Japanese Language proficiency test Level 3 passed

So I found out my score today online about my test. I got a 70%. Not great, considering that I thought that I should know most of this stuff and I practically have seen all of it before, but I guess it's been awhile since I've actually studied Japanese seriously. I keep on wondering why am I doing this? Why am I studying Japanese? Why do I want to know this language so badly?

Part of me says, "for fun." I guess I do play a lot of video games and would like to play video games in Japanese. Also it'd be cool to understand what people on TV are saying in Japanese. Like those two guys, Matsumoto and someone else. Matsumoto is the bald, dark skinned guy. I guess that doesn't help much...so maybe I'll post a link here.

Anyway, Matsumoto is the doctor guy or the guy who first tried this medicine on this episode. heh. Anyway, be warned, it is crude humor and very Japanese style of humor. heh.

I want to learn Japanese for my future. I spent a good portion of my life chasing this dream, but I always wonder "for what reason?" Should I go on a mission to Japan? I don't think that now is the right time. Should I try to minister to Japanese people? I don't think so...Japanese people tend not to like me for some reason. I think it has to do with me not knowing the unwritten rules.

One of my friends told me of this book his wife read about an American in Japan. It talks a lot about the unwritten rules and nuances of Japan that most foreigners don't understand. You can find the book here or do a search on the book "American Fuji."

I just ordered it now and I'm hoping that I can learn a lot more about what I experienced there. It was really a crazy place to be. So many different types of people, yet they all seem to conform to one standard and criticize those who don't. Part of me feels sad for the kids that grow up there. It is a hard place to grow up in. If I grew up there, I probably wouldn't be alive today. I say that because I was in some of the classrooms in Japan and observed how things work over there. It is a place where you have to earn everything you get. You don't get anything for free. You have to deserve it to receive it. OR, you get something because your group did well or something like that.

Anyway, I'm still trying to process what the heck happened over there in Japan...and I'm not quite sure...I wish that I kept a journal of what happened. But maybe this book, "American Fuji" will help me to understand the things I didn't understand.