We have been in Japan for over a week now and with the excitement surrounding the presidential election (YES! Obama!), the looming papers, exams, and our hour-two hour commutes to school have many of us beat. Despite my exhaustion, I am smitten with Kyoto and spend my days indulging my sweet tooth at the many boulangeries and walking the downtown streets between temple visits. Kyoto and Nara, two ancient Japanese capitals, have history seeping out of the cracks in their narrow sidewalks. It is enchanting to wander down little side streets where the teahouses look out over the mossy, channeled streams--mind you don't make yourself an obstacle on the cyclists paths!
I have also been enjoying my stay with my host family. I've learned to make some traditional Japanese dishes under the kind tutelage of my host mother, and have gone shopping with my trendy older host sisters a number of times now. Our greatest challenge is basic communication. It is a simple problem: they know a few words in English and I am capable of expressing only basic greetings ("good morning," "good evening," etc.). Most of the time I am silent. I spend most of my time awkwardly trying to pantomime my way through dinner or drawing pictures to express myself. It is like being placed at the kids table and overhearing a few words of adult conversation. I have learned to read body language extremely well and this sometimes makes things more confusing as it appears that I understand more than I do. There are moments of loneliness and occasions that feel "successful," like when I am able to put together small sentences. No matter how tired she is, my host mother always makes an effort to include me in conversations, or at least clue me in to what is being discussed. I am so grateful for her effort and it's my hope to communicate at least that much in the next week and a half before we pick up and leave again.
I will have more time to write again after these papers are finished but those are my present thoughts on Japan. Celebrate for me in the States, please.
1 comment:
Hi Annaboo! Thanks for the update. We are dancing in the streets and pumping the air around here (many of us anyway). What does your family think of our election-do you know? You will be missing the annual Lutefisk dinner at Pine Church in Star Prairie this year again-think of us downing that glorious gelatinous plateful of mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Love, Mom
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