another end to a great holiday
I had a blast this weekend! My friend Mariko stayed with me on Weds. until Saturday for Thanksgiving. You know, since they all leave the dorms, I didn't want her to be alone! And this was cool cuz we met each other during lunch and for about a month, we'd been talking everyday so I really got a chance to know her. To tell you the truth, she asked ME if she could stay. I for one have not had anyone stay with me for a looooooong time, since before highschool probably and usually people don't ask you first if they can stay--well, not to me anyway. I think she just caught me off guard a little. That's the Japanese for ya--shy but forward. haha
Mariko and I are quite similar--we are studying with the same goal--to be translators. She, Japanese to English, and me English to Japanese. We are also taking similar courses and love art. I've never been able to discuss things with someone in another cultlure as much as her, I think. I've talked about things with her I've always wanted to ask a Japanese about their culture. I taught her the things I've learned in IR and how the world is seen, how her country is seen. I've even discussed the bombings of WWII, the propaganda, and we shared views of our countries in that timeperiod. I was always most nervous to talk about that before... but why should I feel so bad? It's not like *I did it after all. We both know the same amount about that time since it wasn't our time and we're not so afraid to talk about things. I'm not sure why it surprised me she didn't know much about post or pre-WWII Japan but DUH. Not like she was there! LOL
Her English is very good! Only very slight miscommunications, I think. I have to stop asking in the negative (eg: Didn't you go? and say like Did you go? instead) because even in English, the response translates to Japanese. In japanese, they say No, I did. and Yes, I didn't. The opposite of us (Yes, I did. And No, I didn't). It gets very confusing sometimes, depending. I used very little Japanese although I had the chance to practice. I felt a little awkward though--or ぎこちない, as she'd call it at times. Not knowing what to say. We watched a lot of movies though. Like Edward Scissorhands, The Terminal, and The Banger Sisters ( I wasn't sure if she'd understand that one as well though. LOL).
As was her custom, she brought me souveneirs of Japan. A pair of tabi socks, pink and blue, which are so cool!!! A kalediscope...havent had one in EVER, chopstick rests, and curious sweets called Yokan, a mixture of green tea and mochi. They are the japanese answer to the british crumpet because the sweetness of the bean is used to offset the mild flavor of the green tea. It's soooooo good. When she was here, we drank SO MUCH TEA. LOL I'm glad she got me started on that again though.
I took her to my Aunt's house for Thanksgiving; she had pumpkin pie for the first time, which she liked. And we made crafts and such. That was interesting. The next day, I did a little shopping but mostly window shopping. One of our common interests is shopping, clothing and makeup so it was fun! I bought some blue and black silk rose clips and some hair chopsticks with kanji writing, and a gift for my sis.
She didnt buy anything though. I was surprised. Friday, we watched more movies and were bored so, we looked through my fashion mags, she LOVED my bishounen JUNON and we gosipped about Japanese celebrities a bit and we decided to do a makeover on her. Interestingly enough, her idol is Audrey Hepburn! She said she always wanted eyes like hers. So I attempted something I didn't think I could do--I put liquid eyeliner on an Asian eye! Trust me, when it comes to make up, their eyes are quite tricky and as you know, liquid eyeliner is hard in itself to put on! My mom can't do it but I wear it everyday. So wouldn't Yoshiki be proud? LOL I'd also seen like, Geishas in eyeliner so I knew it was possible somehow. She liked it. Her eyes looked even bigger and rounder and her eyes are quite round for an Asian. I put blue and purple eyeshadow because she insisted she wanted something different. I'll admit, never working with her skintone, I was petrified of making her look terrible so I stuck purples and blues, which are colors she normally wears by themselves. She then told me I could pluck her eyebrows because she wanted brows like mine--thin and high, round arch. I was like: HELL NO. I didnt' say that of course but this only being a small makeover I knew itwas very dangerous to go messing with her eyebrows. I've already screwed mine enough times!! LOL so I told her I would draw them in with the black eyeliner. She looked great! She took a picture of us with her camera so maybe she will send them tomorrow! I can't wait to see!!
Last night, we went bowling with some more friends. My friend lacey and all her friends invited us and I in turn invited Anthony because it was his bday and Chris, because you can't have one with out the other. LOL I also got to see Marino, who was working at the bowling alley, naturally. The boys intermitently flirted with Mariko--not seriously of course but you could see them enjoying themselves--even though she has a b/f of 6 years! I got mostly 0s because the balls are usually too heavy for me and it's too hard to aim but I tried! I think I bowled a 33! and I got a STRIKE just as they turned off the machine for the night and NO ONE SAW ME! LOL I was so mad!! haha trying allllllll night to get one. man! Anyways, Mariko dropped me off at 12:30. She gave me a big hug and said she'd miss me till monday! lol so I can't wait to get back and gossip all lunch about how much fun we had last week! Whee!
Mariko and I are quite similar--we are studying with the same goal--to be translators. She, Japanese to English, and me English to Japanese. We are also taking similar courses and love art. I've never been able to discuss things with someone in another cultlure as much as her, I think. I've talked about things with her I've always wanted to ask a Japanese about their culture. I taught her the things I've learned in IR and how the world is seen, how her country is seen. I've even discussed the bombings of WWII, the propaganda, and we shared views of our countries in that timeperiod. I was always most nervous to talk about that before... but why should I feel so bad? It's not like *I did it after all. We both know the same amount about that time since it wasn't our time and we're not so afraid to talk about things. I'm not sure why it surprised me she didn't know much about post or pre-WWII Japan but DUH. Not like she was there! LOL
Her English is very good! Only very slight miscommunications, I think. I have to stop asking in the negative (eg: Didn't you go? and say like Did you go? instead) because even in English, the response translates to Japanese. In japanese, they say No, I did. and Yes, I didn't. The opposite of us (Yes, I did. And No, I didn't). It gets very confusing sometimes, depending. I used very little Japanese although I had the chance to practice. I felt a little awkward though--or ぎこちない, as she'd call it at times. Not knowing what to say. We watched a lot of movies though. Like Edward Scissorhands, The Terminal, and The Banger Sisters ( I wasn't sure if she'd understand that one as well though. LOL).
As was her custom, she brought me souveneirs of Japan. A pair of tabi socks, pink and blue, which are so cool!!! A kalediscope...havent had one in EVER, chopstick rests, and curious sweets called Yokan, a mixture of green tea and mochi. They are the japanese answer to the british crumpet because the sweetness of the bean is used to offset the mild flavor of the green tea. It's soooooo good. When she was here, we drank SO MUCH TEA. LOL I'm glad she got me started on that again though.
I took her to my Aunt's house for Thanksgiving; she had pumpkin pie for the first time, which she liked. And we made crafts and such. That was interesting. The next day, I did a little shopping but mostly window shopping. One of our common interests is shopping, clothing and makeup so it was fun! I bought some blue and black silk rose clips and some hair chopsticks with kanji writing, and a gift for my sis.
She didnt buy anything though. I was surprised. Friday, we watched more movies and were bored so, we looked through my fashion mags, she LOVED my bishounen JUNON and we gosipped about Japanese celebrities a bit and we decided to do a makeover on her. Interestingly enough, her idol is Audrey Hepburn! She said she always wanted eyes like hers. So I attempted something I didn't think I could do--I put liquid eyeliner on an Asian eye! Trust me, when it comes to make up, their eyes are quite tricky and as you know, liquid eyeliner is hard in itself to put on! My mom can't do it but I wear it everyday. So wouldn't Yoshiki be proud? LOL I'd also seen like, Geishas in eyeliner so I knew it was possible somehow. She liked it. Her eyes looked even bigger and rounder and her eyes are quite round for an Asian. I put blue and purple eyeshadow because she insisted she wanted something different. I'll admit, never working with her skintone, I was petrified of making her look terrible so I stuck purples and blues, which are colors she normally wears by themselves. She then told me I could pluck her eyebrows because she wanted brows like mine--thin and high, round arch. I was like: HELL NO. I didnt' say that of course but this only being a small makeover I knew itwas very dangerous to go messing with her eyebrows. I've already screwed mine enough times!! LOL so I told her I would draw them in with the black eyeliner. She looked great! She took a picture of us with her camera so maybe she will send them tomorrow! I can't wait to see!!
Last night, we went bowling with some more friends. My friend lacey and all her friends invited us and I in turn invited Anthony because it was his bday and Chris, because you can't have one with out the other. LOL I also got to see Marino, who was working at the bowling alley, naturally. The boys intermitently flirted with Mariko--not seriously of course but you could see them enjoying themselves--even though she has a b/f of 6 years! I got mostly 0s because the balls are usually too heavy for me and it's too hard to aim but I tried! I think I bowled a 33! and I got a STRIKE just as they turned off the machine for the night and NO ONE SAW ME! LOL I was so mad!! haha trying allllllll night to get one. man! Anyways, Mariko dropped me off at 12:30. She gave me a big hug and said she'd miss me till monday! lol so I can't wait to get back and gossip all lunch about how much fun we had last week! Whee!