I started Japanese classes on Tuesday lunchtime. The teacher is a lovely lady called Nakamura-sensei and she came armed with textbooks, videos, flashcards and loads of patience. She needs it. My Japanese is pathetic. It's just Tim and me in the class and it's quite fun. I find myself in the silent phase again. My head knows what I want to say, I build up to it and out comes a splutter and a couple of Spanish verbs. Ugh! Talk about rusty. I feel like an old Cortina that has just been pushed out of the garage after a very long, cold winter. It's a strange feeling being mute. I understand what is being said, but I can't remember how to respond. I know I can't speak in English, but I'm bursting to express myself. I want to say that I can do this, just let me warm up a bit. I remember this grammar function and I used to know all these verbs and adjectives. Just give me time. My teacher thinks I'm in the wrong class and starts looking for a beginner's class to send me to, but I want to stay where I am - I can do this.

I wrote an email to Tim after the class saying that I can find a lower class so that I don't hold him back, but he's really sweet and tells me to stay. I didn't intend to study much, but I find that just going to this one class has encouraged me to do just that. I wrote to Nakamura-sensei telling her that I enjoyed her class and I would like to stay. I am even going to dust off my flashcards.