Community Courses

Konichiwa! Hajimemashite,

These were the first Japanese words spoken by 38 Language beginners in IPC's 'Learn Japanese' Community courses.

Students from all ages have meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights to learn the basics in Japanese to hold a simple conversation and communicate while travelling in Japan.

Many are making the trip to visit family and friends who are making the most of the opportunities in Japan for Kiwis. Others are learning because it is something they have always wanted to do but never took the chance at school.

Over 7 weeks community course students will learn essential things like how to ask for a meal at a restaurant and describe it, ask and answer questions confidently, introduce themselves, write in Japanese, tell the time and experience culture and lifestyle.

Last week students were given the opportunity to put into practice what they had just learnt in class by ordering traditional Japanese food in a mock restaurant set up by IPC students. Miso, Yookan, Nori and Umeboshi were ordered, tasted and described with mixed reactions! 'Umeboshi O Kudasai' was normally followed by 'Umeboshi wa suppai!'. Much thanks to the support of the IPC students for making it a successful experience.

Classes finish mid November. Graduates from the IPC Learn Japanese Community Course will have the opportunity to carry on to the intermediate next year when the courses resume.

Aged from 11 - 52 with many different reasons from visiting friends and family in Japan to those who always wanted to try it, students from the community converge on IPC every Tuesday and Thursday to learn the basics and experience the culture.

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