Okay, the major news is that I just returned from a home-stay program with a Japanese family. "My" family is the Nakagawa family. Their name means, literally "Middle River," or "in the river," depending on your translation. Anyway, they are older people, having a grandson, and a son and a daughter in their 30s.
I really enjoyed the experience. After the omnipresent ceremony (the Japanese have ceremonies whenever possible, I have learned), we went back to their house, which is a beautiful, traditional Japanese house. After removing my shoes, of course, I entered with a formal ojyamashimasu (literally, "I will intrude," meaning more like, "thank you for inviting me in") and was led to my room, a large (six tatami mats, I believe) Japanese-style bedroom. Then, while supper was being prepared by okaasan (mother), otousan (father) talked with me as we watched the Japanese version of "America's Funniest Home Videos," which is not any better in Japanese, though I must admit the sheer over-the-top stupidity is amusing (albeit on a sophomoric level) at times. Anyhow, otousan turned out to be a huge sports fan, liking American baseball and basketball (yakyuu and basukettobo-ru, or just basuke-, respectively) in addition to Japanese baseball and soccer (sakka-, conveniently enough). Amazingly, he could recite the American states in geographical order! He said that he memorised them because he wanted to know where the sports teams hailed from. I was absolutely blow away. I cannot do this, though I do know the location of all of the sports teams (okay, not the hockey ones, but I did say sports!).
Supper was served, chicken and vegetables with rice (of course) and plenty of Nihon shyuu (AKA osake, rice wine). The sake was a local product, and quite good. It tasted rather like a sweet, weak vodka. After the sake, we had (okay, English-speakers, try to figure this loan word out) uiisuki-. (Hint: the "u"s are pronounced "ooh" and the "i"s "ee".) Otousan turned out to be quite a drinker!
After supper, we chatted some more and then watched "Sakka- 21," a soccer news programme that runs at 21:00 (or 9:00 PM), hence the name. Afterward, I was quite tired, so I excused myself to go to bed.
The next morning, after a hearty American-style (or the Japanese take thereon) breakfast, we watched, on live satellite television, courtesy of NHK, the Japanese version of PBS (except that it provides some 16 channels, most of them satellite), the NY Yankees beat (rather soundly, to my great dismay) the hapless Seattle Mariners. The game started at 20:00 in Seattle. The only redeeming factors were watching Roger Clemens, one of my childhood favourites, pitch a two-hitter (for the Yankees, unfortunately) and learning most of the Japanese words that pertain to baseball.
After the game was over, and I had explained to them the meaning of the American saying, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings," ( Sensei-tachi, I translated it into Japanese as "Hutotteru jyosei ha mata utanakattara, mada owaranai desu." Sore ha iindesuka?) we went to an ohuro (pronounced "oh-foo-roh," and meaning bath, though an ohuro is closer to a spa). Though we have similar establishments in American, the tsukaikata (or "way to use") is very different. Luckily, otousan was a very patient sensei, so I learned the correct methods. You see, in Japan, you wash yourself before entering the bath, an idea that I find most appealing. You see, in America, I prefer showers because I do not enjoy the sensation of wallowing in my own dirty water! So, the Japanese style is on my list of Japan's greatest ideas (click here to see the entire list, so far). Anyway, the hot water was so relaxing.
On the drive back through Ishikawa-ken (the prefecture of which Kanazawa is the seat), I was reminded of how strikingly different the Japanese landscape is from the American. Everything is so lushly green, and there is no such thing as a rolling hill in Japan. Everything is extremely steep. Mountains and hill rise out of the earth abruptly and disappear just as suddenly. And the architecture is amazing. Until I came here, I had no idea that a building could be both solid and graceful at the same time. The Japanese modern style is very clean, but built to withstand massive earthquakes. The Kakuma campus, where I live, reminds me of a medieval fortress. The buildings are imposing, yet beautiful. I cannot explain further, you will just have to some and see for yourself. I guess the architecture is just like nature of the countryside itself: savagely beautiful with occasional places that take your breath away in a glance. For instance, as we were driving through the countryside, passing through sharp hills, we suddenly came to a cliff with the prettiest little lake at its base. I can still see that place, and if it was not by the side of the road, it would be the perfect place for philosophising or practising martial arts.
Well, that is the long and short (mainly long, I guess!) of my experience. Oh, one other thing to add. Before the home-stay, we participated in the "Green Campaign," a roadside rubbish collecting adventure. Trash in Japan is just as bad as America, I am sad to say. Luckily, we only had to sort it into moeru and moenai gomi (burnable and non-burnable trash, respectively) on this particular excursion! On a related note, the two Bulgarian ryuugakusei (foreign exchange students) got to ride on the partially full trash truck! Luckily, they were wearing the standard-issue white gloves and toting the standard-issue white towel that we were lent for the purpose of sanitary garbage-collection.
Well, until next time, I remain,
-Yoshi (or Jyoshyu, or Guraba- san, depending on
who you are)