Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Japan: Hoomusutei

06/02/2006

Classes as normal today, but we had another relatively short day. After classes (Business and Technical Japanese) I met up with Mana-chan at the Kokusai Center. A few of us then went and met up with my host sister のりこ (Nori-ko). Unfortunately, the table they had gotten was too small for all of us, so Sara, Andy, Sandy, and Mana went upstairs while I stayed downstairs to eat with my のりこ (Nori-ko) and her friends. After lunch I went upstairs to meet up with the rest of the group. We all then got some help with our Japanese homework (still feels like cheating) from Mana-san, 大介さん (Daisuke-san). After lunch, we went to オアシス (Oasis) to get some アイス (ice cream). Mine was really good; it had almost a peanut-butter tasting outside and mochi inside.

After that we headed back to the Seminar House to pack, except I wasn't going to meet my host sister until 7pm at 六本松駅 (Ropponmatsu station) whereas everyone else was supposed to meet their hosts at 4pm. I had some time to kill and I was tired so I ended up taking a short nap, then packed and departed for the station. I met with のりこ (Nori-ko) and we proceeded to take two trains and a bus to meet her mother, who then drove us to their home (after stopping a few times with the lights off to see the 蛍 [fireflies], of which there were a lot since we were now in the ルラル [rural] area).

I felt like such a foreigner entering that house. I enter and I try to make my introduction at the entrance hall, but the father says not yet; wait until we get inside. I take off my shoes and try to make them clean like 増田先生 (Masuda-sensei) had shown us in class earlier that day and then they give me slippers to wear (only a bit too small). I walk to the living room and enter with the shoes on (idiot) and they ask me to take off the slippers before entering that area. The TV is on and のりこ (Nori-ko)'s family has already started eating. They point me to a couch and ask me to "relax." That's when I make my introduction (which I'm pretty sure I screwed up somewhere). I give them the present I brought from America (I think it was a good choice from their reaction) and then we proceed to go to the kitchen. The father pours me some お酒 (sake) at the suggestion of のりこ (Nori-ko). Dinner was delicious and interesting keeping up with the conversations. I had 刺身 (sashimi), rice, some muscles, an interesting potato dish, and salad.

After dinner they request me to relax again in the living room while のりこ (Nori-ko) helps her mother with the dishes. They show me the bath and how to use it and I take a quick shower. After that I have as best a conversation as I could with her father and brothers. Everyone keeps telling me my Japanese is good, so I'll take that as a good sign. I show them a few of my gadgets (including my laptop that I got out so I could write this entry down). After that it's time for bed and I come into the room I'm in right now and write this entry up.

The house itself is a traditional Japanese-style house. I'm lying on a futon on the tatami-covered floor (tatami floors are awesome). The family is apparently Buddhist and they have a small altar. They also have two pianos and a few game systems. They have both a urinal and a western-style toilet (yay!) in seperate rooms in the bathroom. There are traditional sliding doors everywhere. The bath consists of a tub with water already in it and moveable shower head with a drain in the floor.



1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pho, I used account anonymous and try to post a comment but it will not show. What did i do wrong? Mom

5:56 AM  

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