Thoughts and reflections
I've been reading a blog called 1000 Things About Japan that the author started based on the idea that she might be leaving Japan after 20 years. Some of the things she talks about are nearly universal for foreigners in Japan (the high value placed on white skin, being stared at, people assuming they can't talk to you even if you speak Japanese to them, etc.), some things are particular to her taste (disliking large festivals and the smell of oden), and some are an artifact of her living in the same apartment in Tokyo for 20 years (disliking particular things about the city, or liking/disliking the way her neighbors behave, and so on). There's a lot in there to make me nostalgic (in Japanese, 懐かしい), some stuff I disagree with, some stuff I find odd--the usual reaction to someone else's thoughts, I suppose. I didn't have any major sort of epiphany reading it, but it was interesting.
The one thing that really amused me was her talking about how she "won't miss" people's unconsciously racist attitudes towards, for example, black people. Also, she's American. I'll just let that sink in and move on.
I was happy on Wednesday because in the children's eikaiwa, one of our students pointed to another that I always seem to understand their side comments to themselves. She was being overly generous (I'd say I understand 50% of them, at best), but the sentiment was nice. I try my best to avoid the natural response to join in the laughter when I don't understand the joke, because if I don't, I'd rather make it a learning experience by asking them to explain it to me then just let it pass by.
I had more to say, but I don't remember it. When I do, I'll post it.
The one thing that really amused me was her talking about how she "won't miss" people's unconsciously racist attitudes towards, for example, black people. Also, she's American. I'll just let that sink in and move on.
I was happy on Wednesday because in the children's eikaiwa, one of our students pointed to another that I always seem to understand their side comments to themselves. She was being overly generous (I'd say I understand 50% of them, at best), but the sentiment was nice. I try my best to avoid the natural response to join in the laughter when I don't understand the joke, because if I don't, I'd rather make it a learning experience by asking them to explain it to me then just let it pass by.
I had more to say, but I don't remember it. When I do, I'll post it.