Last Christmas, I gave you my heart a long discussion of my attempts to buy ebooks while in Japan. To be brief, it was an abject failure.
Recently, largely due to having hit the end of some translated manga series (at least, as available from UK ebook sellers... I suspect Americans have it easier) I was browsing Rakuten again to see how things stood. I also received a brand new Kobo for Christmas, and had the bright idea of trying it out. No harm, after all.
So, in July 2014 I headed out to Fukuoka for 6 months of solid Japanese study.
In September 2014, I said:
Would I do this again, knowing what I do now?
Hmm. Umm. Sorry, but not.
In January 2015, freshly-returned, I said:
It was a valuable experience, and I definitely think a worthwhile one.
I can definitely recommend GenkiJACS for anyone looking for long-term study in Japan.
Do not arrive in summer.
Fukuoka is distinguished for me only by the many nice people I met there, and the experiences I had.
If I do return to Japan, I'll definitely aim to avoid the summer, or at the very least, come early in the year so I can slowly adjust to it.
So, 2016 having rolled around and 2015 having been chiefly distinguished by being deeply unpleasant, obviously I decided to blow my entire year's leave allowance booking a trip back to Fukuoka to see my friends again, work on my Japanese, and maybe even create some more blog fodder.
In the spring this time. I'm not completely insane, y'know.
The plan is to spend three weeks back at GenkiJACS (in their new mysterious secret headquarters), and hopefully meeting up with my old friends in the evenings. Then - having, I hope, got over my jetlag - hop around a couple of interesting cities on my way to Tokyo, from whence I'll fly back to the UK.
I've been mulling it over for a while, but I've now booked my leave, my flights and my stay at GenkiJACS, so I feel safe putting this on the blog.
