^^ I’m at the point too and it looks like the Kanji Vocab (on 2-stroke) link is broken as well.

@thisiskyle I use the Microsoft IME and it works perfectly fine.

つ＝tsu
く＝ku
ちょ＝cho

And only having to hit spacebar to change it over to kanji/katakana is pretty convenient.

So far though, in terms of IME’s, the one I downloaded for my Android phone is pretty annoying. (Which is understandable, it’s hard to put 46 characters plus the buttons to alter/space things on a halfscreen keyboard)

I don’t know much about Remembering the Kanji, but textfugu is a different approach to learning Kanji. It’s more about learning radicals which are like letters/puzzle pieces that build a Kanji. But as for Remember the Kanji I may get it at one point but not any time soon, textfugu’s pacing is actually good for me.

As for “A Geek in Japan” I read a review saying it’s a biased opinion and makes the Japanese look like bad people.

I know that feeling, except I kind of dug myself into my current hole. My college schedule will screw me this semester (along with my possibly random work schedule).

I have a 3 hour lab for Geology, GEOLOGY!! What in the world could we be doing for 3 hours a week that has to do with the earth’s crust… drilling for oil??

Basically I study when I can get myself to, but I make an effort to study everyday, and I also make an extra effort to immerse my self during one of the most routine times, my jog, I pop out my phone and listen to live Japanese talk radio, after that I want to study even more.

Basically my tip is when you have at least 1-2 hours of free time, take 5 minutes and find that motivator to get you started.
Just watching Ari pumps me up to study (http://www.youtube.com/user/ARIKEITA113).

@Mark, haha I know that episode, Sunohara is trying to motivate Nagisa for the play.

Well, I learned my Hiragana relatively quickly… 1 month maybe, as for Katakana, no clue at this point. And I’m just getting through Textfugu’s first 2 stroke kanji which is blowing my mind, おんよみ　＆　くんよみ　are just eating at my brain, one gnawing at the left hemisphere, the other at the right.

All I know are the first 8 out of 12 2-stroke which is still a “whhaa?” feeling.

So if your class still avoids romaji, most of the otakus will drop like flys, having no real goal besides learning to understand their favorite artfully drawn ninja.

@Multany, trust me man, I know exactly how you feel, I live in Tennessee and there are lots of Hibachi and Buffet restaurants but they are all run by the Chinese. There is one authentic Japanese sushi restaurant in the downtown city though, family run by a man named Yasushi Watanabe and his wife (immigrated from Japan after becoming a chef in Tokyo). Other than that, it’s all Chinese and Thai here.

Like Koichi said though, keep us updated. Sounds like a great opportunity, that I am too old (22) to take part in, or even afford.

I know of many to share actually.

#1. TuneIn Radio. Tons of Japanese radio stations with Apps for the Iphone and Android. (Iphone only has 1 version for $0.99 but Android has the same one, plus a free version which works exactly the same.) What’s better than being able to listen to countless hours no matter where you are.
http://www.tunein.com

#2.) KeyHoleTV. KeyHoleTV streams lots of TV stations with usually poor quality, but hey, once I got lucky and was able to watch the Japanese dubbed version of the American show “24″.
http://www.v2p.jp/video/english/

#3.) Simulcast Radio. This website has the streaming files so you can listen to clear streaming radio stations from Japan, also telling you the area the stations are based out of by clicking the little flashy blips on the map (SWEET!).
http://www.simulradio.jp/

#4) LiveStation. LiveStation offers a pretty good amount of international TV stations including Japan. (QVC in Japan anybody?) I will be honest though, I never figured out how to get the stations to work, and it could also be possible my internet is doodoo.
http://www.livestation.com/

Now my suggested radio stations from TuneIn and SimulRadio with more talking, less music.

Ban-Ban Radio
FM-Castle
Osumi FM Network
Reds Wave
Sea Wave
Yes FM
Smile FM
Radio Morioka

Sometimes you might be unlucky with Ban-Ban Radio. They do some strange things sometimes. For example, one of the female DJ’s likes to play karaoke sing along, also one time on the way to work, it forced me to listen to the Japanese version of YMCA.

Enjoy :)

@Mark Weber, maybe because the entire Clannad OST is great! haha

As for me, I have to get pumped before I workout, so as for me I start off with 2:

Zedd – The Legend of Zelda (Original Mix)
http://youtu.be/zLzaZ_HXmjw
Mord Fustang – Lick the Rainbow
http://youtu.be/iRL6kxqvhp0