you didn't even have to listen.

Lots of things in my head about my tokyo trip. Some quick thoughts on the JLPT.

It is pretty meaningless really. Even 1kyuu isnt a high enough level to be meaningful and doesn't test more than abitity to take a test. The focus on understanding is very reasonable, but every time that the test diverted from grasping meaning, it was strictly about amassed vocabulary (especially unusual kanji), and anal-retentive grammar.

There were a lot of asian faces in that test room. 150 or so people. 6 or so white folks, a few indian lookin people, and a middle-eastern-ish dude. I studied with the same books that most of the chinese people were using.

Some cocky white dude I overheard on his keitai outside the test missed a listening question. He was talking to someone about the listening test, and saying that "some were so obvious you didn't really have to listen". He then gave an example, and how he deduced the answer before even listening... he deduced wrong.

Learning is all about motivation. A lot of the chinese people picked up japanese as fast as possible... like in a year. I ran into a lawyer who has been working here for a while at least who took 2kyuu in 1992, and is taking 1kyuu for the first time 13 years later. There is a lot more to either of those stories, but it fits in with something I've been thinking and talking about lately.

"hunger". and the lower classes surplanting the upper classes while the middle imperceptably sinks.