Just how serious is learning Japanese for you?

I just realised that lately I've been spending/'wasting' more and more time again on this whole "Japanese project".

I started in June last year ('for real', before that I had learned hiragana once, and simple words (いぬ、ねこ、わたし） but gave up really soon), at first I spend around 6~9 hours everyday, learning the kana, words, sentences. After that, well school got in the way, and my motivation wasn't as high because I started to realise it was going to be a *huge* thing and that it would take well... so many hours to finally 'get somewhere'.

After starting RTK I'm spending more time again, mostly on kanji at the moment, but still reviewing my sentences and words, and adding a few new ones when my daily reviews for anki and mnemosyne get to really low numbers (20-30, normally it's 50~60 for words, 20 for sentences) or when I encounter interesting words in manga/anime/games.

Maybe it's also because I'm finally starting to be able to actually *use* what I've learned so far. I can read manga, I have to look up loads of words (yay for dictionary on the DS!) if I want to understand 'everything' or 'nearly everything'... But I can read it and at least get a basic understanding of the story and *enjoy it*.

I've played Crisis Core once it got out, in the original version... Now, I'm going through it again and I'm wondering how I managed to get through it... I can understand *so much more* now... Really, no idea how I even managed to play it (in November/December).

But yes, I've been neglecting grammar a bit, but I suppose I could say I'm nearing the 'upper beginner' level, and that's quite cool.

... Back to the real question...

I can't imagine skipping a day on my reviews (I'm going to, next week Saturday because I'll be at camp with church. First day since June last year I'll skip ) ...

I actually get up early to review.

I'm spending at least 2 hours a day on the real 'learning/reviewing' thing, and another 1~2 (at the very least) hours on 'fun Japanese things'.

... I guess I *am* addicted

I've been taking Japanese classes at school for a few years, and it had gotten to the point where I was simply trying to memorize stuff for a test rather than actually learn anything. I think its telling that I was supposed to "know" hundreds of kanji, but could really only write about 50 from memory.

After starting Heisig on this site a little over a month ago, I've become totally addicted to Japanese! I never thought learning kanji could be fun and so rewarding. I've not missed a single day of review, and on many days I find myself spending hours studying, not because I have a test, but because I WANT TO.

The saddest part is probably that I have blown off friends and family because I wanted to study kanji that day :p

I don't know if I'd call it "addicted", but I think I'm certainly dedicated. I get up 2 hours early to study every morning, have been doing that for 5 months. I have Pimsleur in my car and use it for every long drive I go on (which is 2-3 days a week minimum). I study every night as well, and enjoy watching my progress. Studying Japanese is my hobby, and I feel that it's a rewarding one that will only get better as the months (and years) go by and my skill increases. It's nice to have a hobby that's also a life skill. ^^

Actually I want to not only study but also teach japanese. Since I will graduate this years as a portuguese and english teacher (and my english is not that good...), maybe I could teach japanese in the future. I started studying japanese in a school, but now I study by myself. It is really sad to see students struggling in japanese language classes, studying one, two or more years and learning only some few kanji and a very basic kwonledge of the language. Mainly because japanes teacher here in Brazil did not study japanese, they just know because they are descentents, or even native speakers.

Completing RTK has become a near obsession. I plan my days around when I can fit in studying, and recently I've just been viewing work as an obstacle to studying...

I should calm down a bit, I'm just trying to get in as much Japanese as possible whilst I am still out here and before I have to start University.

I'm addicted to the language!

Although I haven't been able to study as much as I'd like lately.. School is normally an obstacle and now I'm having lots of tests too so it is even more so..

Well.. Just a couple of days more and it is over for a while and I can dedicate more time to Japanese. I hope to be able to finish the book during the summer and and get on with it.