Homework for the Overactive Brain

Today's Quote--"Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me..."

Sunday, November 30, 2003

 

Wow, the time does fly...December already? I'll be going home very soon, now, but I'm really going to miss Sapporo! I'm sure many of you have seen this quote before, but I just like it, and I'm feeling in a laughing mood right now anyway. And you have to admit, a fish riding a bicycle is a pretty funny image! Ahhh, what to talk about today? Hmm, mochiron we have A's questions to answer...sugi wa? Tabunnnnnnnnnn, Shy Mountains. Ahh, yes, and I lied about the baseball players being done for the year. It's cold, the season's over, and they are still out there practicing every weekend...loud as ever. Oy. Anyway, onwards and upwards...To the Questions Batman!

"What's expected of you at home?"--Ah, well, like all forms of reality, it's different for every family. For me...my host mother has two sons, and all of her previous host students were boys, so I guess I kind of get treated like a son, I suppose...which translates into, I don't have a lot of responsibilities around the house...and my host mom is really cool...;) Generally, I clear off the table, rinse dishes in the morning, do about half of my own laundry, clean my room, and take out the garbage. If I'm really busy, doing whatever, my host mom will often do some of my laundry for me. But that's only because I'm being spoiled! I have heard tales of helping clean the whole house (I did that too, once, for all of five minutes...then she took the broom away from me...:( ), cleaning the bathroom, doing all of the laundry, etc., etc. So generally, any chores that you would normally do around your own house, you will probably do at least a little bit here too. Except dishes. Sometimes, it happens, but in general, from what I've seen and heard, Japanese women develop their own little system of doing dishes and if you try and help out you're liable to be in the way and screw it up, so they don't usually let anyone else do them. But try anyway. ;) Mostly, me, I'm lazy, and it always takes me forever to do things...like peeling apples or the like, so my host mom asked me to do something once...it took too long, and I've never had to do it again...oy. I try! But, when you first get home, and in the first few weeks, you'll kind of settle in and figure out what you should be doing...and since you, J, and S are all girls, there will be chores...if you were guys, it might not happen. Did I ever mention there are no discrimination laws in Japan? Hmmm...maybe I didn't....;)

"How much money should we bring?"--Well, you get food and travel stipend, so you don't need to figure that in, so essentially, only if you want to go out, buy gifts, buy stuff for you, mail anything, or anything else, will you need to bring money with you. ;) I am a penny-pincher...we get 600 yen per school day to eat, I usually try to eat for under 300, that way I have about half of food money to use elsewhere...same with travel stipend...they give you enough for an all rail-pass, but you don't really need it. If you live far away from school, you can get a student pass that takes you anywhere in between...and if not, you can get a with you card that works just as well. J asked me the same question earlier, so I guess you've been bugging him about it too...my answer was at least $100 a month to live comfortable...plus penny-pinching. No phone calls home...$50. That's cutting it to the bone, though. Really, plan on about $150 a month, so that when you get a surprise expense (like a large box to send home), you can cover it. And we all should remember that just because you have money doesn't mean you have to spend it...if only I could...oy. And bring more for the trip. You go lots of cool places and will want omiyage from them!

"How was it when you first got there?"--Hard, scary, nerve wracking, and fun. Now, it's just fun. ;) When you finally get off the plane in Sapporo and meet up with all the other BCA people, it's a huge relief...at least I thought so, since all of the getting ready stuff was so painful...especially not having any answers to my questions. I know there are more questions you all have that have no answers right now, either...like when does school start! Oy! My only advice is...keep an open mind at all times. There are going to be hard questions, strange looks, and lots of stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable...people are going to be odd too, but always keep an open mind and try everything at least once...if you don't like it, you don't have to do it again. Be nice to yourselves...and try to make friends with the other students...E is excited to meet you three, but a little nervous too. Yes, everyone will have preformed clicks...but branch out a little...just a little, and we can all come back in August and jabber about our mutual contacts...like Seiko Scummyriver, ;). So really, I can only give you a little taste...you're just going to have to wait and find out everything for sure when you get here and live. By the time we meet again, you'll have just as many answers as me...which is like saying at some point one of us will be able to answer almost all of the questions our dear 2nd class friends are going to throw at us...Oy! Wait a minute! I'm going to have to do that all by myself! You three will be here! ARGH! Okay, so together we can help the 3rd class...who I have yet to meet! AH, scary!!!!

Okay, end of your list of questions, A. Anyone else? I can take 'em...;) Am I having a good time? Okay, no silly questions, right? ;) YES, of course. LOL
On to some interesting Japanese culture points....hmmmm.....
Shy Mountains. Only in Japan can you say, gee, Mr. Mountain is shy today, and not have people look at you funny. No, really...I had that conversation with my host mother..."Nee, Nantaka-yama-sama, kyou wa hazukashii desune!" "Sou nee! Atama ga mienai nanode." For all you non-Japanese speakers out there..."Gee, Mr. Nantaka (so-and-so) Mountain is shy today!" "Yeah! We can't see the summit." Well, there's a because in there, but it doesn't really fit in with the English. Do you remember my brief explination about Shintoism? Well, when every mountain, forest, lake, etc. has a god/is a god, you can talk about a mountain being shy. A shy mountain being one who's top is hidden in fog/clouds. You say Mr. Nataka Mountain is shy, you're refereing to both the actual mountain and the spirit/god of the mountain, at the same time...because they are the same thing...kind of hard to describe other than that. So, you can have shy mountains, mean rivers, and any number of personifications. Ahhh, it's fun.

Japanese phrase I'm going to miss..."nee, nee!"...Its something like "Hey! Guess what! Pay attention to me!" No one will get that at home. Well, okay, now they will...;)

Okay, I think I'm done for today...Happy December...Happy Birthday Pappa...And off I go!

GL 9:30 PM