Hello there! I’m Katie and after about a month of tinkering around with the free content on TextFugu off and on, I decided to just go for it. I’m 24, live in southern California and I still don’t know a second language fluently, so I’m hoping to change that. I do a little bit of acting here and there and within the past year I’ve gotten into live-action Japanese TV shows. I’ve found myself getting really interested in the delivery of lines in the media I watch, and though I don’t mind subtitles, it’s always bothered me that the language and culture barriers prevent me from fully understanding every decision the actors are making (weird, yes, but as a fellow actor it’s a just a thing. I want to know!). So my lofty, far-off goal is to be able to watch these shows without subtitles and with a much more informed understanding. I’d also like to go to Japan one day and visit the Seimei Shrine in Kyoto (right after buying as many Kamen Rider belts and action figures that I can get my hands on). I’d like to do so as someone who can wander off the beaten path and explore without fear that I will get lost because I can’t speak the language.

The opening section of the textbook says to tell no one about learning Japanese, but I think I’m safe with you guys ;) Thanks for being here, even if I do end up fading to the background on these forums as I often do, I still lurk. It’s good to know that this place if here if I ever have any questions.