Hey guys!~ Thanks so much for leaving all your questions in the comments in my last video I got tons of really good questions about... Tips for travelling in Japan Tips for learning Japanese Lots of questions about myself and my history of living in Japan So we've got tons of stuff to cover today So go grab a tea and some snacks And I hope you enjoy the video Assan says: What I like to do is incorporate Japanese or... The language that I'm currently learning Into my hobbies So if you can find some Japanese music that you like listening to Or some video games that are in Japanese that you like playing Just something that you can use in your downtime like when you're relaxing But at the same time you'll be hearing the Japanese And even if you're not completely focused on it And taking notes and studying It'll still be entering your brain And you will learn something from it Dylan asks: I've actually never had problems with being homesick I don't know if this makes me a horrible person Heh I just... I don't really hav-- Struggle with any problems like missing my family Or missing Canada I talk to them very frequently through e-mail And sometimes I call them on Skype So... yeah I've never really struggled with homesickness So I can't give you much advice there other than... Invest in a webcam and... Some Skype credits so you can call up your family anytime you want Yeah that's really all I can say vicospiano asks: I do not speak any French In Canada we are forced heh, required to study French from... Kindergarten until grade... 8? And after that we're allowed to choose another language And I switched to Japanese, obviously So I've forgotten all the French that I did learn I remember one sentence because I used it to get out of class As often as possible: FalconDiaries asks: Only one time actually it was right after I moved to Morioka the first time The police showed up at my door and I was like "Oh crap what have I done..." Did I like... Not throw away with garbage properly or something And I as freaking out So I was just like, "sorry, no Japanese" And they apologized to me? and left It was great Seth asks... Seth... Seth USK... ASKS: I really liked the videos that I made in Akita when I was staying with a homestay I just had a really good time there So I would recommend you watch those two videos I will link them down below And up in the cards here as well So go check them out after this video if you haven't seen them yet MsKestrela asks: No, they do not I actually... Didn't know this either and I was wondering... A few years ago And I looked it up and no they don't They are not fruit-producing trees So... you won't find BILLIONS of cherries in Japan after cherry blossom season It's actually cherry blossom season at the moment down in Tokyo right now And all my friends are posting really pretty photos But up here in Morioka it's still very much winter There was like a blizzard two days ago And I don't think we're gonna be seeing the cherry blossoms up here anytime soon Lacey asks: It's actually exactly the same as it was when I was back in Korea I've got a set of products that I absolutely love and that work really well for my skin And I can get them sent to me here in Japan So I use the exact same ones I will have a list of them right here and you can find the links to them down in the description box if you like However, next month uhh, May I believe sometime in May? I will be doing another skin care box! If you're new to my channel Every 3 or 4 months or so I work with a company called Wishtrend To put together all my favorite skincare products And they give my viewers a really good deal on them to try them out So if you are wanting to try some new skincare Or if you are looking to stock up Then maybe wait until May before you get anything because it'll be a really good deal veronica asks: When I did my university transfer here in 2011 I was required to keep a blog of my experiences at university in Japan So that the students back at my home University in Canada Could look at my experience and see if it was something they would want to try themselves And I really suck at writing So I asked my University if it would be okay if I did videos of my experience instead That's why the first videos on my channel, I'm just sitting in front of the camera and Talking about what I did at school that day It's nothing super exciting They were really just designed to go to students over in my home university To give them an idea of what my days in Japan looked like! So that's how I got started heh And then... lots of people all over the world started watching my videos And having an interest in them And that's really what keeps me motivated to keep posting today I find it really cool that I can inspire you guys to cum to Japan or just travel in general It's really just stuff like that that keeps me motivated to post! So, thank you so much! Kristin and a few other people asked... I have taken the N2 exam It was actually required for me to take it when I decided I wanted to... Enter Japanese university as a full-time like... regular student I studied for three months prior to the exam And I had no problem at all passing the N2 I was a lot more worried about it than I needed to be But I have... YEARS of prior Japanese experience It really depends what your level is but I've heard that N3 And N2 there's a huge jump in level between them So if you've passed the N3 and you feel like you just made that And that you're comfortable with the N3 level You probably want to give yourself at least 3 months of solid Really getting into studying for... Preparing for the N2 The part that I found the hardest about it was actually... Not related to my Japanese skills at all It was my memory skills? During the listening section they tell you a whoooole story Like a really long story And then they ask you questions about it I didn't have problems understanding the questions in Japanese I had problems remembering all the details of the story So my biggest tip would probably be to work on your memory skills before taking the test And I'll put a couple of suggestions of books that I love for the JLPT Down in the description box If you guys want to try the same books that I did Emily asks: What made me decide to live in Japan so long? I... Just... Enjoy it heh It's interesting to me I feel like I'm learning things when I live here 'Cause there are still things that are new to me And of course, I'm constantly learning Japanese It's a continuous learning process So that's cool! I just feel like I'm improving myself And I feel like I really need to challenge myself to be successful here Whereas it might be a lot easier for me back in a country where I speak the language And I'm really comfortable with it? So I think it's the challenge that I like about living here And that's what's kept me living here so long? I didn't really have a plan when I originally moved here I didn't know how long I was gonna stay I just knew I wanted to live here and it ended up being for a really long time! Heh! As for will I go back to Canada someday? Probably someday? I don't see myself living here until I die? Because I don't think I would want to... Retire in Japan? I'll probably want to go back to a country where I can just relax and not worry too much about things Not worry about visas and all that stressful stuff So, yeah one day I'll probably return to Canada I really like this question from James: As for where would it be, I have no idea I haven't traveled enough of the world to really... Be able to say where my dream home would be? But as for style, I'm actually working on Designing my current apartment exactly how I would want a place to look I like things to have textures Like natural textures like woods And uhh, leathers Well, fake leathers Fake furs Metal, lots of metal, copper stuff like that I'm trying to go for that vibe right now in my apartment And I'm kind of... Gathering pieces that I like as I see them so it's taking a while But hopefully once I get everything together I will be able to do a little bit of a tour for you guys so... Look forward to that ErzieWerzie asks... After grade 8 in Canada You need to choose another language You can stick with French if you like and continue that Or you can choose another language that your school offers And my school had Japanese Russian German? Spanish I believe And I really had a hard time choosing between Japanese and Russian I had no specific reasons why I wanted to study either of the two I just thought they were cool And I eventually went with Japanese for some reason And yeah that's really how my interest in Japan and East Asian culture began! I highly recommend taking a second language if you have the opportunity to in high school Veronica asks: I really like to go for a walk when it's not freezing outside Which it has been for the past few months So that won't be happening for probably another month or so And when I don't go outside I like to just chill at home and either watch movies or play video games I'm probably more of a homebody than I am a social person So I really enjoy just being by myself And doing something like watching Netflix or... Playing Final Fantasy! I just got a PlayStation 4 I haven't had a PlayStation for Probably over 15 years heh The last one I had was the PlayStation 2 So it's pretty exciting and I am probably going to download the remastered Final Fantasy X X-2, so I can replay those I'm really looking forward to that As for shows I recommend I just finished watching "Sex Education" on Netflix It was hilarious I felt like it was really well made Some people were criticizing it because the school seemed way too American to be set in the UK I don't know anything about that But heh, watching it from a Canadian point of view I f--, I really enjoyed it I found it really funny So I really recommend that if guys have Netflix Laetitia, I hope I'm saying your name correctly, asks *sniff* Okay, I can tell you something that I hate a lot right now It is hay fever season, which is insanely intense in Japan I actually never had hay fever before coming here and I have it so bad Now that when I wake up my eyes are like red and swollen And my nose is running And if I go outside It's a million times worse, that's just in my house The pollen levels are crazy here for some reason There are just so many plants that produce High levels of pollen that anybody with hay fever uh Will have a really hard time During the spring As for the thing I love, it probably how safe it is because Like I said, I like walking around outside I like exploring and I really like that I can do it myself as a girl At night time and not feel unsafe I think that's really cool! That isn't something I can do in Canada So I really enjoy the fact that I can do that here in Japan :) Another question about the JLPT from Jionni? That really depends on which university you wanna study at Like I said, it was necessary for the university I went to Because it was a Japanese-speaking university My classes would be all in Japanese But there are a few universities in Japan that will offer a full degree program All in English in which you wouldn't need a JLPT to enter So just look up all the different universities See which one has a degree program you're interested in And then from there you can figure it out if you'll need the JLPT or not If it is a Japanese speaking university You will most likely be required to pass the N2 Which is the level that I did This is an interesting question from littlebell215: You could totally wear your own shoes I am pretty sure nobody would complain if you said you would rather wear like sneakers I went to a kimono place recently It was actually my first time going to a kimono renting service in Asakusa And they were super cool They were super chill, super friendly I'm totally sure it would be okay for you to wear your own shoes PeacefulPagoda asks: I'm sure lots of people are wondering why I... Decided to move all the way up here in Morioka, which is quite far from Tokyo Heh Even when I have a job down in Tokyo But I really just like how there's fewer people here and the scenery is gorgeous We're surrounded by mountains There's a really big river running through the city It's just really nice here!~ The people are really friendly I feel like people aren't rushing as much as they are in Tokyo They're not as stressed I don't know I just like the vibe I think that's what I like It feels more relaxed So I feel more relaxed when I'm here As for my job down in Tokyo I take the Shinkansen Which doesn't take very long at all It's really fast heh And... The only problem is it's expensive But my job is really cool and I can just go there once a month Stay there for a week or two Get all my work done and then I can come back up to Morioka So it's not like I have to commute every day back and forth to Tokyo PamelaTV asks... Yes! I have four, five? four lucky bags in my closet at the moment Full of clothing Japanese clothing lucky bags And I will be opening them up so... Keep your eyes out for those videos Crystal says: Can't really say much about the least amount of tourism There really seem to be tourists here all throughout the year heh But as for the weather, I really like the fall I feel like it's a season that people don't really think to come to Japan Most people think to come here in the spring because of the cherry blossoms But the crowds in the spring are crazy :( So if you're looking for a season that will be a little less hectic I would recommend probably around October? Late October And then it'll just be starting to cool down from summer Which is... insanely hot heh If you are not a fan of... Heat and humidity Don't cum anytime before September It's hot here from like May 'til September And the final question from zizzee: That's a really good question! Actually green tea in Canada that they sell at the grocery store, say like... Tetley or Lipton or something like that is so different from green tea in Japan I find that the stuff in Canada is really bitter Whereas the stuff here is quite sweet and it kind of tastes like... G R A S S Which sounds gross but that was like the first Impression that I got, I remember the first time that I tried real Japanese green tea Now I absolutely love it But I find that it might be kind of an acquired taste for some people But once you get used to it You go back to drinking like the green tea from Canada, and it just tastes so bitter and crappy heh And they have all kinds of tea here There's loose tea which is probably the most common Umm but you can also get green tea in teabags at the supermarket There's all different kinds and they all taste really nice! Alright! And that is it! Thank you so much for hanging out with me for this really long question and answer video~ I hope you learned something Hopefully I taught you something helpful that can assist you in your trip to Japan Or your Japanese studies If you guys would like more videos like this in the future Please thumb up this video so that I know that And I will see you guys really soon for lucky bag videos~ Those will probably be the next ones so look forward to those :) Thanks for watching Bye guys!~
