A Japanese girl's love for the Kazakh language

The name of this Japanese girl is Nana Ozaki. A native of Tokyo, a 2nd year student at Kobe University of Foreign Studies. Specialty: Russian language. From February 27 to March 19, 2024, as part of the Winter School, organized by the Department of Japanese Studies at the Department of Far East of the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, she studied the Kazakh language with the senior teacher of the department, Japanese language specialist M. T. Shadayeva.
“Last August I came to Kazakhstan to participate in the Summer School. Then I improved my Russian language skills for three weeks. And this time two students from Kyoto University, one student from Nagoya University, one from the University came with me Keio and one from Chuo University. While all five students came to study Russian, I wanted to study Kazakh,” says Nana.
According to her, a Kazakh woman named Kamila, whom she met on Twitter as a schoolgirl, sparked her interest in Kazakhstan and learning the Kazakh language. Last year, when she first came to Kazakhstan as part of the University Summer School program, her desire to learn Kazakh became even stronger.
“I really like Kazakh food, Kazakh ornaments, the nature of Almaty. I visited such tourist places as the Charyn Canyon and Tamgaly Tas. I visited the Central State Museum twice, where I was able to learn a little about the history and culture of the Kazakh people. I enjoy listening to Kazakh songs hits of the group "Alfa" and the singer Enlik. The people here are very friendly. I want to come here again. Next time I come, I think I could speak Kazakh well," Nana said, adding that after returning In Japan, she will continue to study the Kazakh language on her own.In addition to the textbook for the initial level of the Kazakh language, developed for the Japanese by department teachers Takashi Ninomiya and Madina Shadayeva, which they used during their studies as part of the Winter School, she plans to use two Kazakh language textbooks, purchased by her here.
We wish Nana great success in learning the Kazakh language!