It's all about the details

Language school update -

I am a Kumon Drop-out! 

Kumon is the language school Mike and I have been attending.  It is great for teaching you the details about the language. 

• how you should write the letters properly
• how to speak formally
• how to conjugate verbs
• when to use what particle

They assign 10 pages of homework every day.  They give test often to track your progress. It is a good program but I have been in Kumon for 4 months and I can not introduce myself, have a simple conversation, or even count.  I have been stuck on the alphabet for 4, F-O-U-R months.  Yes, I said four months!!  I am ready to talk, I want to talk, I need to talk.  I am a talker!!!  And they keep holding me back because I am not doing the correct stroke order, or my よ is too big and therefore has changed the word from hospital to hair salon.  At this point, I don't care.  I just want to talk!!

So this being said, I am dropping out of Kumon and starting private lessons.  I will have a 1 hour private lesson each week.  I will learn how to count, how to introduce myself, how to ask for help at the store .....  I will learn how to talk in Japanese!!! 

Last Tuesday was my first lesson.  Mike said if I didn't cry he would buy me ice cream.  ::My first lesson at Kumon was not the best.  You can read about that here.:: 

My teacher is in down town Fukuoka.  So I get to ride the train into downtown each week. 

The lesson was great!!  The teacher and I had a great time talking.  I worked on introducing myself, saying where I am from, and how to say what my job is. 

Now, the title of this post is, "It's all about the details" because it really is all about the details. 

The teacher asked me to say my name in Japanese.

 "My name is Cristy."

She asked me where I am from.

"I came from America."

She asked me what my job is in Japan.

" I am a housewife."

She giggled.  She said "Please say again."

 "I am a housewife."

She said, "Please say in English."

"I am a housewife."

She laughed and said, "You have been saying, "I am a prostitute."

The difference between the two words is one letter.  One little letter. 

Shufu - housewife

Shofu - prostitute

This one little letter makes a huge difference. 

But really in life, it is the small details that make all the difference.  You can go to McDonald's and get a hamburger.  A frozen, processed, ground beef and soy patty on a bun with a little ketchup and mustard.  OR you can go to Chili's and get a Big Mouth Burger.  100% ground chuck, on a fresh roll, with lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese. 

It is the same meal but it's all about the details. 

The details make all the difference.