What's in a name . . .
I had a vaguely known person ask my name today . . . which served to remind me that in all likelihood it's just as hard for Japanese people to remember Western names as it is for me to rememebr their's. Only there are far more of them than foreigners!
There are people that I have known now for quite some months but still don't know or at least, can't remember, their names. But it's at the point where I feel that enquiring is likely to be a rather extreme faux pas. Well, I might take it a little askance too in the same position.
Which is to say that I'd name the people in this photo if I but knew their names aright!
This was one of my first outings without other gaijin (外人 - がいじん). Instead of tracking off to the baseball game with the others I went to the Sports Day that the Art club were having . . . it was reasonably enjoyable and an insight into the crazy liking that Japanese students seem to have for playing games regardless of their skill level and also completely reformatting said games to suit them. Another case in point being 'Mini Tennis' or something which is played of specially made miniturised courts of a tennis nature but played with a soft ball and large racquets . . . Oh Japan!
Anyway (とにかく- tonikaku) after the Volleyball we all headed home for a freshen up before meeting at, what seemed to me, the early time of 6pm. As it turns out most social event here tend to start at 6pm, if not ealier! Makes for reasonable nights sleep regardless of the festivities so it's a rather good arrangement really!
Back to the point . . .
We meet and went to Nomi and Tabehoudai at a Shabu-shabu restaurant. I had to admit that I was actually a vegetarian when it came to Shabu-shabu as it doesn't tend to include seafood, but I ate lots of vegies and drank lots of Ume shu (literally plum liquor) and had a very fine time. My Japanese was (is) still very rudimentary at the time but I had a good time attempting to communicate. And the tofu and mochi were brilliant! I first learnt about all of the different types of mushroom here too. You can see a plateful of vegies to the right and the steaming pot is where you cook all of the food. The name comes from the noise the dish apparently makes as you cook.
To the left and with a penchant for odd, nonsensical English text tshirts is a friendly young girl that I like as she always tries to explain stuff to me when I ask and helps me with my pottery. I only know her nickname - Shogun. In reference to her powerful nature despite her diminutive size. The Shogun being the title of the military leader of Japan pre-Meiji restoration and the like.
In the middle is a girl I have never seen since and thus have no idea of her name, but she talked to me a lot during the lunch break at the Gym where we played Volleyball. She seemed a little eccentrice but nice. She tried to tell me that mochi with Miso and Anko in it was great - the other girls seemed dubious and I've never seen such a thing!
The next person along is Takuto who is the leader of the club, I have since discovered. He has the best (and by best I mean crazy) fashion sense ever! I want to take a photo every time I see him just so I can show Aliese . . I think she'd be impressed! On this particular night, it seems as I was new and a gaijin, as I told them I was having financial troubles they would only take ￥1000 from me for the food and drinks and then nothign when we went to Karaoke . . . . but that's a story for next time.
The last guy, at the very periphery of the photo, I don't know the name of but he irked me somewhat with his behaviour on the court during the day. I think I wrote earlier about how playing games with people sometimes allows greater insight into their character than limited language-based communication can do.
FINALLY . . .
as I should be studying . . .
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!
Sorry I thought you were a year older than you really are! But it was great to be able to talk to you on the 4th and sing Happy Birthday even if I was about a second out of sync with everyone else! I'm glad the package arrived spot on time and that you liked the tshirt and assorted items!
I went for another swim in the pool at Uni today - it was pretty nice and only two other people were then when I was. Only negative was that I found some scales in the changerooms and decided that I might risk them for curiousity's sake, after such a long absence . . . All I can say is it's good I'm not a cat!!
Well, I must away to make birthday cakes for friday night's party . . . I'm finally inspired and looking forward to it!
There are people that I have known now for quite some months but still don't know or at least, can't remember, their names. But it's at the point where I feel that enquiring is likely to be a rather extreme faux pas. Well, I might take it a little askance too in the same position.
Which is to say that I'd name the people in this photo if I but knew their names aright!
This was one of my first outings without other gaijin (外人 - がいじん). Instead of tracking off to the baseball game with the others I went to the Sports Day that the Art club were having . . . it was reasonably enjoyable and an insight into the crazy liking that Japanese students seem to have for playing games regardless of their skill level and also completely reformatting said games to suit them. Another case in point being 'Mini Tennis' or something which is played of specially made miniturised courts of a tennis nature but played with a soft ball and large racquets . . . Oh Japan!
Anyway (とにかく- tonikaku) after the Volleyball we all headed home for a freshen up before meeting at, what seemed to me, the early time of 6pm. As it turns out most social event here tend to start at 6pm, if not ealier! Makes for reasonable nights sleep regardless of the festivities so it's a rather good arrangement really!
Back to the point . . .
We meet and went to Nomi and Tabehoudai at a Shabu-shabu restaurant. I had to admit that I was actually a vegetarian when it came to Shabu-shabu as it doesn't tend to include seafood, but I ate lots of vegies and drank lots of Ume shu (literally plum liquor) and had a very fine time. My Japanese was (is) still very rudimentary at the time but I had a good time attempting to communicate. And the tofu and mochi were brilliant! I first learnt about all of the different types of mushroom here too. You can see a plateful of vegies to the right and the steaming pot is where you cook all of the food. The name comes from the noise the dish apparently makes as you cook.
To the left and with a penchant for odd, nonsensical English text tshirts is a friendly young girl that I like as she always tries to explain stuff to me when I ask and helps me with my pottery. I only know her nickname - Shogun. In reference to her powerful nature despite her diminutive size. The Shogun being the title of the military leader of Japan pre-Meiji restoration and the like.
In the middle is a girl I have never seen since and thus have no idea of her name, but she talked to me a lot during the lunch break at the Gym where we played Volleyball. She seemed a little eccentrice but nice. She tried to tell me that mochi with Miso and Anko in it was great - the other girls seemed dubious and I've never seen such a thing!
The next person along is Takuto who is the leader of the club, I have since discovered. He has the best (and by best I mean crazy) fashion sense ever! I want to take a photo every time I see him just so I can show Aliese . . I think she'd be impressed! On this particular night, it seems as I was new and a gaijin, as I told them I was having financial troubles they would only take ￥1000 from me for the food and drinks and then nothign when we went to Karaoke . . . . but that's a story for next time.
The last guy, at the very periphery of the photo, I don't know the name of but he irked me somewhat with his behaviour on the court during the day. I think I wrote earlier about how playing games with people sometimes allows greater insight into their character than limited language-based communication can do.
FINALLY . . .
as I should be studying . . .
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!
Sorry I thought you were a year older than you really are! But it was great to be able to talk to you on the 4th and sing Happy Birthday even if I was about a second out of sync with everyone else! I'm glad the package arrived spot on time and that you liked the tshirt and assorted items!
I went for another swim in the pool at Uni today - it was pretty nice and only two other people were then when I was. Only negative was that I found some scales in the changerooms and decided that I might risk them for curiousity's sake, after such a long absence . . . All I can say is it's good I'm not a cat!!
Well, I must away to make birthday cakes for friday night's party . . . I'm finally inspired and looking forward to it!
posted by Eleanora Martinez at 6:41 PM
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