We had a stand at the Japan Day in Annantalo
Huisin masseeta ja hilpakkaa synttäriä H_a_k_ulle! :DWell on Sunday I was at the Japan Day over at Annantalo. I've meant to go there for the past 4-5 years, but there's always been something else or I've been out of the country so this was my first time at the event and it so happened that I was at our Institute's student organization's stand there talking with people, sharing information about studying Japanese at the University to people who had questions and giving out leaflets and candy. I've never done something like that before but it was surprisingly easy. I was good at taking contact to the people who were looking over our stand.
I don't really get the logic behind how I can be so unsocial in some occasions and so social in others. I think that I talked a lot more in the two hours that I was at the stand on Sunday compared to the couple of hours that I was at Mary's bd party on Saturday night. Maybe the difference is that I'm not good at small talk and thinking up stuff to talk about with people that I barely know, but I have no trouble talking with strangers, if I have information that would help them.
There was one couple on Sunday that I talked with who made a strong impression on me. They had a ten years old son who wanted to study Japanese, but no schools offer Japanese for kids that young. Is it even possible that a ten year old wants to study something like Japanese? Maybe it's his parents who want him to study it, but I didn't get that impression from them. I adviced them to email our student organization's mailing list and ask if somebody might be interested in being a private teacher for a ten year old. I couldn't really think of any other options. It just felt like such a great injustice that if the ten year old boy really honestly wanted to study Japanese, and then there's nobody who would teach him because he's so small. Isn't it better to start studying languages when you're young? I hope that they will find a way.
Both of our senseis were also behind our stand. I looked through the whole building when my shift was done. There were all sort of budo showings, tea ceremony, ikebana, bonzai and people selling Japanese stuff. The place was so packed with people that it was distressing, it felt nearly suffocating. It was strange how different rooms felt so different just based on the atmosphere and the amount of people in them. Walking on the hallways and stairs that were filled with people and stands selling stuff felt bad, but walking into the smaller rooms at the ends that held the ikebana or the kids artwork felt so much better. I could feel the change the moment that I stepped into different rooms. But the best feeling was at the third floor which was closed off from the public. :p It was quiet, relaxed and there was space there. That's how I'd describe the Japan Day from the point of view of a HSP. Oh, and being at the stand wasn't so bad because there was that table between us and the hoards of people and a wall behind our backs.
I left earlier than most of my friends. I was still tired from the weekend (and I had gotten up at 8AM that morning to help set up our stand) and I don't really enjoy loitering around when the space around me is so packed with people. When I got home I watched a bit of telly and then took a four hours long nap, which was very nice.The rest of Sunday evening I looked up information about blogs for communities, as we're looking to set up a blog for our student organization. Our Uni actually hosts a blog service based on WordPress.I can't believe that my legs still hurt so bad from Friday nights dancing. Even walking hurts. I've tried to stretch, but it hasn't helped much. Getting from place A to place B has been pretty miserable these past few days because my legs hurt. It's got to pass at some point. This morning was such a perfect Monday morning. I was already at the bus stop when I noticed that I had forgotten my travel card and cell phone at home and I had no cash with me, so I had to head back home to get them. Then I missed my commute by a couple of minutes. The rest of the day wasn't so bad. I did my Japanese homework, went to lectures and orchestra practise. One of the singers was there. We still have two concerts this Spring.I'm stressing about my studies. I have an exam this week, a group presentation and an exam next week and three Japanese exams the following week and a concert on that week as well. Stress. But it's not all bad. I'm actually looking forward to the group presentation next week as preparing for it has been the high points of this Spring.
I don't really get the logic behind how I can be so unsocial in some occasions and so social in others. I think that I talked a lot more in the two hours that I was at the stand on Sunday compared to the couple of hours that I was at Mary's bd party on Saturday night. Maybe the difference is that I'm not good at small talk and thinking up stuff to talk about with people that I barely know, but I have no trouble talking with strangers, if I have information that would help them.
There was one couple on Sunday that I talked with who made a strong impression on me. They had a ten years old son who wanted to study Japanese, but no schools offer Japanese for kids that young. Is it even possible that a ten year old wants to study something like Japanese? Maybe it's his parents who want him to study it, but I didn't get that impression from them. I adviced them to email our student organization's mailing list and ask if somebody might be interested in being a private teacher for a ten year old. I couldn't really think of any other options. It just felt like such a great injustice that if the ten year old boy really honestly wanted to study Japanese, and then there's nobody who would teach him because he's so small. Isn't it better to start studying languages when you're young? I hope that they will find a way.
Both of our senseis were also behind our stand. I looked through the whole building when my shift was done. There were all sort of budo showings, tea ceremony, ikebana, bonzai and people selling Japanese stuff. The place was so packed with people that it was distressing, it felt nearly suffocating. It was strange how different rooms felt so different just based on the atmosphere and the amount of people in them. Walking on the hallways and stairs that were filled with people and stands selling stuff felt bad, but walking into the smaller rooms at the ends that held the ikebana or the kids artwork felt so much better. I could feel the change the moment that I stepped into different rooms. But the best feeling was at the third floor which was closed off from the public. :p It was quiet, relaxed and there was space there. That's how I'd describe the Japan Day from the point of view of a HSP. Oh, and being at the stand wasn't so bad because there was that table between us and the hoards of people and a wall behind our backs.
I left earlier than most of my friends. I was still tired from the weekend (and I had gotten up at 8AM that morning to help set up our stand) and I don't really enjoy loitering around when the space around me is so packed with people. When I got home I watched a bit of telly and then took a four hours long nap, which was very nice.The rest of Sunday evening I looked up information about blogs for communities, as we're looking to set up a blog for our student organization. Our Uni actually hosts a blog service based on WordPress.I can't believe that my legs still hurt so bad from Friday nights dancing. Even walking hurts. I've tried to stretch, but it hasn't helped much. Getting from place A to place B has been pretty miserable these past few days because my legs hurt. It's got to pass at some point. This morning was such a perfect Monday morning. I was already at the bus stop when I noticed that I had forgotten my travel card and cell phone at home and I had no cash with me, so I had to head back home to get them. Then I missed my commute by a couple of minutes. The rest of the day wasn't so bad. I did my Japanese homework, went to lectures and orchestra practise. One of the singers was there. We still have two concerts this Spring.I'm stressing about my studies. I have an exam this week, a group presentation and an exam next week and three Japanese exams the following week and a concert on that week as well. Stress. But it's not all bad. I'm actually looking forward to the group presentation next week as preparing for it has been the high points of this Spring.