Hi everybody! Greetings! Konnichiwa! I have decided to begin my journey into learning Japanese and Chinese, which are both languages and a cultures that I love immensely! (It would be wonderful if someday I could live there, even if it is just temporarily, but I don't know if it is possible for me to ever get to do). I am very excited about this adventure into learning these two languages! I have already begun to learn the Hiragana, and know a smattering of words and phrases that I picked up from watching Japanese movies, television, and anime. I haven't begun learning any Chinese yet, so I am an absolute beginner in Chinese. I love how the Japanese and Chinese (or all Asian?) peoples are so polite and friendly. The flora, fauna, scenery, artwork, music, and other arts are just amazing in Asia. I find the Chinese language to be so beautiful, and the people so pleasant and polite. I used to live in Germany and went to their Gymnasium High School. I used to speak German so fluently no one could tell I was not a native. Unfortunately, I have been battling so many terrible health problems and had such a difficult life that I was not able to keep up my German skills and have forgotten so very much, which is so sad and an immense disappointment. : ( I love learning languages and about foreign cultures so much. It would be nice to regain as much German as possible, but for now I want to concentrate on Japanese and Chinese. I studied both Ancient Greek and Spanish for a couple years, but that was over 20 years ago, so I don't remember a whole lot. I am still battling some very difficult health problems, have very little energy, and am always in a great deal of pain, so I don't know at what pace I will be able to learn, but my love for languages and other cultures has stuck with me my entire life.