JLPT (Japanese Language Profeciency Test)

Ok, I had that last post sitting unfinished for like a year so I finally decided to just post it.  I apologize to anyone who read it, it was very boring.

Anyhoo, as I'm sure you are all dying to know how my test went.

I spent literally every day for the past two years studying for this test and....

Well, to be honest, I don't really care.

The results aren't announced until September, and I think I passed, but to be honest, if it turns out I failed, I won't mind.

"But Tom," you say, "if you spend 2 years of your life working toward something and then fail, shouldn't you be disappointed?"

Nah.  I realized before the test that I can communicate anything I want to get across in Japanese.  Sure my Japanese is not native level, but I am confident in my ability to say anything.

Can I say a sentence like filled with tough vocabulary like "my spark-plug just kinda stutters and doesn't ignite and the left axle connecting the rear tire to the fan belt is a little bent."  I mean, not that that sentence makes sense in English and it's a terrible example, but you get the point.

I can say "my car is broken, please fix my car" but I can't go into details about specific parts of my car.

So really, what does the test mean?  If I pass, is my Japanese suddenly better?  If I fail, is it worse?  Absolutely not.  I should have had a different goal when I began my studies.  A better goal would have been "be able to communicate with people in Japanese."

And in that goal, I succeeded.