Cultural thievery
I've had a really great weekend but now it's at an I'm wishing a done a little more study instead of making museli this morning. I should be studying right now, for a test tomorrow, but after a full weekend of not really sending or receiving emails I couldn't resist the siren call of the ether.
Friday afternoon I met Ayumi(あゆみ),who lived with my family for 3 months when I was about 15. We went and picked up her little boy, Yuu(ゆう), who initially found me a little disturbing but soon warmed. Then we hung out at her place for the evening, chatting and new and old times, unfortunately it was predominantly in English as her English is still very good and my Japanese really needs work.
I have been considering what I can do to improve this situation - what can I do to really start throwing myself into using my Japanese more . . . I'm actually considering applying to move to homestays for next semester . . . A number of people have asked recently why I'm not in a homestay, Ayumi included. I think that food issues were a large consideration, as was freedom to come and go and also be able to have people to come and stay with me . . . but I don't really have that freedom at the Kaikan anyway, so I'm thinking it really might be a good thing to do. A American girl who moved into homestays from the Kaikan just after our arrival was saying to me last night that it's quite a cheap option and that with prior notice the food thing probably wouldn't been that hard to overcome. As yet I haven't managed to really meet anyone who I have been able to con into teaching me lots of Japanese style cooking so I'm still making thing up. Though, yesterday, Ayumi did take my shopping with her where she does her shopping and she showed me different things I could eat and explained how to use them - that's was lots of fun (though I got a mountain of 'gaijin stares'), but I am thinking in a homestay it might save me time as I wouldn't have to cook when I didn't feel like it (nor would I usually have to buy food either) and I could learn dishes from the family . . .
It does seem a little dumb to uproot myself when I was just getting to like my little room and feel at home here . . I'm not sure . . .
But back to Friday, we just stayed at Ayumi's house . . . exchanged presents and I showed her some recentish photos of the family, feed Yuu and ate some curry for dinner ourselves, then she and Yuu had a bath and I dried Yuu while she was getting out. We then looked at some photos of Yuu over the past year and a bit, then all lay down to encourage Yuu to go to sleep. We talked for a few hours, til eventually her husband come home and she showed me how to use their bath setup and I took a bath and had a good night's sleep. She has also proposed that I go with them on some trip to Miyou (don't know anything about the place) on the 2nd of July. This is the same date as some proposed Kaikan activity, but I think going with Ayumi could be a great experience so I'm opting for that - apparently, we might even go canoeing!
The next morning was a slow one, then we went shopping and they dropped me home.
I tried to get through some more of Thucydides and soon enough it was time to head into Hondori for meeting up with the Internationl Link club for their Nomihodai evening. That turned out to be a laugh with some pretty good food to hand for once! I have now perfected my knowledge of one of the many Japanese drinking songs. But it ended very early, having started at about 6:30pm so Julie and I were on our way home by about 9:30 or so. I was feeling happily inebriated and suggested we watch a movie, Shall We ダンス？ (dance), which I borrowed a whilt back from Imaishi Sensei, but hadn't yet had time to watch. That kept us up til 1ish, was quite enjoyable and I now have even less desire to see what is sure to be a crappy remake with Richard Gere.
Today was another slow and lesiurely day . . . I slept in til 10am, even with the balcony window open . . it's getting hot inside these days so I like the fresh breeze but I get a lot of noise from the street. I read more Thucydides, though now I wished I stuck to my original idea of getting a start on my Japanese homework. Then I decided to try my hand at making up Japanese style vegie curry and more museli for the next two week's breakfasts. This really somehow took up the while mid-afternoon . . . then Julie and I had to get into our Yukata (summer kimono) for heading off to meet people at near Hondori for the Tokasan festivities.
We ended up being quite late . . opps! and as we walked the half an hour to the mall precinct and I was feeling quite weird about the whole foreigner wearing traditional clothes thing. I had asked people a number of times before if it wasn't weird for white people to wear Yukata but everyone seemed so keen that eventually I succumbed, and a lady from the Overseas centre at Shudo lent me a beautiful pink one of her daughter's. As we were late it took us a while to locate everyone but the miracles of the telephone proved their worth and we found our group. We ended up at a traditional style eatery that provided the perfect backdrop for photos of ourselves dressed to the nines and despite my leg going to sleep on me twice, with a few Ume shuu (梅酒) tucked away I started to feel happy with the whole scenario.
After this Marie (actually Japanese name for all it looks Anglo, and she's the girl I met who loves LOTR too), Julie and I went to do Purikura - the whole photobooth sticker craze . . . we had to a wait a while because everyone was there in their Yukata, but it was fun and we ended up with some cute images. Then we dashed back to the 'park' (really more like a piazza as it was all paved) where there was tradtional dancing going on - dancing around a big tower adorned with lanters and with J-pop and folksongs blaring from speakers. We eventually got involved and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my trip so far. There were a lot of gaijin about, a large contingent of the Arizonians, most of them in Yukata also, but everyone seemed so happy about getting into the spirit of the occasion. There were lots of older women leading the dances and they smiled so happily at us as we struggled with the unfamiliar steps, that you couldn't help but have fun and feel welcomed. I was little perturbed by one overly friend young guy who squeezed my hand a little more than was necessary . . . but I decided it was getting time to hit the books anyway, so Julie and I had a nice stroll home in the fresh night.
I feel good that I got over my inhibitions and am really glad that Julie put up with my insecurities and idenitiy issues long enough for me to get over them and enjoy myself! Yeah for 祭！！ (fesitvals)
I know there's sure to be have been mistakes in this post but to hell with editing tonight! I'm tired and need to go study kanji . . .
Friday afternoon I met Ayumi(あゆみ),who lived with my family for 3 months when I was about 15. We went and picked up her little boy, Yuu(ゆう), who initially found me a little disturbing but soon warmed. Then we hung out at her place for the evening, chatting and new and old times, unfortunately it was predominantly in English as her English is still very good and my Japanese really needs work.
I have been considering what I can do to improve this situation - what can I do to really start throwing myself into using my Japanese more . . . I'm actually considering applying to move to homestays for next semester . . . A number of people have asked recently why I'm not in a homestay, Ayumi included. I think that food issues were a large consideration, as was freedom to come and go and also be able to have people to come and stay with me . . . but I don't really have that freedom at the Kaikan anyway, so I'm thinking it really might be a good thing to do. A American girl who moved into homestays from the Kaikan just after our arrival was saying to me last night that it's quite a cheap option and that with prior notice the food thing probably wouldn't been that hard to overcome. As yet I haven't managed to really meet anyone who I have been able to con into teaching me lots of Japanese style cooking so I'm still making thing up. Though, yesterday, Ayumi did take my shopping with her where she does her shopping and she showed me different things I could eat and explained how to use them - that's was lots of fun (though I got a mountain of 'gaijin stares'), but I am thinking in a homestay it might save me time as I wouldn't have to cook when I didn't feel like it (nor would I usually have to buy food either) and I could learn dishes from the family . . .
It does seem a little dumb to uproot myself when I was just getting to like my little room and feel at home here . . I'm not sure . . .
But back to Friday, we just stayed at Ayumi's house . . . exchanged presents and I showed her some recentish photos of the family, feed Yuu and ate some curry for dinner ourselves, then she and Yuu had a bath and I dried Yuu while she was getting out. We then looked at some photos of Yuu over the past year and a bit, then all lay down to encourage Yuu to go to sleep. We talked for a few hours, til eventually her husband come home and she showed me how to use their bath setup and I took a bath and had a good night's sleep. She has also proposed that I go with them on some trip to Miyou (don't know anything about the place) on the 2nd of July. This is the same date as some proposed Kaikan activity, but I think going with Ayumi could be a great experience so I'm opting for that - apparently, we might even go canoeing!
The next morning was a slow one, then we went shopping and they dropped me home.
I tried to get through some more of Thucydides and soon enough it was time to head into Hondori for meeting up with the Internationl Link club for their Nomihodai evening. That turned out to be a laugh with some pretty good food to hand for once! I have now perfected my knowledge of one of the many Japanese drinking songs. But it ended very early, having started at about 6:30pm so Julie and I were on our way home by about 9:30 or so. I was feeling happily inebriated and suggested we watch a movie, Shall We ダンス？ (dance), which I borrowed a whilt back from Imaishi Sensei, but hadn't yet had time to watch. That kept us up til 1ish, was quite enjoyable and I now have even less desire to see what is sure to be a crappy remake with Richard Gere.
Today was another slow and lesiurely day . . . I slept in til 10am, even with the balcony window open . . it's getting hot inside these days so I like the fresh breeze but I get a lot of noise from the street. I read more Thucydides, though now I wished I stuck to my original idea of getting a start on my Japanese homework. Then I decided to try my hand at making up Japanese style vegie curry and more museli for the next two week's breakfasts. This really somehow took up the while mid-afternoon . . . then Julie and I had to get into our Yukata (summer kimono) for heading off to meet people at near Hondori for the Tokasan festivities.
We ended up being quite late . . opps! and as we walked the half an hour to the mall precinct and I was feeling quite weird about the whole foreigner wearing traditional clothes thing. I had asked people a number of times before if it wasn't weird for white people to wear Yukata but everyone seemed so keen that eventually I succumbed, and a lady from the Overseas centre at Shudo lent me a beautiful pink one of her daughter's. As we were late it took us a while to locate everyone but the miracles of the telephone proved their worth and we found our group. We ended up at a traditional style eatery that provided the perfect backdrop for photos of ourselves dressed to the nines and despite my leg going to sleep on me twice, with a few Ume shuu (梅酒) tucked away I started to feel happy with the whole scenario.
After this Marie (actually Japanese name for all it looks Anglo, and she's the girl I met who loves LOTR too), Julie and I went to do Purikura - the whole photobooth sticker craze . . . we had to a wait a while because everyone was there in their Yukata, but it was fun and we ended up with some cute images. Then we dashed back to the 'park' (really more like a piazza as it was all paved) where there was tradtional dancing going on - dancing around a big tower adorned with lanters and with J-pop and folksongs blaring from speakers. We eventually got involved and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my trip so far. There were a lot of gaijin about, a large contingent of the Arizonians, most of them in Yukata also, but everyone seemed so happy about getting into the spirit of the occasion. There were lots of older women leading the dances and they smiled so happily at us as we struggled with the unfamiliar steps, that you couldn't help but have fun and feel welcomed. I was little perturbed by one overly friend young guy who squeezed my hand a little more than was necessary . . . but I decided it was getting time to hit the books anyway, so Julie and I had a nice stroll home in the fresh night.
I feel good that I got over my inhibitions and am really glad that Julie put up with my insecurities and idenitiy issues long enough for me to get over them and enjoy myself! Yeah for 祭！！ (fesitvals)
I know there's sure to be have been mistakes in this post but to hell with editing tonight! I'm tired and need to go study kanji . . .
posted by Eleanora Martinez at 3:15 PM
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