Plotting emotions and the Suspicious Shiranai Hito
Date: Dec 21st, 2007 1:54:26 am - Subscribe
Mood: amused
Wow. I haven’t updated in awhile, but I have a good excuse (excuse pending).
So much has happened in the last week that I think I’m going to have to write two emails. Where to start.
First off, Ill make a personal declaration like I did at the beginning of my last update. Before we left for Japan and upon arrival all the veterans and advisors continually told us that our morale would fluctuate along fairly straightforward progression during our stay. We were informed that in the beginning we would experience a steep upward curve of excitement and wonder with our new situation, which would take us through the first 2 to 3 months. Following this is a slight plateau with moderate growth toward its end reaching the maximum of the curve simultaneously with the half way point of our stay. Then we experience a sharp decline as homesickness and irritation with conflicting cultural practices overwhelms us. The decline levels out somewhere between extremes towards the end of our stay, leaving us happy but troubled by culture shock occasionally.
This is complete bullshit. I experienced the entirety of this graphically plotted course during the first DAY of my stay here. Confirmation from the other overseas students continues to solidify my conclusion that becoming an overseas student is a like developing a severe bipolar/schizophrenic disorder. Some days Im high as a kite over the fact that Im actually IN Japan, and then I hit a roadblock of Japanese idiosyncrasy that plunges me into confused irritation for the rest of the day. They should make special Prozac for the overseas program.
Personal declaration finished!
Level Complete!
You scored a 75!
Save now?
Yes No
Crap. I have to go help my okasan with dinner. Somehow, even though Im paying them for my breakfasts and dinners I’m still expected to help make them. However, this doesn’t really upset me since I really want to learn how to make these dishes so I can smooth the transition once I return to the states (basically eat exactly the same as I do here).
F.P.S. (Faux Post Script) Osenbe, a Japanese snack that is actually pretty easy to find in the states, is one of the best confections that I have become orally fixated on during my stay. You should ALL try it, look it up if you have to, but for gods sake don’t deprive yourselves. Ja’, I’ll return during my “post consumption” period.
Aaa. Food so good! Okay, so the other day I walked the hour or so path to Asagawa and explored the little outdoorish mall they have there, a weekly thing I usually do. However this particular excursion was doomed to failure. I had wanted to visit the Book Off (Japan’s version of Powells) there, but being chronically early as usual I had to walk around the city for about an hour waiting for it to open. After about half an hour of aimless wandering, a middle aged guy on a bike rides up to me, stops his bike, dismounts, and staring at me intensely, points to my feet and says, “ASHI” (leg or feet depending on context). I stare at him while he kneels on the ground by my feet loudly stating “ASHI” over and over. Sometimes it was a question. Then, when he was actually holding my feet (alternating between them while I balanced on one leg) he started mixing in “NUZU. ASHI. NUZU. NUZU!” I looked “nuzu” up in my dictionary later, but the closest thing I could find to it was “nusu” which means “theft” or “to steal”. Apparently I had unwittingly stolen feet. My feet. Or I was going to in the near future seeing as how Japanese doesn’t have a future tense it could be either one, depending on emphasis.
My reactions were textbook confounded foreigner. I agreed they were my feet. I asked if everything was okay. I asked if HE was okay. Then I politely as possible extricated my feet from his grasp and excused myself from his presence. All in Japanese, yay me. He biked off with a worried glance in my direction, and I walked off with a worried glance at the people staring at our little display. He probably does that to all the blond haired, blue eyed foreigners. I should have made a grab for his feet.
Oh yeah, the Book Off didn’t even have the cheap mangas that the other Book Off near campus does. So yeah, total failure. Hehe, spell check keeps telling me that “mangas” should be “mangos”.
So on my way to finish this email and use the internet on campus today, was abruptly reminded of the 125th Waseda Anniversary that is going this weekend. It was abrupt because I found myself crammed in with about 22,000 other people on campus.
Query: Why do I suck at school/team spirit? I really tried this time I swear! I WANT to care about my school. When I talk to other Waseda students who are into wearing the colors, cheering the team on, etc. all I can do is present the minimally acceptable school spirit so they wont get angry. Its been like this for as long as I can remember so I don’t know why I would suddenly start painting my chest while throwing batteries at our rivals. I blame it on my existential psychological tendencies.
While I was making my ever so slow way through Waseda’s clogged arteries, I was descended upon by this random chubby 20 or something. He engaged me in conversation taking my “I understand Japanese” to mean that I was fluent. I understood a lot of what he was saying, but I had no time to respond. The stupid crowd kept us awkwardly pressed up against each other as I desperately tried to make my way to the library without giving this guy my phone number. I ended up giving him my Waseda email (which I never check) before he left me alone. Why cant blond hair attract 6 ft. beautiful Japanese males instead of rotund young adults who chatter my ears off or the accusatory mentally challenged? I need a drink.
This email was supposed to be about my trip to karaoke and NHK studios, but I think it’s long enough already. Ill save it for next time.
Peace out!
-Spork
Comments: (0)
