Mwuahahaha yes you have been!
It's okay hehe
hmm..that was a year and a month ago but I'm already losing my memory of starting out ^^;
First, I learned how to read Hiragana and Katakana - two weeks to fully memorize, but a few months for me to be able to read it fluently without really having to take the time to recognize a character.
I memorized these by writing them out - including on the school white boards 8D - everyday, and then having some practice material to attempt reading, despite not being able to understand it.
the R/L sound took me a good month to figure out to become automatic and sound proper, but within the first week I was already mixing it in my english when I didn't want it to be xD
After that, I started working on my vocabulary. I find that nouns aren't a huge worry - focus is more on verbs, adjectives, etc. Nouns are quite easy to learn and use.
Despite not knowing any grammar, I'd spend everyday trying to use any Japanese I could around the house, when I went walking, etc.
I started on some kanji on wanikani, but I couldn't buy it so I had to wait a bit longer.
I started on Tae Kim's grammar guide, and slowly started to build a little grammar.
Then I attempted to translate a song during the summer. I ended up meeting my Japanese pen pal that way. So I ask her questions and she asks me some about English.
As of last month, my Japanese understanding has grown enough that I thought I'd order a book. But since I was unable to order a book in Japanese, she decided she'd send me a few paragraphs of a book she used to love so that I could try and read it, and it'd be easier for me to answer questions I didn't understand about the text, and she would be able to provide any extra info that I may need.
Now, a few months back I started on kanji again. I learn by writing them down and adding them to memrise as flashcards, one course for Kunyomi, and another for onyomi. I also practice writing them out in a notebook, just because I freaking love to write kanji.
The kanji is usually a scare for most people, but if you make it fun and really focus, you learn a lot quickly, actually. If you really buckled down you can learn all the jouyou in 3-4 months easily.
And of course I watch j-dramas and youtube channels with Japanese people on them to practice listening. I also may be able to talk to one of the exchange students at the homeschooling building one day, so I'll be a nervous wreck come that day ^^;;
But, I still have issues forming sentences myself, I think. Sakiko says so far my grammar has been good, but I have time to think before I write...
Reading and listening is much easier for me personally, but I think chino or someone else said speaking was easier.
And holy cow that was longer than I expected.
