Hello from a newly diagnosed 30 year old (female) with an interest in Harry Potter (amongst other things)

Welcome! I’m also new, also female, but in my 40s :）

What sort of video games are you into? And how are you finding Japanese learning? I’m also learning Japanese, reason being I’m half Japanese but raised in the west and was not taught it growing up D: So I have been teaching myself over the years. 

I would love to go to the Snow Festival in Sapporo, it’s on my list! I try to go to Japan about once a year, as finances allow. I’ll be going this winter with my husband, mainly to see some family and sort some things out for my dad. Looking forward to it! We’ll be mainly in Kanagawa prefecture (Yokohama, etc). 

What is Hyper Japan like in London? We live in the North so have never been sadly.

Thank you!

My all-time favourites are Skyrim and Stardew Valley, so really a mix of very open-world fantasy RPGs that aren't too difficult and cosy farming simulations that I can just pick up and put down. What about you?

Japanese is hard!!! I've been learning on and off for a while but have a consistent tutor now (who lives in Japan) every week. We're working our way through Genki 1 and I'm hoping to pass the N5 exam in December. How are you finding it? Do you have people to speak it with as practice?

It lined up with my 30th birthday and I could not pass it up! I'd love to go once a year, there is just so much to explore. I've only been Tokyo (Asakusa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku) and Sapporo so far but have so many places I want to visit. Do you have a favourite areas in Kanagawa?

It was really good when I went! It really kick-started my interest. They had bands, talks, stalls and food. I haven't been since visiting Japan so would be interested to see how it holds up. 

I love TES and Stardew Valley as well :) Right now I’m going through some burnout so finding just playing Animal Crossing and the new Mario Bros game really good for just either chilling out or as you said, pick up and put down. I mainly play on Switch these days but I used to play a lot of PC games. Still have a gaming PC but haven’t been into anything on there lately. I have always loved Minecraft as well, really soothing. 

Haha yeah Japanese is hard ^^ That’s awesome you have a tutor. I have quite bad social anxiety and find situations like that extremely taxing but I wish I could have one, that would really help keep the learning going. I have taken an online uni course which covered GENKI 1 (that auto capitalised it for some reason lol), and I’d like to take another online course. I find studying and staying focused so hard as I suspect I have AuDHD but haven’t had an assessment (and likely won’t, again, due to high social anxiety). Courses help keep me on track with learning but I do find the small breakout groups difficult. Did you find your tutor on italki? As for someone to speak with, my husband is also learning Japanese (he’s actually better than I am, /shame…). And pretty much everything I watch is in Japanese (with subs) which I use for practice as well. It’s amazing how much can be absorbed like that. 

I really love Odawara for some reason, the coast is really beautiful and the castle gardens are really lovely as well. Although there were snow monkeys in a large enclosure at the castle and they all looked really depressed, I’m a huge animal lover so I hate seeing things like that. Apparently there is a wild snow monkey park near Nagano I believe where they are living their best onsen life, I’d live to visit there one day ^^

Do you like any Japanese music?

I think you will like Frieren

I'm glad that group settings are ok for you but sorry to hear about your GP. I have tried meditation but it is really hard to stay focused. At the moment I'm trying to practice using a bell timer, it goes off at the start and end but also periodically signals during the exercise to remind me to focus back in. I also have RSD which can make arguments or disagreements very difficult. 

I'll definitely check those out - always looking for new cool Japanese music! The first live show sounds exciting!

My latest watch was Kaiju-8 which I really enjoyed. Frieren is actually on my watch list so maybe that will be my next pick 

I'm glad that group settings are ok for you but sorry to hear about your GP. I have tried meditation but it is really hard to stay focused. At the moment I'm trying to practice using a bell timer, it goes off at the start and end but also periodically signals during the exercise to remind me to focus back in. I also have RSD which can make arguments or disagreements very difficult. 

I'll definitely check those out - always looking for new cool Japanese music! The first live show sounds exciting!

My latest watch was Kaiju-8 which I really enjoyed. Frieren is actually on my watch list so maybe that will be my next pick 

I think you will like Frieren