Sorry about iss13. It being the 13th, when I tried to send it out the computer crashed not once but thrice... So perhaps you did not get it, and perhaps you got it more than once. Its main content was two urls: http://www.greens.org/nc and http://photos.yahoo.com/phuzo album "Issue 13". So now you are in the loop if you were not before.
My time in Japan is winding down and speeding up these days. I don't even have time to write this, but I will anyhow. I'm leaving on Sunday the 21st, and after 24 hours of travel I will arrive 12 hours later in Greenville, SC. Mom and Pop- you can expect me to doze off on the way home, and don't be surprised if I suddenly wake up and scream "Wrong side of the road!" Just preparing you. I hope there are signs for me outside of the airport that say LOOK LEFT.
Actually, wrong-side-of-the-road-kon is probably going to be one of the easiest aspects to deal with of reverse culture shock. My parents warned me that after their eleven days in Japan they received some jolts on reentry. Being able to understand everything around me, American rudeness and largess... these will all take some getting used to. But I am also really looking forward to being home and being with friends, contra-dancing, and eating veggie burgers. Mmmmm... I think a nice fat one on a sesame seed bagel with salsa and cheddar cheese... Sorry to all the folks who have listened to this dream before. Its probably hard for you to imagine how much this vision makes my mouth water. ("-kon" is the Japanese-English suffix for "complex", i.e. "rori-con" and "maza-kon"... ten points if you can figure out what these mean.)
After six days at home keeping myself as busy as possible its five weeks at the Folk School, doing work-study (finally old enough!). Speaking of being 18, I am really looking forward to all that that means in NC, like voting and buying cigarettes. Not that I smoke or ever would, but now its my choice not to smoke, as opposed to some il-enforced law deciding for me. Then 7 weeks at home, working for cash (if anybody has any leads for a summer job opening, please tell), then college. University, that is. Yes yes, daigakuseini naru. I will be attending UNC Chapel Hill, which everybody seems to call "Carolina". My Pop says that I have to get used to that, cause everybody calls it that. But for now, in email at least, its CHill. So that's my plan, and I can't wait. Not that I have to, with time flying the way it has been.
After the long, cold winter with only one snow worth playing in (not too bad for a seaside town at the same latitude as LA, but if I don't complain, who will?). What was I saying? Ah yes, the too-cold-not-enough-snow winter, in which I did not get to ski. Winter broke for a bit for my parent's visit, which was wonderful. We went to all of the tourist spots that I know of, and found some more. The Rotarians put us up in the Prince hotel for five nights, which was the first time I ever stayed in a five star hotel for five nights. It was plush. I do have one fake complaint, the ice machine demanded 100yen to fill up our bite-sized bucket. Green tea, of course, was free.
After the folks left it got chilly for a bit, and then warm again for hana-mi season. Hana-mi is the time of year when everybody eats their special hana-mi bento in the parks while enjoying the lovely, fragile, transient beauty of the blooming sakura. Go see my online pics for some visuals.
It is, as I noticed, quite easy to fall in love while surrounded by this beauty.
Then it got cold again. Finally, in the past couple of weeks, it is becoming that kind of warm that you know will not dissolve till fall. The gnats agree. Whole flocks (flocks?) of the buggers come to meet my on my daily run. The ones that don't see any reason to go on end their pitiful lives up my nose or into my mouth. But this is the same worldwide, I suppose. Excuse me while I pick Harold from my teeth. (He lost his job, his wife was cheating on him, and there was just no way to cope.) I digress.
On the 7th of April I went to a home game of the Hiroshima Carp with about 15 of the girls form my class. For most of them, it was the first time that I had seen them as they want to be seen; meaning in their own clothing and make styles. When I recognized them (it took a minute) I was taken aback abit at how different each of them was from their uniform uniform school selves. Some went for chunky plats, loose socks, and short skirts; while others were stylin in cons, jeans, and bright plaid shirts. Their personalities were the same as school hours: loud, friendly, and not a bit shy. Here at the baseball game they seemed to match themselves better then at school.
Baseball is a big deal in Japan. (I don't know why, but I sure am into profound statements today.) The game is one long haka (cheer). I recorded the first inning on MD, one of these days I will get some of these sounds online. The haka is comparable to the Atlanta Braves' war cry thing: Ooohohoheeohohohohehooh, or the running of the bulls: Badabadapahpaa, Charge! except for that each batter gets his own personalized cheer until he is on base or out. The fans belt out these for their teams' half of an inning, and then get half of an inning of rest. There are also trumpet players placed strategically behind my head and bass drums throughout the crowd to keep everybody in beat. I did not see a single hotdog, yakisoba is the ballpark meal of choice. Beer, of course, has not been replaced: vendors scurry around with mini-kegs strapped to their backs, vending to all the thirsty souls in the crowd. So that was my Japanese baseball experience.
I got to hang out with my extended host family at a family place near the house. It is a restaurant, ofuro (tens of naked folks in hottubs), and game center all under one roof. We got one of the big family rooms, and had a great supper trying (and even succeeding at) that communication thing. One of the cousins decided to latch onto me, and stood by my side for more than 15 minutes playing with the YKK on the front of my coat. My aunt gave me 10 bucks, and told me to win her one of the handbags from the claw grabber machine. The host mom also gave me 1000yen, and told me to entertain the children. I am pretty good at doing that, especially once I decifered hyakuenchoudai... As a whole, the family reminded me alot of the Oliphant clan when we get together. I had a great time, and this Saturday we are going to sing karaoke. Can't wait.
way past my bedtime
see you soon
love
f
more online pictures!
http://photos.yahoo.com/phuzo
album "Issue 14"