheap option and so far, everything has been good.
Bedrooms are pretty small, but you get used to it. My roommates have all been really nice and respectful. Everyone has been really nice and I made new friends. Of course, you don't have the possibility to meet Japanese people, but I met people from others countries too, which is really nice.
Of course, there's things that I don't like about the dorms too. Like the fact that we have to buy our own stuffs to cook.
It's been only two weeks, so maybe there's others things that I'll get to dislike, but it's been a good experience!
If you have any questions about the dorm, don't hesitate to ask us!
Im really thanks because now I can see more things about Akamonkai and the dorms. Im sending documents to Akamonkai for go to study in October. I´ll be there by 1 year and I hope make a lot of friends and learn japanese, of course. Im apply with gogonihon too :)
RépondreEffacerIf you can, can you speak about the first week in Akamonkai? Im interesting in know more about the initial test and welcome ceremony.
Sorry for my bad english.
If you will be in Akamonkai in October, I´ll be glad of meet you :)
Regards.
Paco
Hi Paco! Nice to meet you! :) I'm happy that you took time to read this quick blog entry :) I'm also glad to hear that you will be coming to study at Akamonkai in Octobre! Victor and I will still be here, so It will be nice meeting you :)
RépondreEffacerThe first week is pretty calm. On Monday, we had the opening ceremony. It was nice, but it's a simple ceremony. The director talked in Japanese, so we couldn't really understand haha. Then, they presented the teachers and that's about it. After, it's the orientation so they separate us by language (Korean, Chinese, English, etc.) and we went to the school. Then, they give you informations about the school and rules. During the afternoon, it was the test.
The teacher told us that almost everyone is in the beginner class even if you had already learned Japanese.
The test was pretty hard. There's no listening test, but there's an essay to write. Both Victor and I ended up in the beginner class.
The class started on Wednesday. (Classes are announced on Tuesday).
As for now, class are pretty easy for me. I studied Japanese for two-three years at university, so going back to the basic is really annoying, but I can't help it.
At the end of the month, there's another test that will separate us in a like "quick-learner" and more slow paced learned.
I would suggest you to learn at least the Hiragana and Katakana before coming. Those who has zero knowledge of hiragana and katakana struggle a lot in our class. Also, most people know them before coming so.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! Also, you can ask me questions directly on Twitter (YukiNozofan)! I post a lot about my trip there and I'll probably answer questions more quickly!
Andiie
Thank you for reply Andiie!
RépondreEffacerWell, I studied 4 years japanese because I studied "East Asian Studies" here in Spain, and I have almost N3 level. I really hope don't go to begginer level. Would be really annoying...
Now I'm with the papelwork. It's harder to me because I was studying in Japan during 6 months two years ago, and immigration office of japan is a little strict with people who want to go for the second time, but gogonihon said me that there are no problem.
And how are the classes? there are a lot of mates in the same class? And teachers are nice? There are another question, the book that you are using for class is Minna no Nihongo? I hope not, I hate that book haha.
I followed you in twitter. You both are the only english information in internet about live in Akamonkai xD
Enjoy Japan, and drink a lot of Calpis and Milk tea of Kirin (If you didn´t you have to!)
Paco
I'm sure you won't be in the beginner level then!! :) Make sure to study before, especially your kanji, and you should be fine :) Maybe we'll end up in the same class then! haha
EffacerGood luck with the paperwork! I know it's a lot of stuffs to do, but I guess it's worth it ;)
So far, I'm relly liking my class. Everyone is super nice :) In our class, we are about 17 students. Most of them are from China, Korea and Vietnam ^-^ But then, they are going to change the class at the end of the month to separate the fast learner from the slow one. We have two teachers by class. For my class, they are both really nice and interesting.
Unfortunately, yes, we use Minna No Nihon Go for the two beginner levels. I don't like that book either, but Japanese love it so I guess we're stuck with it. If you can go directly to Intermediate, then I think it's another book.
Haha Victor and I tried to look for some informations on Akamonkai and they weren't a lot, so we tried to talk about it a lot to help others :)
I'll have to try Milk Tea from Kirin then! I already love Calpis haha :)
Andiie
I am really happy I found this place. There is not alot of information about akamonkai, or other japanese language schools on the internet for that matter either.
RépondreEffacerSince the both of you have been there for awhile now I was wondering about the studying tempo.
The information posted at gogonihons webbsite told us that the tempo was really high compared to some other languages schools and it made me a bit torn.
Of course I really want to get the modt out of my japanese studies, but at the same time I really also want a chance to explore japan while I am there instead of just spend the entire afternoon/evening cramming kanji and grammar.
What is your thoughts on the matter?
How much free time do you have on a daily and weekly basis?
Reading through your blog I go to know that akamonkai seperate quick learnes from slow learners after a month.
Does that mean that they have some kind of "slower study pace course" compared to the "high pace" they advert on gogonihons webbsite?
Thanks for commenting! I really appreciate when people comment! I do agree that there wasn't a lot of information about Akamonkai and that's why we decided to open this blog.
RépondreEffacerI'm going to make a video about this specific topic really soon (This week), but I'll answer a bit of this right now.
As for myself, I don't think the tempo is really high at least, not for now. It's 2 days/ 1 lessons. Sometimes we have 3 days/1 lessons too on important chapter. If you have already a basic knowledge of Japanese, it will already help you a ton.
Also, since it's only 4h00 hours a day, you usually have time to go out on evening (or afternoon if you're Lucky enough to get the am class). Homework can take a bit of time, but I don't think it's too much. Of course, I think the higher the level is, the less time you'll have for yourself.
Also, my week-end are all completely free. I do have homework on week-end, but they aren't super long so I usually get it done on Sunday evening.
As for the higher pace and slower pace... Slower pace will take 6 months (I think) to go through the first begginner level as compared to three months for the higher pace. There isn't a lot of slow pace class (Two I think) compared to the higher pace (7 or 8 class I think?). Most people are in the higher pace class and some people do it again because they failed the test after the three months. So they do it all over again. I don't know if I'm clear, but I'll explain it in my next video!
When do you plan to study in Japan? ^__^
I am actually going there with gogonihon with their summercourse in a month, and I am really excited about that.
RépondreEffacerI have always wanted to go to japan and study for a year or so to have a chance to live in japan during all it's season and get a chance to experience it all if that makes any sense? But I was really afraid that it wouldn't be like I expected it too be and a year is a very long time (and would cost a lot of money).
Therefore I decided to try to the summercourse and "test the waters" and if it's all I ever thought it would be I am planning to go back and study for real next year and if turns out bad at least I fullfilled my dream of studying japanese in japan!
But as you can see I am already researching stuff D:
Thank you for your long answer though, it was really helpfull and I'll be sure to check out the video.
Obviously it boils down to if I want a lot of free time to fool around with while I am there, or if I want to actually get good at Japanese, I just don't know what's best though >x<
I want a chance to experience Japan too and just not study 24/7 D:
Hmm, I havn't used minna no nihongo that they use at akamonkai, just genki so 1 chapters in two lessons doesn't tell me much though. It seems like alot if it would be the genki textbook but idk.
How many words/kanji do you need to learn a day to keep up with the pace if you don't mind me askig?
I definitely think you won't have to study 24/7. At least, I don't feel the need right now at all and my friend who is on the level just above me isn't studying 24/7 either.
RépondreEffacerIt's pretty hard to describe what is a lesson, but I'll try to explain it for you! For exemple, yesterday and today, we saw the Lesson 21. We learned と思います、と言います and でしょう？ (to omoimasu, to iimasu and deshou) which isn't really complicated, but we still spend about 8 hours on it. (two classes). For kanji, we learned 6 kanjis a day. We also learned 4 katakana words a day and we are tested everyday on katakana and kanji.
Also, if you want to take a look at Minna No Nihon Go, you can download the PDF from here: https://minnanonihongopdf.wordpress.com/ and see what it looks like.
Andiie
Hello Andiie,
RépondreEffacerNice to meet you.
Thanks for posting the video about the domrnitory.
I am thinking of applying for the course which starts beginning of July.
May I know how much you pay for the dorm? The pricing isn't listed on their website.
Thanks so much, and hope to see you there this coming July!
Wei Li :)
Hi! Nice to meet you too!
RépondreEffacerI'm glad my video was useful!
This dorm is about 45 000yen for a month. (For a single room). You have the electricity bill to pay as well which can be from 4000 yen to about 10 000 yen.
If you have any other question, don't hesitate to ask! ^___^
Unfortunately, I'm back in Canada so we won't see each other but I hope you will have a good experience :D
Hey there !!
RépondreEffacerHow many dorms are there and do you have to pre-book them or you can set them up after arrival. Also, are the dorms good, or people move out after some time ? Are there any cheaper accommodations of share houses nearby the school, or any other you know of ? Also the Minna no Nihongo pdf links you posted above dont work anymore. Do you know some other links ? Please post them if u do know. I want to know, how many pages are there in the first book of Minna no Nihongo they give to beginners as there are many types on the internet and i don't know which is the correct one. It would be better if u could tell me the name of the first chapter.
Thanks.