Finally finished デルトラ・クエスト 1 沈黙の森 | L26! It’s pretty cool; at the beginning I was catching very little from my initial listen (and only a little more after the third time), but by the last chapter or two I was feeling pretty confident that I was managing to catch something like 85% of what was going going on my first listen. Pretty magical. I think that listen-read-listen method does work pretty well for me; for better or for worse there’s not enough time to start and finish another book with the same method this month, so I’m not going to sweat it. It is pretty intense, though; I spent about 10 and half hours on one children’s book…
Now that that’s wrapped up, I’m basically on the lookout for smaller things I can listen to to finish out my remaining time. I’m anticipating a lot of Youtube videos and TV shows. Dunno if I want to start a new book at this point…
Want to ask now that we’re reaching the end of the month - is there still appetite for another listening challenge next month? Or maybe alternate months with listening/reading challenges for variety?
Yes, think it would be great to have a monthly. I wouldn’t participate in a reading challenge, bc I already read a ton anyway. Also thx so much for making this. It’s been a great push for me
Originally I wasn’t going to join in on a second month but I think if there was an option I would join in again. It’s been a bit stressful trying to keep up but it has encouraged me to do more active listening and although I don’t think there’s been noticeable improvement in my listening comprehension, I have noticed a big improvement in my reading after listening. I’ve also enjoyed seeing everyone else’s progress and picking up new materials and suggestions from what others have posted
I definitely want to do another listening challenge, but I’m definitely feeling burnt out after this one. So I think a reading challenge would be fun, and a good change of pace! When was the last time I filled a bingo square…
It’s been so lovely reading about everyone’s listening progress!
I am not necessarily interested in setting another stretch goal and challenging myself next month, but if people need some company I would join in another thread to log my hours and post updates about what I’m listening to during a regular-to-me Japanese consumption month.
Aaaah; now that my listening is slowly improving, I can sink even deeper into the pleasure that is watching D.Gray-man S1 | L24??, adaption of one of my favorite manga. The show is extremely average difficulty-wise, and I’m definitely catching more now than I was a year ago. Watched two anime filler episodes, with another three lined up for tomorrow. Can’t wait.
I’d be down for either a listening or reading challenge. I think alternating the two could be fun, I’d be fine keeping it just listening, mostly whatever everyone else wants.
I personally will probably make more specific listening goals than time if we do it next month. I think watching a metric ton of anime has been great for listening, but it’s definitely the path of least resistance and I think I’d probably benefit from more diversity in what I’m listening to.
Totals for the challenge!!
Korean: 27hr 12min
Spanish: 12hr 40min
Sum: 39hr 52min / 40hr goal
I may listen to more so I’ll update if I remember lol. This is actually only a little more than what I listened to last month I think so not sure I really did much of a challenge sigh.
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Overall thoughts:
I didn’t feel very motivated tbh. Maybe if there were more Korean learners doing the challenge I’d have felt more community(?) but who knows lol. I’m also just lazy. Hmmm I didn’t notice improvement or anything with this amount of listening but it’s not that much really so. Yet somehow I read so much less idk what went on this month.
I’m glad I listened to some more audiobooks in Korean this month rather than many videos as usual. But I feel like I can read harder books than I can listen to, and I might be missing things when listening since my brain skips the words I don’t understand LOL my brain really tunes out new words unless they come up often. Since I’m already conversational in Korean?? and am really just lacking vocab I think reading is the better method for me. So I am going to go back to reading for the most part.
Maybe if I decide I want to watch dramas or something without subtitles I’ll do more hardcore listening but for now I can understand variety shows so that’s enough for my needs hehe. And generally more vocab will help my listening of higher level content imo. Tho I’d assume I can watch most romcoms without subtitles, I haven’t really tested it…ah well. I watched movies/musicals in theaters without subtitles and got most of it so I think I’d be okay ok that’s an experiment for another time lol maybe a diff challenge for me.
It’ll be nice to listen to at least 1-2 audiobooks each month after this if I can keep that up. Still find it hard to find my perfect audiobook level which made me put off listening sometimes since I’d need to try out a couple to find one that’s right. ;;
Oh but I’ll def keep listening to a lot of Spanish. I’m starting my new job with Spanish speakers learning English so I’ll need to keep up my usual amount. Might be hard with the new job, but…we try!
I prob won’t participate in another listening challenge cause it didn’t change my usual studying. I already set goals for myself so it didn’t feel different. Maybe a reading challenge I’d try but yeah really depends on if the community aspect helps me or …idk not helping HAHA. Maybe I’d need to set more specific goals like listening to a number of audiobooks, or reading a certain genre as a challenge. Hmm.
Actually I finished it yesterday, so you did not. But let’s call it a tie and say we crossed the finish line together! Are you going to the next book right away?
Today I got in 2 hours and 45 minutes scattered across a few different types of media:
聴く日経 - 20 mins
朝日新聞ニュース現場より podcast - 2 episodes totaling 2 hours and 10 mins
YouTube - 15 minutes
I still didn’t decide if I want to get a Japanese audible account or just buy more credits on my local store so I haven’t started the next 本好き volume yet. This happens every time, I can never make up my mind to just spend the money on a book.
I’m not done today (probably) but updating now. I dabbled a bit in youtube (I’m apparently over 推し活 and back into 恋話 and listening to experiences with dating apps) as well as about 20 more minutes of 思い出が消えないうちに | L27 and about 25 minutes of ブスの瞳に恋してる | L28??. The later book doesn’t have a description on Natively yet, but it’s basically a series of comedic essays by a man who married an “ugly woman”. One he’d never dated before proposing, no less!
They’re both in the entertainment industry and it’s clear he was head over heels for her from listening to the first few essays. Doing a bit of quick googling it seems their marriage has gone well.
It seems like overall people want another listening challenge next month so I’ll set up the thread soon so people can set their goals in the table. @eefara it seemed like you were the only one really interested in a reading challenge (and perhaps @shitsurei?) - while I’m not wanting to take on more monthly threads, if you spun it up I’d probably join as I’m going to bring down my listening to more reasonable levels for me and catch up on some reading
I probably won’t organize anything either, I think. Someone else is free to if they’d like, but I’ll abstain for the moment.
Hmmm… On one hand, I should probably set at least a small goal in order to keep up some sort of momentum. On the other, I feel like I amazingly haven’t actually formed any good listening habits this past month to fall back on anyway to make following through somewhat automatic.
I haven’t managed to do any listening today (but did manage to read 2 chapters of ふしぎ駄菓子屋・銭天堂 book 2, mostly while waiting for calls) so I kinda dropped the ball and tomorrow won’t be much of an option either (12 and a half hour shift is always a struggle for anything, and most of it will be training so my brain will be fried ). I should manage some on Saturday but I think I will set weekly goals for next month, using Friday as a rest day since I do get very little time to do anything on Friday’s except work.
I have managed to hit my 30 hour goal so did more than I thought I was capable of
I think that listen-read-listen method does work pretty well for me; for better or for worse there’s not enough time to start and finish another book with the same method this month, so I’m not going to sweat it. It is pretty intense, though; I spent about 10 and half hours on one children’s book…
Dunno if I want to start a new book at this point…
So I think a reading challenge would be fun, and a good change of pace! 
so not sure I really did much of a challenge sigh.
idk what went on this month.
ok that’s an experiment for another time lol maybe a diff challenge for me.
But let’s call it a tie and say we crossed the finish line together! 
Are you going to the next book right away?
). I should manage some on Saturday but I think I will set weekly goals for next month, using Friday as a rest day since I do get very little time to do anything on Friday’s except work.
