For those of you waiting with baited breath about Joseph's speed dating experience, here it is...it was a bust. There were only two guys (including Joe) and 4 girls. Of the girls - not to be mean at all, just reporting Joe's observations, and he didn't want to be mean, either. But let's just say none of them were really his type. There was chubby girl, cross-eyed girl, and frigid girl. Now, he got along with an "older woman" - (he's 24 and she's 31), and they've got plans to do yoga next week :-) I'm glad he went instead of me - it would have been 5 girls and 1 guy - and I would have probably cried.
School was a mixed bag of emotions today. We had our opening ceremony - VERY rigid - complete with 15 mins of rehearsal on standing at attention, bowing on command, and sitting (feet at 45 deg angle, hands resting on each thigh) on command- we probably practiced this about 15 times before the ceremony, and then did it 5 times during the ceremony. I had to say that I did get goose bumps when the entire hall began singing the Japanese Anthem.
It translates to this: May the reign of the Emperor continue for a thousand, nay, eight thousand generations and for the eternity that it takes for small pebbles to grow into a great rock and become covered with moss.
I was getting a bit depressed at how much I wasn't understanding today - got about 50% of everything - the serious stuff, the jokes, etc. And to top it off, I kind of bumbled about during my "jikoshokai" - self-introduction. I was the last student of 47 to give my 1 min schpeel on me. I tried to crack a few jokes, but they went over like farts in church. I'm not any good at jokes in English, not sure why I thought I would be any better in a foreign language. Plus, the Japanese just aren't very funny in those situations. Good news is that later at our "welcoming" party, I met the head of the school and he said, "I like how you tried to make a joke". Ok, now that made me laugh.
Tennis lessons and a festival are in store for today. Tune in tomorrow for pictures of water being thrown at passers by to get rid of evil spirits. At least I think that's what's happening.
Ja Mata!
About Me
- aynrandfan
- I think in one of my previous lives, I must have been a queen, because I like it when people do what I say.
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5 comments:
That poor cross-eyed girl! There's no need for her to have suffered--and continue to suffer--from a defect that can be cured in early childhood.
I've often wondered what is wrong with Japanese parents who don't do anything about easily-treatable conditions like this. Perhaps we can chalk it up to ignorance--but what about the doctors? Surely pediatricians, and other doctors children come into contact with as they grow, notice and suggest treatment--wouldn't they?
I think it's part of that accursed shikata ga nai/"it can't be helped" fatalistic mentality. There are times when that's the right approach. However, I think the Japanese over-apply it, and this is one of those times. Needless suffering of animals or humans? Shikata ga nai! The average citizen screwed over? Shikata ga nai! Child porn for sale in the local used bookstore? Shikata ga nai!
I'm glad it's not my society.
Just FYI for everyone out there - I found that pic off of the internet in a search for "cross-eyed girl". I'm pretty sure the girl in the pic is just posing. The real girl was no where near that cross-eyed, but Joe DID keep looking over his shoulder because he thought that she was looking at someone behind him ;-)
I think you should write a book. You are such a clever writer and I love reading about your adventures. Love you and miss you, Cath
Cath! Is this who I think it is? If so, we must get back in touch! Too much time gone by - love you tons! weinbergam@gmail.com
Well, even if the pic you posted wasn't that of cross-eyed girl, I still stand by my comment.
When I was in Japan, I was introduced to a friend of a friend. She was cross-eyed, and the guy who introduced us vented his spleen about how a wonderful girl like her had to put up with so much BS because her parents had failed to treat her.
I find it interesting that, in spite of the advanced health care available in Japan, so few people seem to actually avail themselves of it. Which makes you wonder: why, if Japanese health care is so, shall we say, spotty, do they have the longest lifespans in the world? Edward Seidensticker said that a friend of his in the Japanese government told him that they make the figures up.
I can see that.
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