Bye Biking
Trip Start
Apr 20, 2004
1
13
Trip End
Aug 28, 2005
Iwakura,
Japan
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Wow how time flys! Overall I have had an awesome experience. Diving headfirst into a pretty unknown culture and language(I have visited Japan as a schoolgirl to stay with my kiwi friend in Osaka so Japan wasnt totally unfamilar - The extent of my Japanese vocab was 1-10, hello, goodbye, thankyou and yummy!) 16months later I now feel strangly comfortable with everyday life in Japan. Im an expert at using chopsticks and I can speak a little Japanese. Not to say there havnt been tough days as there have been plenty of those (way more ups than downs thankfully!). I wont get into too many details but some of the cultural differences are just so frustrating and may I just say that boy am I greatful that I am a kiwi and I now value the kiwi culture and what NZ has to offer a whole lot more.
One of the more difficult things for me is losing the feeling of total independence. Things that are so simple in the Western world can be so difficult here. Independence to communicate whatever, to whomever, whenever has been a toughy. Although most days im happy now mozing around not being able to read anything (apart from the odd thing here and there) and not understand things people are saying to me or around me.
Our Puri-kura pics
Just when you need to say something and you cant does it get very frustrating. I will have to admit I didnt put in 110% effort to my Japanese but anyone who has visited here or lives here can appreciate how difficult the language is. I am now an expert at cherades and the guess what I want using minimal Japanese words game, unfortunatly I dont win all the time however to my delight, I am often saved by a very kind and clever bilingual Japanese person! One breakthrough was when Dan and I managed to order a pizza for delivery over the phone - note that it did take both of us turns at talking and about 10mins for the call, but we got the pizza!Ill have to mention work as it is one of the reasons we came here. Work has been.... well work really. Ill sure miss the great team of people we have there and the kids ill miss too. They are so cute (not all but some). Workmate Dave gave me a book named 'Japanese Kids say the craziest things!' so true - they surely make you laugh.
A couple of my favs are :
1. Teacher: "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Student: "a tiger!"
2. Student: "Kampai" = Cheers
Teacher: "What are you drinking?, Biiru?"
Student: "Miruku!"
3. Teacher: "lets count"
Student: "no twinkle twinkle, ready, set, go!" - this 4 year old is amazing. So bossy and I dont even think a kiwi kid could say "no" or sing twinkle twinke so many times in 15mins
We worked out as an underestimate, I have sung the ABC song at least 3060 times! That is under the assumption that on average I have 12 classes a day where we sing it at least once, then there is those busy days where we do up to 18 classes and the kids who just love to sing ABCs so we sing it 2-3 times in 15 mins!
To the workmates - Otsukaresama Desu!
All in all, ill look back at this time in years to come and remember only the good times. I have Japan to thank for many things - my improved patience and manners, new found facination with earrings and shoes, enjoyment of some types of mushrooms (button mushrooms are still off the menu) and fueling my desire for travel!
Heres a few of my favs and highlights
Top 3 Highlights (difficult to narrow it down to top 3!)
1. Climbing Mt Fuji and watching the sunrise
2. Talking with a Maiko (apprentince Geisha) at a dinner in Kyoto
3. Watching the Sumo tournement in Nagoya
My favorites:
*Food - Okonomiyaki (savoury pancake), Japanese curry and custard buns
*Drink - Ume sour (ume is a Japanese plum)
*Karaoke Song - I love Rock n Roll
*Restaurant - Umauma, our local Izakaya
*Temple - Ginkakuji (Silver Temple) in Kyoto
*Shrine - Itsukushima-jinja with its floating torii gate in Miyajima
*Castle - Inuyama-jo
*Japanese words - Sugoii = great,wonderful, terrific, ghastly, weird!
Genki = energy, well, healthy, cheerful
Oishii = delicious
Aa so desu ne = I see!
*Most disliked Japanese word - kawaii = cute (most overused word, everything is described
kawaii)
*My most used Japanese word - Wakaranai = I dont understand
*Japanese City - Hiroshima
*Day trip - Nara
*Festival - Hanabi (fireworks) where we get dressed up in summer kimono called Yukata
*Season - Spring - Japan at it's most beautiful and of corse cherry blossom viewing
festivals.
*Shopping mall - Nagoya eki (area around the station) especially at Bargin Sale time
*Anamae - Anpanman. A kids cartoon superhero with a head made of Anpan (bread bun
filled with sweet red Azuki beans). He saves people, gives them his head
to eat then goes back to the bakery for a new head!
I need to make a few big thank yous. Firstly to Dan, the most wonderful, loving and supportive boyfriend. No way could I have made it here this long without him and his wicked pancakes! My family - I have loved the parcels, phone calls and e-mails. Yoko, my boss - just wonderful in too many ways to note down and lastly my good mate Tracy for all the fun times, girly chats and chuhis - may there be many more in the future!
Well thats about all from me from Japan. As Ampanman and his mates say "Bye Biking" (when they say goodbye to their Viking buddy) This catchy saying has all the kids here shouting "Bye Biking" - kawaii ne!
