Oops

I accidentally slept all day. I'm serious. I woke up at 5pm. Oops.
And now I don't know what to do with myself. Restless, antsy, hyper...

Luckily, dance class again tomorrow night. I haven't practiced all week *sheepish* and it will show. But I still haven't figured out *how* or, more importantly, *where* to practice. I think it's safe to say that my neighbors will not like me pounding on the floors. Hmm... I should have at least practice my aramandi and stuff, if only to build up my muscles again... and not be quite as sore Saturday. ^_~

But for now, maybe I'll just try to do more programming... *sigh*

Tick tock tick tock

My high school friend Roy is currently living and working in Chile. This entry isn't really about him. Rather it's about his little sister who, as I just read on his blog, recently had her second child. Yes, his *little*, i.e. younger than me, sister had her second, i.e. the first one came a couple years ago, child.

This does not help me in my struggle to ignore the ticking of my biological clock. Of course I have no intention of having a family anytime soon, I'm far from ready for it and I plan on a lot more school, but my internal egg timer ignores these practical issues. Gah! *pulls hair*

at the moVies

Sunday afternoon I met up with Ripley-san, a girl from my Japanese classe, and some of her friends (whom I'd seen and talked to on occasion at school but never hung out with) to see V for Vendetta at a movie theater near Fuchu Eki. Yes, I did something social. And yes, I had fun. ^_~

Ripley-san is one of those women who knows who she is and what she wants and doesn't take crap from anybody. She's a kenkyusei like me, graduated from Ursinus a year or two ago, and is studying East Asian religion. A little eccentric, but not at all in a bad way. I have to admit I was resigned to never liking Americans ever again until she joined Intensive 3 last term, because I could immediately tell she was intelligent and proud of it. Her friends K/Christina and Hanna/h were fun too. They are all into comic books (Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, etc), though only Hannah had read V for Vendetta before. And they were all chatty and cheerful enough that I didn't have to put in too much effort... although, as we were talking about "V for Vendetta" and similar things, it wasn't really "work" anyway.

We also talked a lot about just being in Japan: The impractical way that women always wear skirts and heels, even with injuries, and how school girls hike up their skirts even in winter (no wonder there's a groping problem, and what exactly does "dress code" mean here anyway? just that you have to have the required articles of clothing *on*?). The bizarre illustrations of African people that conjure up, for us, images of blackface; sweatshirts that sport the n-word (how can they willfully remain so ignorant of the long and painful history of such artifacts?). The skepticism foreigners are met with when trying to rent an apartment or the twisted-fascination ("I dare you to touch the gaijin" "I can do it" "okay, so do it" "I can" "so do it" "I will" a pat on the shoulder as they pass by us, and then "see? I told you I could do it!") when we're walking down the street. The way that people gave Ripley-san and her father weird looks when he visited or that someone referred to Hannah as her father's wife (because people here, fathers especially, don't spend time with their children). The sexual repression that finds an outlet in the eroticization of youth and the gross and absurd waste of money, neither of which are seen as a problem (or if so, only superficially).

It was so refreshing to be able to talk about these things with someone. So often I've suspected the other students just walk around in a little bubble, only seeing the Japan they *want* to see... maybe most of them do, but at least there are a few who are more aware than that.

Oh, and the movie was good I thought. I love Alan Moore, you know, to whom I was introduced by Darren (he also gave me V for Vendetta). I mean it wasn't *great* and there was a lot that changed between the book and the screen, but... it was powerful in its way. Still, I wish they hadn't "censored" it like they did. They toned it down a little, humanized it, made the bad guys more bad, the good guys more good. Maybe that makes it more understandable, more palatable for the average movie-goer but... if you're going to take *THIS* story to the screen... part of the POINT is that it be shocking, appalling. It's supposed to jolt you out of complacency, make you think, make you change. And the movie lost a lot of that. Ah well. I still think I want to own it. And I want to reread it too, but I lent my copy to Trey.

Lazy

Since I've already had this discussion a couple times, I'm just going to post one of those discussions here.

d: how are your parents?

me: *laughs*
me: they're good i think
me: my dad has a cold
me: they're still talking/excited about bihu festivities last weekend
me: it's cute
me: my mom won 2nd place in a pitha competition

d: aww
d: whats pitha?

me: they're like these crescent-moon shaped pastries stuff with coconut
me: i think

d: oh! interesting. i dont think ive come across those
d: er
d: so is the contest
d: to eat as many as you can?

me: hahahaha

d: or to cook as many as you can?
d: *laughs*

me: no it was who made the best ones ^_~

d: ahhh ok

me: when my dad told me last weekend
me: he was really proud
me: but then my mom told me today that only two ppl made them ^_~

d: awww
d: *laughs*
d: thats really cute

me: yeah
me: she joked that
me: if she told her mom, she'd never believe it
me: because my mom was always a terrible cook growing up
me: she didn't really learn to cook until she married and my dad started teaching her

d: really? your dad taught her??
d: my mum tried to teach my dad some dishes.. but he kept adding around 3-4 times the chilli powder in everything
d: so now she just leaves him to manage on his own when she travels

me: well i think he started her, and then she probably started learning more since then whenever she went back to her mom's place

d: yeah ok
d: heh
d: well
d: probably going to be the same with me, unless i have an apartment w/ a kitchen in grad school
d: i suppose 2D helped you that way

me: yeah definitely
me: it was part of why i joined
me: i felt i needed to start cooking and it was a good opportunity complete with a support network ^_~

d: so how was your second dance class?

me: it was great ^_^
me: oh so
me: the fee is 10000JPY for 4 lessons a month, right? i told you that already, it hink

d: mhmm

me: so i paid her the first one (plus the entrance fee, 5000JPY)

d: ~$100
d: ok

me: yeah
me: and she told me that
me: because i was here for such a short time and she was happy to have me
me: i could go to classes as often as i wanted, but just pay the $100 fee
me: but not to tell anyone else ^_~

d: oh wow!
d: thats really sweet of her

me: yeah. i mean she only teaches maybe 8 times a month, but it's really great of her
me: especially since i don't have anyplace to practice
me: but so i've pretty much started back at the beginning

d: right. so wait - does that free you of the 5000JPY initial fee, or just not limit the number of classes you take

me: she's working on my allaripu ^_~

d: for 1000JPY/month

d: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

me: just not limits the number of classes
me: i paid her 15000JPY yesterday

d: *swallows*
d: ah ok

me: yeah man it's amazing how fast my technique has gone!
me: i mean i was never a *great* bharatnatyam dancer

d: how far did you get with bharatanatyam when you studied earlier?
d: i find that hard to believe

me: but my aramandi starts hurting pretty quickly!

d: yeah i know... that initial burn is killer........ but very satisfying

me: yeah ^_^

d: even more so is when you realize that youve done a whole like... varnam or something without hurting once

me: but like my attack and my center of gravity... all that kind of stuff
me: is really sloppy

d: mhmmm

me: yeah! *laughs*

d: im pretty sure im going to get yelled at when i go back to india
d: *sheepish*

me: hehe

d: ill have to practice in preparation

me: yukiyo-sensei doesn't yell

d: so you started an allarippu?

me: but she laughed at me plenty ^_^
me: well it's pretty similar to the one i know. but we were going through the beginning bit by bit yesterday
me: correcting little things, like how i count it, and overturning my wrist or torso
me: but after i get better at this, she'll probably teach me a jathiswaram

d: i guess youd still be far ahead of most of the other kids?
d: ooh
d: i used to hate them... but theyve grown to be one of my favourites

me: oh it's strange like
me: mostly the students just show up whenever and stay as long as they want
me: so the two girls i was dancing with yesterday
me: are quite advanced of course

d: like... arangetram-ish?

me: basically i'm not a beginner in that i "know" the adavus, though some of them are sloppy
me: i actually don't know if anyone's done an arangetram...

d: yeah ok.. it takes a lot to do that outside of the US i think, where the support system exists to a far greater extent
d: did you learn mudras too?

me: yeah, seriously

d: like have to repeat the sanskrit names and all that?

me: hahaha that's what we did yesterday
me: when i got there (i didn't have clothes to change into right away, and i was the first one there)
me: so she asked if knew theory
me: and i was like "well, i learned it when i was very little. and then i quit for a while, but when i went back it was assumed i knew it, so i never relearned it well"

d: right

me: so we sat down and did asanyuta hastas and sanyuta hastas
me: (spelling?)

d: *laughs*

me: which was a first for me. i'd never learned them like that

d: asamyukta
d: yeah
d: i was just going through them in my head

me: hehe

d: i remember all the asamyukta ones - the words, but not the mudras!
d: *sheepish*

me: hehe
me: well you're stil way ahead of me

d: thats cool though

me: and with their namaskaram
me: they recite slokas
me: i never did that either
me: and i feel really self-conscious cos i have no idea what's going on and everyone else does ^_~

d: lol
d: yeah i know what you mean

me: so next time i'll have to ask her to write those down too

d: was it like a prayer?

me: yeah
me: at least the first one was
me: i'm pretty sure

d: kalakshetra people usually do that.... i dont know how well it filters down

me: ah~ hmm
me: i see
me: so next year
me: who will you be studying with?
me: you'll be at kalakshetra, right?

d: no
d: ill be with the dhananjayans

me: oh!

d: i mean theyre kalakshetra-ish
d: lol

me: i couldn't remember
me: i knew it was one of those
me: wait so who in kalaa was kalakshetra?

d: well i *am* kalakshetra... the dhananjayans have evolved some distinct pedagogical and stylistic differences
d: but there are still only really 3 schools of dance
d: nitya is also kalakshetra

me: okay that's what i thought

d: direct kalakshetra through i think.. her teachers teacher was taught in kalakshetra
d: something like that

me: so why are you going to dhananjayans?

d: because theyre my teacher's teacher

me: okay i see

d: dhananjayan was my "guest of honour" at my arangetram
d: and plus
d: theyre really nice
d: *really*

me: man that's crazy

d: they treat you like a member of the family...

me: yeah i saw them once in houston
me: they seemed really friendly/fun

d: mhmm
d: dhananjayan teased my teacher after my arangetram for getting a song mixed up ... he was like... you can send *her* to me later

me: so what are the three schools of dance?
me: hahahaha

d: valluvoor, kalakshetra
d: and
d: *scratches head*

me: oh oh and uh meera's valluvoor?

d: yeah
d: and arthi

me: ah yes

d: well
d: ok
d: my mum always told me
d: that the 3 schools were pandanallur, valluvoor and kalakshetra
d: but a lot of ppl say that dancers from tanjore, mysore, and kanchipuram have distinct schools as well
d: in a way i suppose there are three predominant styles in madras
d: (the first ones i mentioned)

me: ah~ okay

d: (wikipedia-ing it)

me: haha!
me: so am i!
me: that's funny

d: oh wow thats interesint
d: *interesting

me: which?

d: did you read the part about bharatanatyam being one of the five elements
d: representing one of them rather

me: i'm at that part now i think

d: bnatyam=fire, odissi = water etc
d: i wonder what the other two are

me: wait so yeah

d: and honestly i wouldve thought kuchipudi would be fire

me: i was just going to ask

d: hmm

me: maybe kuchipudi is earth or something?

d: seems a bit odd

me: well maybe the connection is like... strength? solidity?
me: (pulling stuff out of my butt)

d: *laughs*
d: yeah exactly
d: and HOW could there be a fifth?

me: but if kuchipudi is the fourth one (whichever it is)
me: what
me: haha yeah

d: *laughs*
d: *ponders*
d: well there arent anymore from that "family" of dance
d: as far as i know
d: kathakali and manipuri are totally diff
d: as is kathak
d: im curious....

me: yeah, seems so to me
me: hmm
me: haha
me: speaking of well-rounded breasts
me: i was so self-conscious yesterday!
me: because i jiggle so much more than everyone else

d: LOL

me: especially with the shoulder isolations
me: you know, in the allaripu?

d: "speaking of well-rounded breasts"!!
d: yeah

me: hahahha

d: *laughs*
d: yeah i imagine you must - no pun intended - stand out in a japanese crowd

me: hehe

d: ohhhhhh i just read that part
d: heh.

me: haha
me: "It is worth noticing that most of the contemporary Bharatanatyam dancers do not satisfy the criteria for a professional danceuse stated in the scriptures."

d: yeah i know
d: whoa
d: totally random
d: but
d: click

Learn something new

In writing class last Friday we discussed the type of statements found in a Japanese 論文 [ronbun], which I guess is an academic paper: facts, opinions, and uh... something I guess you could call "intentional" (I will describe...). Our assignment for this week is to write a short report in the form we discussed using these types of sentences in the ways we discussed. The topic: "Young people and _____" where "_____" is a current trend of some sort.

I'm not very cool or hip (despite what my sister thinks). Fashion doesn't interest me much, and I think most popular music is crap. The example we read in class was about Karaoke and how kids use it with their friends. I don't really have any friends so don't have any of my own experiences to draw on. The point of the above is that I have no idea what trends young people are into these days. (Wow, did writing that make me feel old.)

So I googled "current trend youth Japan," and this was the first link Google provided. My interest piqued, I attempted to investigate further. I don't think this is *quite* the "trend" Sato-sensei had in mind, but I even made a point of googling in Japanese "Japan," "trend," and "suicide" just to be sure the word he used for "trend" applied to the situation. So it appears that I am indeed following directions.


And while we're on the topic of how fascinated I am by the ways in which Japan is messed up, here's an entertaining read.

一人が独りだ

I think I mentioned how I ran into a classmate on the train Saturday who very kindly lent me 1000JPY so I could get home that night. I returned his money today in class, and he casually asked if everything worked out that day. I saw him again later in History class. He sat down next to me and we briefly discussed how terrible the professor was and our experiences in other classes. He mentioned he'd taken a 5-6-7 class last term and hated it.
I countered it with "I took one both terms, while I was taking Intensive, so I was in class from 8:50am to 7:00pm every Friday."
He looked sidelong at me and said, "You hate yourself, don't you?"

Lecture began. As expected, it was terrible. I think part of the "problem" is that the professor feels it necessary to go slowly and define terms every so often for Japanese students. Then again, my classes the last two terms never felt this slow, so maybe it's just the professor. As bad as I am at multi-tasking, today I spent the class reading ahead in the textbook (which isn't great either) while simultaneously taking notes of the lecture. (I was also one of only two people to attempt to answer a question... because if no one does, we have to listen to him "boop boop boop" through the Jeopardy theme song.) Another problem is that he goes off on these really bad, stupid, corny, and unrelated tangents that aren't even good-funny. Only when he says, "No one is laughing," does someone chuckle, just to be polite. I think at one point, during one of these painful rambles, I actually said, loud enough for the acquaintance sitting next to me to hear (though I didn't intend it), "You're killing me." Then the content of the lectures... isn't well-organized. I'm never exactly sure what his point is.

But, as I said, awful as it was, I was taking notes, reading the textbook, wide awake. As opposed to the kid sitting next to me, who was far from the only one dozing.

Why do I do this? Why am I like this? I pile on the work (well, not so much this quarter, but yes the last two). I don't really talk to people (I'm friendly enough when I do, but I don't go out of my way). I don't have much interest in hanging out. Don't get me wrong. It would be nice to have someone to do stuff with, but I still haven't found someone I can count on like that. And I don't expect to. I just seem too... different.

And I feel kind of stuck up. I've had people (like Joy and Stephanie) tell me, after we became friends, that when we first met, they thought I was a snob. Really it's just that I am shy and self-conscious and socially awkward. It's one of the reasons I've always preferred to be a loner and cultivated a cold, distant (and unapproachable) vibe. But nowadays... I really do feel like a snob. And somehow that thought doesn't bother me as much as I think it should. Is that okay?

気持ちいい

You know how back in the fall Shakuhachi flautist Christopher Yohmei Blasdel guest lectured in my Japan Studies class? And you know how, since he was involved in the Asian arts community, I thought he might know about Indian artists as well? And you know how he did and gave me a name to follow up on?

Well now that I have so much less class time finally this term, I decided to follow up on it. I emailed Kubota Yukiyo Thursday afternoon, got a reply late that night, replied Friday hoping to sit in on her Friday class in Mitaka (I should have called instead), read her reply this morning, decided to go for it, called her after my shower, and then booked it all the way out to Ichikawa in Chiba-ken. That's East of Tokyo, a good hour away by train (plus a ~30 minute bike ride from my apartment to the station), and to make matters worse, there was some construction or something going on at Shinjuku, so every Chuo train was a local. I was so sure I would be late, but I somehow made it. (On top of that, I only had enough money to get there, not to get back, but I luckily ran into a classmate on the train into Shinjuku who very kindly empathized with my predicament and lent me 1000JPY.) When I arrived at Ichikawa Eki, my phone rang. Yukiyo-sensei (as the other students seem to call her) was waiting in a car for me. We drove to a community sports center not too far away. I only planned to watch. I don't even have a kurta in Japan with me, and I haven't danced (or done much of anything physical besides riding my bike and, lately, pushups and crunches) for a *while*... but she lent me a set (I don't know why she had such a big set on her, she's *much* smaller than me) and she had me jump right in from the beginning.

The first students there were beginners, so we started with just adavus: tat-tai-ta-ha, tai-ha-tai-hi, tai-ya-tai-hi, etc etc. It was really good for me, 'cause I've always been really bad about knowing my adavus properly, especially since I've focused on Kuchipudi for so long. And it's amazing how difficult the slow speeds were for me - I was anticipating too much, my muscles weren't as disciplined as they used to be. And jeez! I used to be able to sit in arai-mandi and keep my arms up for hours without a twitch! No more. ^_~ Oh but it felt great to be back at it. I expect to be sore tomorrow, and I look forward to it.

Brett asked why I wasn't looking into learning a Japanese dance form while in Japan. I'd thought about it in the past, but I guess I have a few reasons. First of all, I've been feeling like a real slob, so I wanted to do something strenuous. As far as I know, the most vigorous form of dance women do is folk dance, and I'm not *too* interested in learning that. Secondly, if I were to get into something serious, I'd only be able to spend a year and a half on it, and you can't get anywhere in that amount of time. But most importantly, as I've mentioned before, I feel like I have this tendency to pick something up and do it halfway and then drop it and move on. I don't want to do that with Classical Indian Dance. I really love it, it became a big part of me over the years, and I've always regretted the spotty condition my training is in (my adavus being a prime example), especially because I would like to be able to teach... or at least *feel* like I could teach. Plus I've always wanted to study with different teachers and observe their styles and methods, not only to know what's out there, but to develop my own style and, if I ever did teach, have lots of examples to draw on. And now, considering my previous post about my relationship with the Foundation, and in light of the class I sat in on today, dance being something I love, I want to be really comfortable in the environment and community that goes along with it, and somehow I suspect *I* wouldn't find that learning a classical form of Japanese dance.

Okay, so back to the class itself. Oh there's so much I could comment on, but how long do I really want this post to be?

Well, first, ways it was different from my other dance classes: I don't know how it is in Mitaka or Koenji, but at the sports center in Ichikawa anyway, there isn't an actual room for the class. There's *a* "room," but it's carpeted so not useful for dancing. The students change, stretch, and leave their stuff (except for their shoes) in there. Class actually takes place in a landing outside this room, and throughout the class people going up and down the stairs to other parts of the sports center walk right through us. As it was a big open space, and the other people using the sports center would talk as they passed us, and as it takes a lot of concentration for me to understand Japanese, I had a hard time hearing Sensei. Also, it's out here that we leave our shoes, which means that our shoes are basically in the dance space, which just seemed wrong.
Sensei also stressed stretching, which Rathna Auntie never did, which was probably very bad (and I believe Rathna Auntie's knees can attest to that). I think I was one of maybe two or three of Rathna Auntie's students who stretched, which is also likely why I was one of few classical dancers I've met who are actually somewhat flexible. Yukiyo Sensei's students also recite sloka and do some yoga with her. Yeah, I was way out of the loop there. Oh, and yes. All her other students are Japanese (though she said a few of them have Indian husbands, and I met more proof today that Japanese woman-Indian man matches make adorable children).
Other things I noticed: Yes, class was taught in Japanese (I hope this will be very useful for my speaking and listening), but there are some things in English that get thrown in all the time. I find it interesting. It's like how my parents' Assamese has deteriorated (no offense) to the point where they throw in a lot of English. But everyone in Japan does this. I mean, the reasons are completely different, but at what point is it not Japanese? Could it possibly become not-Japanese?
Dancing with the beginners was really cool. It made me nostalgic. Oh geez, remember when I had such a hard time coordinating feet, hands, head, neck, eyes? When my elbow stuck out at the wrong angle? When I was completely confounded by that step? When I felt like I was going to fall over any second? And then as the more senior students came in, watching the progressive improvements in posture and attack and attitude... Like going back and watching old videos of me, it makes/made me realize how far I've come, and how you don't notice it happening at all. Your body just learns to do it, you're suddenly in control, and it affects everything you do.
And then there was this point at which she was going over a sloka about Sri Rama with her students, and there was one in particular who was really having trouble putting the meaning and the movement together. So they stopped for a little while and Sensei really tried to explain to her how she needed to connect it all. She was like, "Just react naturally. He's a handsome, richly dressed prince. He's a hero. You're happy and filled with love and adoration to see him. And that has to show in your face." And then she paused for a minute. "Maybe in our society, we don't do that so much. See? Like that, like you're doing now," she said as the student tried to stifle her laughs. "But it's all connected, right? When you're surprised, your face changes. When you're happy, your face changes. React naturally, don't think about it." And I wondered if people raised in this culture *would* have a harder time in general learning to be really good at and, moreover, "okay with" saying everything with their faces. Because that's what this dance form is.
The atmosphere was very different from Rathna Auntie's classes of course - no moms gossiping and students goofing off during downtime - but it was also very different from all my other interactions with Japanese people, sensei especially. Part of it was probably that I was just so excited to be there, and that helped me relax and overcome some of my shyness. But I think a large part of it is just this art and the relationships that teachers and pupils form. It was like that with Rathna Auntie too. I always felt like, if I needed to, I could go to her with anything and she would treat me like a daughter. Coming home on the train with another student, I also got that impression about Yukiyo Sensei from her. She was saying how she needs to learn to be more grateful, that Sensei has done so many things for her. It made me glad I found this group, and it really made me miss Rathna Auntie and Anjali, though I know it's a completely different place by now.

That student, Mikako-san, and I, after talking about being grateful and not taking things for granted, then made the mistake of talking about Indian food. Sambar, idli, dosa, pitha, maas, luci... Oh man, was that a mistake. Our mouths were watering all the way home. ^_~

I left home at about 10:50, and I got home around 20:30, and I'm so glad I went. Even if I did miss a free lunch from the Foundation. Even if I did skip out on them after RSVP-ing. Even if I am plagued by guilt about that. (I hate that about me. Get over yourself already.) This was really so worth it. See? It's almost 1am now, and I'm still on a high.

True lies

Okay. I'm going to be honest. I didn't go to the ITO party today. The truth is that I didn't want to. When I rsvp-ed I thought "Well, at least I'll get a meal out of it," but when it came down to it, that just wasn't enough to make me want to go. I was nervous about participating in a speech and discussion (in Japanese), and worse, I was nervous about just... dealing with them. We have this really tense relationship (or at least, I'm really tense about it these days) in which I constantly worry about stepping on toes and being rude and saying something wrong and completely misreading people and misunderstanding (and not being filled in on) the etiquette. That's a lot of stuff to worry about all at once, and to make matters worse, I'm not Japanese, which means I can't necessarily read them correctly when they say something to me. Is this a suggestion? Was that an insult? The passive-aggressiveness is driving me batty, and I've just... had enough. For a little while. And I didn't want to deal with it today. No one wants to have a nervous breakdown in front of their scholarship grantor after all.

Unfortunately I couldn't tell them these things outright (and hopefully they don't read my blog), so I lied in my apology email. I really hate lying. It just makes me feel so dirty, no matter to whom I'm lying. So I'm trying to rationalize this one right now by saying that, it's true, if I had gone, I would have felt much worse afterward, and who wants to start a new term that way?

Bihu bihu laagise

Happy Rongali Bihu! (Vishu, Songkran, Passover, Easter, whatever you're celebrating this weekend...)


And this is unrelated but funny. (Yes, it's a joke.)

New quarter, new classes

Okay, so by now I've been to every class at least once. As you can see from the updated sidebar, *much* less class time this term. So happy about that. On the other hand, all my classes kind of suck. Unfortunately, there isn't really anything I can do about that. In order to get the Japan Studies certificate, I have to take two courses approved by the Japan Studies people. These approved courses fall into three categories, and so far I'd taken classes in two.

History of Japan is in the third. I really want to know more about premodern Japan, so I figured it was a good thing, but 1) we're using an English textbook (as opposed to primary sources in translation, which my classmate Ripley-san did at her home institution), which is bad because a) there are no good English textbooks on premodern Japan b) there are no *recent* English textbooks on premodern Japan and c) this particular textbook was chosen, not because it's better than others, but because it's published in Japan and therefore cheaper and 2) the professor... not so inspiring.

The Japan Studies course I chose mainly because, of the approved courses in English, it fit my schedule. Also, it's one of the "core courses" for Japan Studies... which are not required but recommended. I figured I'm sort of an outstanding certificate candidate as it is, might as well do what I can not to throw my candidacy into question. The professor is a cute, old German man. I don't have any specific interest in religion, but again (like premodern history), it's something I know little about and would like to fill that void. However, he actually seems intent on keeping us until 19:00, which is just ridiculous if you ask me. Four hours is way too long for one class, even if we do get two short breaks. And on the first day too... we wasted a good amount of time today trying to get on the internet so he could show us how to use the blackboard-type site. I could've been cooking dinner.

Japanese so far looks like a lot of work. In Reading we're reading actual (short) newspaper articles, which is quite daunting but also really cool, because we get to the end of it and I think, "Whoa! We just read through an actual newspaper article!" Writing should be okay... if I can remember my kanji. I may have to suck it up and invest in a 電子辞書 [denshi jishou] (electronic dictionary) soon. All the new teachers seem really good. And boy is it nice not to have class from 8:50 to 15:00 five days a week anymore. Of course that means we can't really afford to miss *any* class.
I wonder if my batch has been especially bad... That's the impression I get. Every Japanese class has begun with a review of (by which I mean the sensei repeat multiple times in detail) the JLP rules on attendance (failure if you miss more than 1/3 of the classes). They are also discussing implementing a tardiness rule (up to 10 minutes late is 1/3 of an absence) and in Writing class, Sato-sensei even made a point of saying no eating (or gum-chewing) in class. It's quite obvious news of our bad behaviour has spread through the JLP. I'm so proud. *rolls eyes*

Moving right along

So yes, I've already registered and the term has already started, but I'm waiting to attend all my classes at least once before blogging about that (and updating the sidebar). So instead I'll remark on how seven months have passed since I first came to Japan and how I only have one term left at ICU (if all goes well). Other than that...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you sit back and realize, "Wow, my parents raised me right"? (I have never quite understood how punctuation in a situation like that is supposed to work.) And I'm not just saying this because my parents read my blog (though everyone knows I could use the brownie points... if they fell for that sort of thing ^_~).

Tuesday after my first day of classes, I was to meet Suzuki-sensei. A lot has happened while I was incommunicado, which I don't see any point in relaying now. Long story short, we were meeting because she had agreed to proofread my "Student Life Report" for the ITO Foundation. There was another student with her when I arrived, so I waited down the hall without announcing myself. After a while, she walked by and noticed me. Shortly thereafter, she sat down with me right there and read over my little essay (about four pages double-spaced, probably twice as long as anything we'd ever written in class). When she finished, I told her,
"This week is my family's traditional New Year. This is just a little thing, but you've done so much for me and I'm very grateful, so I want to give it to you." I pulled out one of the silk gamoxas that my dad and I had brought from Guwahati, told her what it was called, and explained about the design on this particular one (japis).
She was surprised and told me that she was glad she'd been able to meet me and that teaching made her happy. She also said,
"This is my job. You really shouldn't worry about troubling me so much."
Job or not, I thought that's what you do. Besides being my teacher and helping me with these things for the Foundation outside of class, she's also writing one of my recommendations for Sophia. As far as I knew, when someone does something nice for you, you thank them. I told her I'd do the same thing in America. But then I realized it wasn't an American thing; it's not a Japanese thing. Maybe it's just the way I was raised. Like those stories about Elvis, who, even when he was told not to, called people "Sir."
I like me this way. I hope I can pass it on.

Anyway, I submitted the report the same day. I hadn't really known (and still don't) what "Student Life Report" meant, so I just tried to write something that gave a glimpse of what I've been feeling and thinking lately. Suzuki-sensei said it was an "essay" (as opposed to a "report") and that it was [kirei], which I can only think to translate as "pretty" or "lovely" or something of that sort. She said it really demonstrated who I was and how I felt about my experiences and stuff. So I thought, "Good, that's what I was going for."
The email I got back from the Foundation was one of surprise. "Not like a report," they said, "more like a 物語 [monogatari] (tale, story)." Fine. I didn't want it to be a boring read, after all, but then I have to wonder what they actually expected a "report" on my daily life to be like. *imagining*
"Each month I withdraw 100,000JPY. With half I pay rent; with the rest I pay bills and buy groceries etc etc. I attend classes from 8:50am to 3pm, except on Fridays when I have class until 7pm. Once or twice a week, I rehearse with my band, and ocassionally after rehearsal or a performance we go out to eat together..."
I mean, for a foundation whose purpose is "exchange," wouldn't you expect something more like a tale or story? Isn't that what studying abroad is - a big adventure?


P.S. Speaking of the band, for those of you who don't already know, it no longer exists. Our drummer is thesis-izing and job-hunting, so we won't be doing any of the gigs we already got and we won't be looking for new ones.

Appeasement

First my parents and then my sister remarked that I hadn't updated recently (nevermind that five days for some other blogs is not very long at all). Sorry. I just haven't wanted to. Sometimes I want to keep things private, and other times I just have nothing new and interesting to share. There are plenty of other ways for you to procrastinate or entertain yourself.

Anyway, school starts again this coming week. I'm not particularly looking forward to it. There will be new Japanese teachers (no Suzuki-sensei), and the two classes I'm planning to take to fulfill my Japan Studies certificate requirements don't look all that exciting. Ah well. Just three months and then a whirlwind visit from the 'rents in early July. And then summer vacation.

TAF Update

My sister sent me this article from the NYTimes. I like it.

It still baffles me how Ishihara Shintaro is governor of Tokyo (we watched parts of Crazed Fruit and Season of the Sun in postpoop last term). Granted, he and his views have changed significantly since the Sun Tribe days, but... he's still weird if you ask me.

Grouchy

The distance sucks.