Of All the People, in All the Places in the World

Today I was in the library at the study abroad program puttering away on my laptop, procrastinating and using the internet. I was also doing some work - I am going to lead a part of the class tomorrow so I figured a powerpoint presentation will help a bit, since I still have nerves about talking in front of people.

I print, and head down to Prof. S's office to show it to him. I knock on the door, and see him talking with a petite Japanese woman. She looks...familiar.

We both realized it at the same time - she was my old Japanese teacher from when I started Japanese waaaay back in January 2003 at the Japan Society. I continued with her for about a year, then I went off to London. Oh my god! Of all the places in the world - Kyoto and in particular in Prof. S's office to see my old Japanese language teacher. Prof. S explained what I was doing and in particular why I was in his office - "course assistant."

I waited outside until the two of them were done with their meeting. At first, I thought she was coming here to be a new Japanese language teacher, but turns out she is now at another school and the representative for the school since some of their students are here. After getting over our initial shock, we compared notes.

She asked how Mel was doing; when I began studying Japanese, I dragged him along, and she taught the both of us and knew we were a couple. She asked if I was married (guess she saw something on my finger) and told her I was engaged, and to him as well.

We exchanged emails, and I told her I would email her some photos of my time in Japan. I still can't believe it! So surprising, but a nice one too. She is a good teacher.

And Yet More Ouch

Kanbun. Real Classical Japanese.

Also known as my latest foray into Pre-WW2 Japanese. Note: it was used from the 11th Century to the end of WW2.

You definitely want to check it out. The picture on the right side is of the Chinese characters with the numbers next to it. The numbers determine the reading order.

Except in my readings, there are NO numbers.

No funny Japanese symbols to determine the order either, which are also in that picture. Not like I understand it. The numbers are used for us Westerners.

Kambun.

In my dictionary, it means "hell."

But I am a geek, so I willingly put myself through this torture for sake of academic advancement.

Fill In the Blank

I always forget that I have quizzes in my Monday 8:45am Reading/Grammar class. Who the heck wants a quiz at 8:45am on a MONDAY morning?

I panicked a bit when I got to school, but calmed down. Our teacher (who is also my composition teacher and really amazing) doesn't collect them. It's for our own kimochi. Well, my kimochi tends to go Type-A/Anal-Retentive/Mildly OCD when it come's to school. I am like Cristina on Grey's Anatomy, sans the bitchiness in that department.

But today, taking that quiz blind and going over it, I noticed something. ALL of my fill-in-the-blanks, which I am never good to begin with, were right. I only had one mistake on a kanji reading and one mistake on a hiragana fill-in, otherwise.

WOW.

I think my Japanese is actually a lot better than I thought. I was really happy after that quiz.

Damn Straight!

A couple of months ago, this fancy designer created these bags that said "I am Not a Plastic Bag" for Whole Foods (they were sold at Sainsbury's in the UK - don't ask how I know that). I saw them featured online in the blogs and sorta wished that I could get my hands on one of them - but I was still in Japan in July and not that crazy.

Instead, I got this from the UFO Catcher in the arcade, which I had learned about thanks to a girl I know who got the same one (but mine is in a different color, and I know copying is bad but I told her I really liked it a lot, so I warned her to begin with). What is cool about it is that it's in Japanese, so this makes it way better than the Whole Foods one. Plus, as I pointed out to my friend, we actually understand what it says.

The kanji read: "Watashi wa biniiru-bukuro ja nai!!!"

"I am NOT a plastic bag!!!"

Damn straight.

Harii Pottaa, Sayuri and Densha Otoko

Tomorrow after my test, I am going to go to Book-Off at Sanjo and see if they have the Harry Potter Series in the 100yen book section. Yep that's right, I can get books for 100yen. I got "The Joy Luck Club" - or was it "Memoirs of a Geisha"? - for just 100yen, which is less than a dollar. I love Book-Off; if only I can actually get through the novels. Memoirs of a Geisha is pretty tricky, especially since it uses geisha speak - hence, Harry Potter is more or less a children's book (my guess is by the time I get to 7 my Japanese will be pretty decent) so I hope the Japanese will be a bit better. My plan is to bring back home all of my English novels/fun reading books (not much, there are only three that I brought with me) and just read novels in Japanese. This is what I've got so far:

Breakfast at Tiffany's
The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing
The Joy Luck Club
Memoirs of a Geisha (in 2 parts, actually called "Sayuri" in Japan)

They ARE translated novels, simply because I don't know who are good writers in Japanese, save Soseki and Murakami. And, if I get stuck, I have read most of these books (save Breakfast at Tiffany's) in English so I can remember the part in English then puzzle out the meaning in Japanese. I really need to get my reading and listening up and get more out of the academic Japanese thing, so I am watching Japanese movies (some with, some without subtitles) and reading Japanese novels. Oh wait I DO have some actual Japanese novels back home that Maki gave me before she left for Chicago...now I have to add "Densha Otoko" to the list! Lotsa reading and studying for me this summer.

Maybe I'll surf around Amazon.jp and get some bestsellers if they have them at Book-Off before I leave Japan for good (there is a 100yen book section, and other books are like 700yen, they are used but practically brand new). Besides, it's really reading practice regardless. And I will have like 14+ Harry Potter books - they break longer books down into pieces because they like their books to be small and portable. I plan to read either Girls Guide or Joy Luck Club on the plane; Girls Guide is bigger in size so I might do that, easier to write in the readings of the kanji. I think I am going to start reading Girls Guide in earnest after my test, with Harii Pottaa if I can get it cheaply. If Book-Off has most of them in the 100yen section I am going to get as many as I can.

And in case you're wondering, "Harii Pottaa" is the romanized version of ハリーポッター
which is "Harry Potter" in Japanese. Oh man, all the spells and the names in Katakana are gonna KILL me.

Zaa-Zaa...Or, Another Dose of Japanese Onomatopoeia

I went to the gym today after a stint in the library. Because I live so close to the gym, I take a shower when I get home because I don't want to have to lug extra shower stuff all day - it's a 5 minute bike ride, and I usually go at the end of the day.

Today, rainy season, or tsuyuu, has unleashed her fury! Rain ALL DAY LONG and at points so heavy and fast it qualified as "zaa-zaa" - really heavy rain that just pounds and makes that "zaa-zaa" sound. Ah, Japanese and onomatopoeia. I took advantage of a lull in the rain to get from the library at Kyodai to the gym (which is less than a two minute bike ride if I get all the streetlights on time), but as was changing in the locker room (which is on the upper level and right under the roof)...

ZAA-ZAA!!! ZAA-ZAA!!!

OoOoO...its really bloody raining. Right proper pissdown!

Mega, mega hard. To the point that even the people at the gym's reception told me that it's ok if I wait a bit so that the rain can lighten up. I wait, get some green tea from the vending machine and sit. In a lull, I rush downstairs to my bike, which is parked underneath the stairs so that it won't get drenched. My brakes are squealing (like all the other bikes, it's a very characteristic sound of Kyoto, the brakes squealing) and because I use my right brake more than my left, it doesn't have much "brake" quality anymore. So in the rain, I have to be extra careful - when I ride my bike in the rain, I hold my umbrella with my left hand and steer with my right. Weird since I am left-handed, but my bicycle bell is on the right side so it's just easier that way. Thus, I ride my bike slower in the rain since I do it one-handed.

It's still raining now and its 8:22pm. Stupid me, I did NOT wear my rainboots because in the morning it was just a slight drizzle and I thought that "Pfft...I wear my boots and the sun will come out." However, I did NOT wear my Birks either because I didn't want them ruined; I wore my navy blue ballet flats, but because they are suede my feet turned a lovely shade of blue as a result of the dye bleeding onto my skin.

JUST as I head out from under my protective stairwell...

ZAA-ZAA!!!

DAMMIT. DAMMIT. ZANNEN. ZANNEN.

I have to ride my bike in a torrential downpour. When there is light rain, the umbrella+bike combo is fine (like it was that morning as I rode my bike to the Kyodai campus to get the bus) but with zaa-zaa rain, I might as well not use my umbrella. I was practically drenched, to the point that if I was lazy I didn't need to take a shower when I got home. It lightened up just a teeny bit on my way home; just as I parked my bike in front of my building (underneath that awning) tsuyuu unleashed her fury again. My shoes were actually filled with water; I decided going into my building barefoot is less dangerous than slipping about in squishy, soaked shoes (the hallways actually have its own cleaning lady), so I took off my shoes while outside my building, and scampered inside.

Dorothy, We Are Not in NYC Anymore

Oh, my god.

I had a momentary freak out.

I was thinking about how to say "What time is it?" In Spanish. I took Spanish for 2 years in junior high school and growing up in NYC and with the high school that I went to, you had some basic Spanish in your everyday English. When my friends would speak in Spanish, I couldn't reply but I understood what was going on.

So EVERYTIME I kept thinking "What time is it?" my brain kept saying, "Nan-ji desu ka?" which is the same thing in Japanese. I even got "Ti ora einai?" which is Greek 1 time out of five.

FINALLY I got "Que hora es?" in my mind. Seriously, I thought I had been gone from NYC for so long I forgot that simple phrase. Heck even in my family we say "Que hora es?"

I know, I know it's very trivial but in a way quite revealing in terms of how language in working in my head - even Japanese is trumping my Greek because I have been gone for so long. By the time I come back home in August, I would have not set foot in the United States for 7 months, which is the longest I have been away from home.

G`Day! I Mean...Irasshaimase!

Japanese Lesson #16 (Hisashiburi!):

1) Hisashiburi: Long time no see
2) Sento: Public bath
3) O-furo: Bath
4) Onsen: Hot spring
5) Irasshaimase! - Welcome!
6) Arubaito: Part-time job

The Japanese like their baths. Unlike Americans, who mostly take showers in the morning, the Japanese take baths at night. The scrub first, then soak in a steaming hot bath for like 20 minutes. Sometimes the family gets in all together, or friends go chill out in the sento for the evening which every neighborhood has. I have seen the entrance to the sento in my `hood. I am usually oblivious of my surroundings, but when I realized that there was a sento in my `hood, I knew that I was becoming more aware of what was around me, which means I can read the signs on the doors. All in all a pretty good thing.

Personally, I am not down for the sento and bathing with other people, especially the neighbors. It`s a culture thing - some people are used to it, but it is one of the things in Japan that I put my foot down on. I will try natto, I will eat whatever is put in front of me, I will willingly sleep on the floor on a thin mattress. But do not expect me to go to the sento. At least for now. I still would like to go to an onsen, because usuallly you can wear your bathing suit to the outdoor ones.

When I was in Shirahama, Mayuko`s parent`s apartment building had female, male and family o-furo; no one took their bath in their apartments, apparently. Luckily for me, the family o-furo had a lock since it was designated for families and I never set foot in the female bath because I was self-conscious. But let me tell you, that nice steaming hot o-furo was NICE. I want a bath like that in my house, but I prefer bubble baths.

The point is, imagine yourself as a regular ol`Japanese person and you are ready to go to the sento for your evening bath. I dished out all the sento/onsen/o-furo stuff for some context. You go and part the curtains right outside the door and hear the usual `Irasshaimase!` (One day I should make a tally of how many times I hear that in one shopping trip, it is so ubiquitous).

But something is off. The accent on the `Irasshaimase!` is vaguely...Australian.

I just found out today that Campbell, my Australian classmate, just got an arubaito working at the local SENTO. He is the person greeting the people as they come in for their baths. It is so odd because the sento is one of the most `typical` and `Japanese` thing in Japan and a foriegner would never even consider getting a job there. Well, he was at a bar chatting with a guy and the guy offered him a job. So imagine an Australian saying `Irasshaimase!` with the upmost Japanese gusto. I can only imagine the looks on some of the people`s faces when they go into the sento - I told Campbell this and he laughed because this is so odd and hilarious because it is totally unexpected on all counts and in all respects. I requested that he regale me with some of his tales, so that I can put them here because I will bet you my last yen that it is going to be funny. I will find out how his first day (today) was tomorrow.

Ugh...Must...Keep...Defining...Words...

5 hours and counting.

I am ALMOST done with all of the classical readings for Thursday. Will get to more fun posts (bento, peonies and my thoughts on the garbage system in Japan) when done.

Brain...must...stay...awake...need...coffee...

(Mind you I am typing this missive quickly during my dinner break. I am eating fish, which is supposed to be good for your brain.)

Ga-SHAN! Or, A Quick Lesson in Japanese Onomatopoeia

One can speak entirely in onomatopoeia in Japanese. Maybe that's why I don't understand the kids my own age (or younger) sometimes; it's because they use "Onomatope." Almost all the time.

Well, tonight I lived out the word "Gashan" which means "crash."

I crashed on my bike.

I drew blood in two places, my basket (which is metal) on my bike has a HOLE in it and looks like it suffered a fender bender. I am lucky for a few things:

1) I was wearing my Citizens jeans and although I had a minor scraping in the knees (but no blood) there were no holes. Another reason why spending $150 on jeans is totally legitimate.

2) Only my basket is totaled. That can be replaced, or repaired.

3) It happened right by my apartment so I was able to walk the rest of the way.

4) My mom made my buy a small first aid kit when I left for Japan. Now it has come into use, though the Neosporin that I have is expired by a year. Bah. I saw that after I slathered it on, but that means it is not as effective right?

5) I was wearing long sleeves so although I drew blood on my upper arm and my inner elbow, I did have some protection which prevented more dirt from the street to go in.

6) The area around my wounds is not pink or red. It just stings a bit.

7) I had orange juice in the fridge. The dancing lights in front of my eyes were promptly taken care of.

8) I can go to the pharmacy in the Kyodai co-op tomorrow and ask for some ointment, because a person is actually there to help. God bless the Japanese uni co-op system.

9) Nothing is broken. It's just mostly shock.

10) The guy that I crashed with made sure that I was ok (because I took the brunt of the crash) and even tried to fix my basket.

What happened was what happens most of the time when you ride bikes and try to avoid people: you see the person, the person sees you and you try to go in the other direction to avoid crashing. However, what happens most of the time and in my case especially, was that I went left, and he went right. Since we were facing one another, it was the same direction.

The shock didn't hit me till I got back to my place; however, one morbid thing that I am grateful for is that I KNOW when I am going to pass out because I have "almost" passed out on about 5 or 6 separate occasions (standing in line at Disney World - 2 or 3 times, getting cartilage pierced when I was about 15, getting tragus in London at 19, oh, when they drew blood at the emergency room when I had the abscess on my tonsil: I wasn't able to swallow hence I didn't eat so down to the floor I almost went, then promptly put on a sodium drip). So, I know exactly what to do: OJ, head between knees, breathe deeply and lie down. When I got my tragus pierced, I even brought OJ with me because I knew that was going to happen, and it did.

It's not that I am squeamish at the sight of blood (bah, I used to watch open heart surgeries when I was 5 on PBS with my dad) it was the shock, coupled with the fact that I had not eaten dinner yet, because Thursday is my 9-6 day and I was coming home. It was a good thing that I did have that can of apple juice while I was waiting for the bus; my stomach was growling and I wanted something to hold me over till I got home.

Maybe it is time to get a new Shinto charm for my bike - you ARE supposed to get new ones every year. That or it still protected me, since I have no bruises, no bumps, no broken bones, no broken bike (sans basket) and my sanity still somewhat intact. Although it is a little hard to do things because of the Band-Aids; my scrapes were on my left arm, and I am a lefty.

Selfish Noodles

In class a few weeks ago, we were going over some words in our tango ("word", not to be confused with "dango" the mochi on a stick of 3 mochi balls flavored with egg, matcha and anko), and our teacher wrote a word on the board:

"wagamama."

One of my classmates, Campbell alongside myself burst out laughing. Campbell is from Sydney, and our teacher turned to us and asked why we were cracking up.

Campbell said that there is a noodle restaurant chain in Australia called "Wagamama" and I concurred - in London there was a shopping center near my dorm in the Angel part of Islington/King's Cross and there was a "Wagamama" branch. It was extremely overpriced and very crowded, so my friends and I always went for the Chinese buffet next door.

"Wagamama" means selfish. So any Japanese person or Japanese speaker who sees a Wagamama restaurant has very good cause to laugh.

No wonder their prices are so expensive - it's all in the name.

私とジャネさんと先生と

私がどんなに水泳を習っても、
海にちっとも泳げないが、
海に潜れるジャネさんは私のように、
琴を上手に弾けない。

私が弓道を練習しても、
上手にはできないけど、
上手な先生は私のように、
左手で使えないよ。

ジャネさんと先生と、それから私のように、
皆違って、皆いい。

____________________
"Jane, My Teacher and I"

No matter how much I learn,
There is no way that I can swim in the sea.
But Jane, who can dive in the ocean,
Can't play the koto as well as me.

Even though I practice kyu-do (Japanese archery),
I am not good at it.
But my teacher, who is skilled at kyo-do,
Cannot use her left hand like me.

Jane, my teacher and I,
Are all different, but all good.

(Note: had to make this poem based on a famous one for an exercise in Japanese class last week. Sorry for the no translation at the first! The point of the poem is that everyone is good at different things, but that is actually alright. Obviously there is a deeper meaning since the original is quite famous in Japan, but sort of hard to hash out here.)

Random School Bits

Rits is quite different from Kyoto University in more ways than one. I thought I would hash them out here.

The Good Differences:
1) Teachers in the language program are more accesible - that means they are more friendly and more approachable than the ones at Kyodai. I was worried that I would be lost in a tide of grammar and mis-translation for my grad seminar presentation come July, but one of the teachers actually speaks amazing English (went to grad school in Madison, WI), and is a professor in one of the departments - he does the teaching Japanese for fun I think. So I will go to him and ask if we can go over my report/speech when the time comes. I do not think I would have been able to do that without much trepidation at Kyodai because the atmosphere is more welcoming here. You know your teachers are cool when they describe the most of the female Japanese student body as `Barbie Dolls` (and trust me, they are).

2) Japanese kids are friendlier here. Granted, I am the only foriegn student in the Hogakubu and they probably think that it is amazing that a foreign student is not only interested in the koto, but can play it a bit too. I still suck compared to the other people (Hogakubu also has shamisen and shakuhachi) but one kid asked if I wanted to perform a song together for the concert in July, one that is to my ability. At first I thought I wouldn`t be able to do it because I was thinking of joining Kyodai`s yacht club with Colleen but that is way too physically instensive for me. So, I still have my Sundays free and I will perform a song in the concert this July. That means I have to practice my ass off.

Speaking of Hogakubu, I went to practice this Tuesday - it is officially on Tuesdays and Thursdays but I can come whenever I want as well. Maybe next week, when I add the concert song to practice for, I will come on Thursday afternoons before my grad class because I have 6 hour break in between classes; I really don`t want to spend 6 hours in the library though it would be good time to get alot of work done. But I also need to practice.

3) Printing is FREE, easy and there are students doing `work study` as computer lab assistants just like in the States to help out if there is a problem. There are computer labs a plenty - simply put there are more facilities and resources for students, especially international stduents, whereas at Kyodai you had a small computer lab in the library that international students can only use, and the printer did not work most of the time.

The Bad/Annoying/Interesting Ones:
1)One cannot park your bike at will on campus. There are actual bike parking-traffic control people in the mornings and sometimes, the queue of bikes out of the East Gate can stretch out to the main road. Another reason why I won`t ride my bike to Rits: if I have to park my bike all across the other side of campus, I will be late most of the time. There is this phrase in Greek that expresses my feelings about this: `Varieme.` It kinda means `I don`t wanna...I`m lazy...It is too much to bother with.` So yeah, the issue of not only riding my bike all the way but the PARKING makes me recoil further on the notion that I will ride my bike to school.

2) It is a bit lonely here. Most of the foriegn students at Rits are undergrads in the SKP program, and the only other grad student that I know is Ulyana. But, my schedule is so busy that I am sort of ok with it - plus I know the kids from the Hogakubu so all is not lost. Since I am taking Kyodai Japanese classes this semester and I live so close to Kyodai I still see my old friends most of the time.

3) It is far. To think, I go abroad to London to get the `living close to campus` feel - I still walk a half hour or take the bus. I think I am just destined to commute to whatever school I attend to; although in grad school I am going to try my hardest to live as close to school as possible if I live off campus which would be very likely since Mel will come along (unless I get free housing as a gradaute RA and it`s is couples/family housing)

4) It is quite crowded. All the time. Even though KYodai is more vast, I don`t get that claustrophobic feeling. There is a new building going up at Rits, on the site of an old quad area - Ulyana bemoans this fact, saying it was really nice to hang out there this semester. And the roads/walkways aren`t as wide either - combine it with rather tall buildings, and I actually feel like I wam trekking the streets of Manhattan, but not quite - in a bad way. It kinda makes me uneasy.

5) Big campus. I am lucky I haven`t gotten lost at all. There are actual roadsigns.

Now, I am off to tinker with my schedule one more time, print it (for FREE!) and then it`s off to the library (seats may be comfier, but Kyodai`s library is prettier. Still, they got one of the most important things: WINDOWS. Lincoln Center`s library was underground and looked like a factory.)

The Hardest Things to Find are Right Under Your Nose

Japanese Lesson #14: "Rude Japanese Edition"
1) Baka - "stupid, idiot, fool"
2) Kuso - the bad way to say "poop"

Note: depending on context, emphasis and accent, these can mean much much worse things.

On Thursday, I had such a big break in between my two classes that I decided to go to the library. Japanese class finished at 10:30, and my grad seminar didn't start until 4:20. Talk about a long break. I finally got my ID earlier, and headed off to the library to check it out and figure out what to do since I did not bring a book with me to read. I ended up sleeping during most of my break, but I did find a book that I needed in Japanese for my research.

I was using my messenger bag along with my books as a pillow. One thing about Japanese students is that they really zonk out in the library, more than back home, I think. But my messenger bag has just one big pocket and two little pockets on the side, but I never use those, so all of my little stuff (iPod, cell, keys, pens, etc.) always slides about and falls out sometimes. So I just reorganized my crap and went to sleep. The library was cozy and warm, and the seats were mega comfy.

After, I went to class and figured that while my grad class would be hell in some ways, it would be an interesting challenge. After class, I walk down the hill to the bus stop, where I had a sinking feeling that I was missing something. Usually when I have those feelings, its almost true. I go into my back and check for the usual suspects: Nintendo DS, iPod, cell, wallet, chapstick (I don't like the Japanese stuff) - keys. Where are my keys?

WHERE THE HELL ARE MY KEYS?

I dump all my stuff on the ground at the bus stop and I search for my keys. Amongst the kimchi-smell-laden bag (it's gone now thank god, that's my Jack Spade messenger bag!) I see the bright orange interior, but no keys.

OH $%*#&!.

I turn around and practically run back up the hill. On my way, I call Ingram on my cell phone (man this is going to be one heckuva cell phone bill this month) and since he lives in the same 'hood as I do, I asked him if he could go to my building and see if my landlord was there. I then start retracing my steps.

Little shop of cute stuff on the way to school: no keys.
Building where I had grad seminar: no keys.
Building where I had Japanese class: no keys.
Building where I printed some articles: no keys.

Damn, Rits is a big campus.

I run into Ulyana at this point, who helpfully points out that there is an Information Center where I can leave a note - she did this when she lost her keys (but luckily found them on the sidewalk on the way home). Unfortunately, this wasn't the case anymore.

Go to co-op: no keys.
Go to area outside co-op where I sat: no keys.

I begin to panic at this point. I KNEW that they weren't in the Student Union, where I went to the Classical Music Club (Hogakubu) earlier, because I was 110% sure that I did not even open my bag; I did not have my koto picks or my music book so there was no reason for me to open my bag.

Library. I go to the front desk, who directed me to the media lab, and yes I was there earlier that day; otherwise, I would have forgotten. No keys. No keys at the Lost and Found of the library front desk either.

Ingram calls me back: says that my landlord wasn't there, but he got the cell number and I asked him for the number of the company that runs my building. So I call the cell first, but no answer. Good thing too - I almost forgot that in emergencies I call Space Sapiens (the company that runs my building), not my landlord. It's a funky sort of operation, but it works. I just give the rent to my landlord in person.

So, I say bye to Ulyana and call Space Sapiens. The person on the phone was the same guy who I met during the shower drain fiasco; told him my name, the apartment building name and my apartment number and said I lost my keys. I was told that I could get a new one that same night. For 10,500yen, or 105 dollars. We will meet at 8pm outside my apartment building.

Oh, bloody hell. DAMMIT. BAKA! KUSO!

So I was cursing at myself in English, Greek and Japanese for being stupid enough to not a) separate my bike keys (there are two for a reason) so now my bike was stuck at Kyoto Uni (I ride my bike to the northern end of the main campus and park it there, it's right next to the bus stop) and b) for not even thinking about making a spare copy of my apartment key.

I was also mad at myself because my keychains had some sentimental value: I have a "Mister Softee" keychain (because my dad owns a Mister Softee ice cream truck and thus he is our own "Mister Softee"), a keychain that was handmade in London from a friend, and a Fordham keychain in the shape of a mini pennant with the Ram logo and "Queens" on it (Deena got it for me when I was in London during a Commuter Students Association event where there were keychains for all the regions that the commuters come from).

And I was mad because I had to pay $105 for a damn key. Sad, frustrated, and angry, I blast off a bunch of text messages and head off to the bus again. By the time I got on the bus at 7pm, I realized that it would be pretty late for Skype-ing my parents as our usual custom since my mom leaves for work by 7am-ish, so I resorted to the back-up system: emailing her via cell so that way she knows what is up.

The MINUTE I press the "send" button, I had a lightbulb moment - literally, you know in the cartoons where the lightbulb turns on above the head to indicate an idea? I place my bag in front of me, opened the smaller of the two zippered pockets and put my hand inside.

I pull out my keys. All 5 of them (2 are suitcase lock keys) on all 3 keychains. I call up the guy from Space Sapiens and let him know that I found my keys, and confirmed that I didn't have to get the new key and pay the $105, since I caught him before he left for my building.

And then I started to curse in Greek, English and Japanese again, chiding myself for being so stupid. I had put my keys in that particular pocket because at the library, the smaller things were slipping out and my keys were almost irreplaceable.

Everytime someone in my family loses something, I am the one that usually finds it because I go by the mantra "the hardest things to find are under your nose." And I usually find the thing that is missing within 15 minutes, 20 max. Too bad I couldn't take my own medicine so quickly, since it took about an hour to find it.

Oh, For the Love of the Japanese Language!

Disclaimer: You might want to read the entry before this one in order to understand the craziness I am writing of below.

The afternoon was gorgeous, so I went to Heian Jingu (the topic of another post about cherry blossom madness). Afterwards, I had some green tea/vanilla swirl ice cream, and started to head back to my apartment.

My bike had other ideas, though. Before I realized it, I was passing by the intersection of Marutamachi-Higashioji and heading to the Kamo River, making a left and going down to Sanjo.

My destinations were Ogawa and Meidi-ya. I had spoken of Ogawa Coffee before: they make REALLY REALLY good coffee and their coffee beans are better than Starbucks. I got some of the strong blend coffee for my new (free!) French Press as I had run out of the blah stuff I got from Starbucks. I swear, I plan to come home with a kilo of that coffee - the Ogawa Strong Blend that is.

Meidi-ya is a foriegn import food store. Some of the stuff if priced ok and the other stuff (meat, bread, veggies) are atrociously priced. They have good whole wheat crackers, Canada Dry Ginger Ale and the Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies. However, those cookies are my downfall (when I had my craving for pizza, I proceeded to eat a half a bag of them orange flavored ones) I don't get those.

I parked my bike at Starbucks, and spoke to Mame-chan (he is a bird at the bean/cracker store next to Starbucks, speaks Japanese and English with a Japanese accent). My phone began to dance - it is VERY rude in Japan to have it on the ring in public places. Consequently, I always miss my calls and get to my messages way later. But I am getting better at noticing the vibrations.

It was Ristumeikan (:::cue the collective sighs, seriously I have so many issues in terms of them driving me up the amn wall because there is NO INFRASTRUCTURE to deal with students like me:::).

Get a load of THIS! I either did poorly enough deliberately, or I did well enough to not be in the two higher levels, but I am not in Lower Intermediate (probably Intermediate I at Kyodai which is what I did last semester, since both Kyodai and Rits have three levels of intermediate, then one of Advanced) - I am in regular Intermediate!

But blah, what about the Kyodai classes that I happily signed up for and was going to take the placement test next Friday?

Well, I did something rather stupid - I tried to tell the person (same one that called me about the placement test earlier this week) that well, I can also take classes at Kyodai, can I take the placement test and then decide? Bad move on me; I KNEW that in American standards I was pushing the envelope. In terms of Japanese standards, I pretty much did something very taboo.

In essence, I had to decide that-very-minute for either Rits or Kyodai. I was kinda flustered, so I said I will call her in 10 minuted. I then calld Colleen who said, "Well, you can always drop the Kyodai classes."So I called back the lady and said that I will take the Ritsumeikan classes. The wheels were rolling in my head at that point, further confirmed by my Rits schedule right in front of me:

If I place in Intermediate II in the Kyodai placement test...
and if there are no conflicts in terms of the classes to choose from at Kyodai, since I can choose as opposed to a set schedule at Rits...
since no one will REALLY know except for me and a few of my friends...
why not take Japanese at both schools for this semester?

I am nuts. This is how determined I am to get at much in before this coming fall at least because I am not sure if I can continue at Rits - maybe I can into Upper Intermediate since I will be at the school already and be registered before the other kids come in. And for sure I can't take classes at Kyodai this fall - only for one more semester. I took a look at the Rits and Kyodai schedules - it would only be an extra two or three classes in the afternoons of Monday, Friday and MAYBE Wednesday, since that is Listening and I didn't like my Listening class last semester. Rits language classes all end by 12:10, with Thursday ending at 10:30. Kyodai classes don't have that much homework anyways - that was one of my complaints, but for now that might be a blessing in disguise. Plus, language classes at Kyodai don't start till the 16th.

But this is contingent on me being in Intermediate II. If not, then I might consider re-doing some Intermediate I classes, depending on conflicts (I really liked my Intermediate I reading teacher, and that class doesn't conflict on Fridays).

And I still have time to a) go to the gym, b) participate in the Classical Music Club (that will be the ONLY one) and c) take those two classes with regular Japanese students.

Even better news: I had tickets for the Miyako Odori with Ingram this Monday and we have to be there at 2:30. I was worried that I would miss class the first day because the Rits classes would be in the afternoon, but everything works out.

This is going to be ONE hell of a semester.

Maybe I should go to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine - Kitano Tenmangu is the patron saint of students, and I am going to need all the help I can get.

It pays...

...to be the gaijin-pain-in-the-ass. Especially when you are the "new research student."

Ritsumeikan just called. I had a five-minute phone conversation in Japanese with a really nice lady (I understood about 70% of it) about me and Japanese language classes. After some questions on whether or not I want credit (I don't- figured it would make it easier for them on their part and for me if I can't go to one of the classes if there is a scheduling conflict) which classes do I want to take (just the grammar/reading/writing one, not that and listening/speaking together) and what my other class schedule would be like (one class on Tuesday at 2:20, and my sensei's grad seminar on Thursdays @ 4:20, but I told her that besides the graduate seminar, nothing is totally decided yet).

So, the really nice lady jabbered on and I was trying to pick up what she was saying, and then I asked her (in a "can I just confirm what you said to make sure I understand tone") about a placement test. Is it true? Some of the teachers (my own advisor included) were talking behind the scenes it seems about me and Japanese classes?

I HAVE A PLACEMENT TEST THIS FRIDAY!

Who woulda thought that I would be so happy to hear about a placement test.

Surrounded by Ostriches

I HATE the Japanese bureaucracy. ANY form of it. If it's an office in Japan I am biased against it. Period.

According to one of the International Student directors at Ritsumeikan, it is a "little difficult" for me to take Japanese classes.

WHO IS TO SAY THAT IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME to take Japanese classes, when I WANT to take them?

I saw red when he told me that. I kept my composure, and told him that I understand that it is difficult and it would be a challenge, but I don't mind a challenge. Furthermore, I would be taking only two regular classes that meet once a week and I DO NOT MIND that the Japanese classes meet 5 times a week - all the better, really!

I know why there is such a problem. I am asking for something that is outside of the box - the Japanese language classes are part of a particular program, and all I am asking is to just sit in, partake in the lessons and do the homework. BUT - because I am not officially in the program, I cannot cross-register. Colleen has the same problem over at Kyodai when it deals with something outside of her department. If it is outside the collective umbrella of a particular place, or disrupts the "wa" of the place that you are in already, it seems that Japanese people just push you off to the next person, or act like ostriches and stick their heads in the sand..."La, la, la, chotto matte, muzukashii kedo..."

I

DO

NOT

CARE

if it is "a little difficult." Bring it on! I need a challenge. I even told the director that other Monbusho students at Rits have told me that they took courses with the SKP program - that got his attention. I also told him that it is necessary for my research that I continue Japanese classes. So, I gave him the information on the classes that I took to the best of my memory - main one being the basic textbook that I used last semester, that I passed JLPT level 3 and I want to take JLPT level 2 this winter.

I literally had road rage (damn pedestrians!) while riding my bike back over to my neck of the woods.

So tonight/tomorrow I am going to write off an email to my sensei asking about ID and all, where do I go and that I would like to take his seminar (saw the syllabus, good chance and a challenge for me to try to do my research really in Japanese since I have to write a paper) and ask how do I register. Also in the email, I am going to let him know of my problem, and ask if he has any suggestions on what should I do.

I am just very afraid that my Japanese won't get any better than it is now, and then when I take my language tests at the start of my Ph.d prog I will do poorly (AND I have to take another language!), then I won't be able to pass my languge exams to get me to the ABD stage, then I will fail out of the program, waste 4-5 years of my life and then start from scratch again. And then what?

It is a serious, mega fear of mine - failing at what I am trying to accomplish right now. I am a serious mild Type-A with a dash of OCD sort of person (think Cristina from Grey's Anatomy but not bitchy and cold like her) when it comes to school and work - I have worked so hard with so little and pretty much been the scrappy one with the language so it's been a bit more difficult and now with the mild stress of applying to grad school which leads me to try and rethink my project, I just feel that it's all crap and for naught.

One ironic upside is that if I can't take Japanese classes, then I guess I have every motivation to work even harder in my regular classes (of which I will take 3 instead of 2) and get some Kanji workbooks/JLPT level 2 workbooks and those grammar dictionaries from the Japan Times because I know I need to focus on reading, grammar/vocab and kanji - the speaking and the listening can come by when I am in class and meet Japanese kids; my new friend from Rits, Ulyana says that she learned more in her regular classes than her actual Japanese classes (she even said the SKP classes weren't that great, but I need some structure).

Maybe the no Japanese classes would be a good thing since I can focus on what I really want to do in terms of the language, don't have to waste my time and have more time with the actual regular classes, and then get more practical application, which is what I also want and need more than a boring grammar lesson. I think I am just afraid to step out of that "Japanese language class" bubble.

Blogging helps me think. I see more pink now, not red.

京都で試みる新しい事

　　　２００６年１０月初めて日本へ来たので、少し心配だった。日本について読んだが、でも何も生活について知らなかった。確かに知っていた事は研究と日本語だけである。しかし、日本に行くのは勉強に加えて、また新しい事を試みるチャンスであった。
　　 研究興味に加えて、日本の邦楽にも興味がある。２００４年にロンドンに留学した時、琴の音楽を初めて聞いた。日本へ来る前に、琴の演奏のし方を学びたいと決定した。友達のおかげで、琴を教える人を見つけられた。平和的なので、琴の音楽が好き。なかなか眠れない時、iPodで琴の音楽を聞く。それから、音楽を聞くと、心の緊張がほぐれる。実際は、文部省のインタビューの前に、琴の音楽を聞いて、安心した。
　　　レッスンは楽しいけど、右手より左手の方をよく使うので時々難しい。右手だけで琴を演奏することができる。練習すればするほど、右手を使うことができる。私は挑戦が好きで、琴を演奏するのは、まさしく挑戦である。４月に立命館大学に入学すると、邦楽部に入るつもりであった。
　　　食べ物は費用にかかわらず国の文化の１つの重要な部分である。だから、機会があれば、私は新しい食べ物を食べる。日本に住んでいる最初の５か月、多くの新しい食べ物を食べたが、一番覚えているのは「納豆」と「河豚」と言う食べ物である。
三条で「かいてん寿司」というレストランで納豆を食べた。それはおにぎりにあった。いつもカメラを持って来るので、納豆おにぎりを食べる前に、写真を取った。アメリカに住んでいる友達と家族に毎週Eメールで写真を出すから、その面白い食べ物を見せたかった。つまり、多くの写真を取る。
　最初は、味が別に悪くないと思った。でも、驚いたことに、食べながら、味がとても悪くなった！しかし、おにぎりは全部食べた。おかしな顔をしたので、ともだちがみんなわっと笑い出した。やっぱり嫌いなので、決して納豆のような食べ物をもう食べないわけです。
　　　納豆に比べて、河豚を食べる経験が楽しかった。１１月に大阪で「まゆこ」という同じ大学を卒業したの友達に会った。まゆこちゃんは大阪で生まれたから大阪で多くの有名なレストランを知っている。JR大阪駅で会った時、私に「晩ご飯に何を食べたい？河豚を聞いたことがあるの？」と言った。河豚について読んだことがあるが、まだ食べたことがない。ちょっと心配でも、まゆこちゃんに「うん、面白そう！」と言った。
　　　５時間ぐらい大阪の回りを歩いた後、まゆこちゃんのマンションに着いた。とても疲れた！そこで、まゆこちゃんのお母さんに会って、少し休んだ。６時ぐらいに、河豚のレストランに一緒に行った。レストランは簡単な飾りつけであった。でも、すごかった。そのレストランは本当に日本的なレストランである。まゆこちゃんの家族は２５年ぐらいそのレストランに行っていった。2階の個室でゆかに座った。ゆかに座ることは楽しいことは楽しいですが、難しい。ことレッスンもゆかにすわるのに、いつも困っている。まだゆかに座ることに慣れない。しかし、必ずしもゆかに座らないというわけではない。
　　　もちろん、多くの河豚写真を取った。河豚がおいしいそうであった。そして、河豚のさしみやなべがあった。河豚を食べるのは初めてなので、何から食べるか知らなかった。まゆこちゃんは私を手伝ってくれた。最初は、ちょっとこわかった。彼女は食べ方を説明して、お母さんも色々な河豚の形を説明した。説明の後、あまりこわくなくなって、河豚を全部食べた。そして、特別な酒を飲んでみた。確か酒と河豚を一緒に作ったと思う。河豚を食べる経験が楽しくて、よかった。その経験を忘れたくない。
　　　日本の休日と祭りは、私にまた新しい事を試みる機会を与えた。例えば、節分に、平安神宮でまめもつかんだし、吉田神社で手相を見てもらった。初めての手相を見てもらった。手のひらはコンピュータに読まれて、プリントに「少し運動をしなければならない」と書いてある。それから、占い師によって、９３歳まで生きて、母方の祖母に守られる。びっくりした！
　　　もちろん、もっとたくさん話すことがある。これまでの経験を思い出させる多くの写真がある。例えば、カラオケや、一人で和食を作るの事である。その経験がニューヨークで出きないので、特別になった。新しい事を試みることは楽しみである。

DIE, KANJI, DIE.

I just took my kanji final and my grammar final.

Kanji - failed. For sure. I took one look at that thing, and in spite of the fact that I studied maybe over 200 words, the ones that I studied were not on the test.

Not that it matters; the down low for the Monbusho kids is that so long as you try and go to the classes and make some effort, its not like they are going to kick you out of the program. And that will be the only final that I fail regardless. I took Intermediate Kanji as opposed to Basic Kanji III because I wanted a challenge and I did not want to repeat stuff I learned. So while I did learn ALOT of new Kanji and vocabulary, etc. etc. the stuff I did cover was unfortunately not on the test. Maybe I will pass the class by the skin of my teeth - I always do well on the quizzes and I come to every class.And besides! EVERYONE and their mothers use the denshi jishos anyways. You see all the Japanese kids with one (You can tell I am in a bad mood over my kanji final - I busted my ass for THREE weeks preparing for that test and it was all for naught at least in terms of passing the test).

I on the other hand, have my pink Nintendo with the pink pig cell phone charm, which my teachers are just amazed by - my kanji teacher asked that since I got my DS in NYC can I play Japanese games? Of course - I got the jisho game here.

DS`s are very rare in Japan and if you do find one, its twice the price than the US.

Moving along...Grammar - pass. That was pretty easy. Maybe over an 80 - I will be happy with that, but I still get the ~sou desu stuff mixed up sometimes.

Remaining tests*

Listening: Final/Wed
Integrated: Quiz on Ch. 9 & 12/Wed; Final/Thurs
Reading: Quiz & HW/Fri
Coversation: Final/Mon

Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffttttttttttttttt...

No Speak English

Japanese lesson #9:

1) Unn...Chotto...: VERY useful phrase to indicate "Umm..." - used in awkward situations, when you are put on the spot or when you just don't want to answer the question. No effective version in English, unfortunately.

Today after class, I went to the post office to get some money. For those that aren't in the know, the post office also serves as a bank. It's called the "postal savings." Every person in Japan (at least every adult) has one. You can pay your bills, make wire transfers, etc. etc. What's great especially for foreigners is that in a pinch, you can use your international ATM card. They won't work anywhere else. And there is a pretty useful guide in English. I am comfortable enough with my Japanese to use the ATM in Japanese; I just dont want to screw up. Every Monbusho scholarship student has to have one - it's how we get our stipends.

Went to my local post office, which is less than a minute bike ride away. I could in theory walk to the post office, but whenever I do go there (as well as Family Mart, the local combini) I always use my bike. Why? I get there faster. Plus, it's not like I have to lug a bike up and down a hill anymore. Each officially designated neighborhood in Kyoto has its own post office. Within my neighborhood of Yoshida, there are three to five smaller cho, or groups of blocks. My neighborhood also has a local shrine, aplty called Yoshida Jinja. I plan to go to it (finally!) tomorrow. I kind of feel stupid not going to the local shrine, especially when it is a one minute bike ride away.

So I did my personal housekeeping (as they call it) schtick at the post office, and went back outside to go home.

Head down, key in bike, unlock bike.

Head up, and all-smiley Japanese lady practically right in my face.

Japanese lady: "Hello. Do you speak English?"

Me (thinking that she was going to solicit me for English lessons, which is something that I don't want to do here): "Unn..chotto...hanasemasu." (Umm...I can a bit)

Japanese lady: "Oh, no speak english? I am from a Christian group...yada yada yada..."

I decided to blank out at this point. For one thing, it would contribute to the "Umm, I don't speak English so well," so it would shorten the conversation and make me look a little clueless, and second, I didn't like the fact that this lady stopped in the middle of her bike ride just because my face isn't Japanese to talk to me about some evangelical Christian group she belongs to. Furthermore, even though I did perfectly fit into the stereotype of "Caucasian = Non-Japanese = English speaker = Christian," what if I wasn't really an English speaker or a Christian of one stripe or another?

This is why typecasting and stereotyping is a) somewhat rampant here and b) utterly ridiculous and inherently flawed. My friend Alisa is trying to get internet in her building and in spite of the fact that her Japanese is very decent for her to get the account, she told me of how the internet representatives (when they were at her building for an information session) actually panicked, and had to shove one of the guys in the front to talk to her. She is constantly being pushed from one person to the next over the phone, even though she is speaking to them in Japanese. She says something in Japanese which is totally coherent (for her Japanese is better than mine and she is more comfortable using it than me, I am still a bit shy) and they tell her, "Sorry, no speak english." Same thing went down at the bank - the ladies at the information desk actually said, "YOU go speak to the gaijin."

Being Caucasian an American automatically does not make. In theory, I can say I am Canadian and actually would be telling the truth. I can thank my mom for that.

This is also why I kept replying in Japanese to religion pushing Japanese lady. When she finally finished talking and handed me a Jehovah's Witness magazine, she finally asked me where I was from. For a minute I kind of blanked out (because I was finally coming back down to earth), and then she repeated her question:

Japanese lady: "Dochira kara kimashita ka?" ("Where are you from?")

Me: "Girisha" ("Greece." Serves her right for her thinking automatically that I am an English speaker.)

Japanese Lady (In English): "Ah! Greek! ...Welcome to Kyoto!"

It's not that I am against the religion. Practice what you wish. What I don't agree with are solicitation tactics.

And don't bloody stereotype me.

Treloi anthropoi.