Blogging 101 – Why am I here?

I am am going back to school with the Daily Post and am going to try their Blogging 101 course. I am feeling very excited and a little nervous.

Please bear with me as I try out their suggestions and new things. I would love to get any feedback from any of you who have been following and supporting me as my blog has been developing and from Blogging 101 classmates.

Assignment One – Why am I here?    and Assignment 2 Title and Tagline

My take on this assignment was – Why am I here, doing this course? combined with my purpose and blogging goals.

I have been blogging regularly for six months now after an initial false start in 2013.

My blog started with a very strong Japan focus. I started out not even really considering the fact that it was out there and anyone could or would even read it. It was more of an activity to fill in some time, teach myself some new skills and blow of some steam and possibly vent at times.

Title and Tagline

The second assignment on this course is to look at at our title and tagline.

My title is a play on words although it may be a little obscure. This seems like a good chance to explain it. Nihon is Japan, Nihongo is the Japanese language, a place anid language I have a long history with and a passion for. I returned to Japan in 2012, after some 15 years away, to teach Japanese and English here. Thus NihongoJapango, a title that to me encapsulated the big move and my love of the language and country. I am not sure that it says that to my readers but to be honest when I first started I didn’t really understand the dynamics of blogging and how I would “meet” people and have regular interaction with them.

I’d love to know from my small but very friendly and supportive group of followers if you think I should change my title. I kind of feel an affinity to NihongoJapango now!

My blog focus has changed from rants and spiels about daily frustrations to the many things about Japan that I love to more of “Living in Japan and traveling the world” focus. My initial tagline  was “All I know and don’t know about Japan” I quite liked that, but my focus changed especially as I started exploring many of the excellent Photo blogging challenges and I found myself posting more and more travel pictures. I wondered about starting a separate second blog but after asking my followers what they thought, I decided to change the tagline to “Picture this – Living in Japan and reliving my travels” The intent is to express most of my posts contain photos and many of past travels.

What do you think? Mission accomplished?

How my Blog had changed and developed

Blogging has proved to be a continual learning process and NihongoJapango has changed and developed in terms of;

• Content – Japan focus has changed to Japan and my travels
• Posts – I hope they are a little more concise than my first rambles!
• Photos – I started by using Pictures from Google images but now make every effort only to use my own work.
• Appearance – I am still using the same theme but I think I have tidied it up a lot in the following ways;

1. Side bar menu
2. Use of widgets
3. My categories and tags are better
4. I have a header picture

What I hope to gain from this course

I hope that through this course I will learn more about how a blog can be developed in terms of functionality and appearance. I would look forward to the different tasks that will challenge me in terms of writing topics and styles. I am a big fan of constructive criticism so am hoping that people will feel free to comment and give me food for thought. Who knows my focus may change yet again!

A change of focus within one post

Just now having re-read my post, I find my focus on this task has changed ever so slightly but in quite a meaningful way. The question for me is no longer “Why am I here?” but rather “Why am I still here?”

Blogging has proved to be challenging, thought provoking and exciting. Going through my photos has bought back fond and vivid memories and put me in touch with old friends. The most surprising part of blogging for me has been the great interaction, communication, support, feedback and help I have received form so many different people all over the world. I have gained new insight to different topics I may never have thought of exploring and feel I have met new people and made new friends albeit virtual blog buddies. Although we may never meet, I feel there my circle of acquaintances has widened considerably and I love hearing everyone’s opinions and viewing their contributions. I didn’t foresee the very social aspect of blogging and the sense of community that would develop.

That’s why I am still here!

Yoroshiku Onegai shimasu

Leanne