Monday, November 28, 2005

Speeches and More

As an update to my last post, my favorite sumo rikishi (wrestler) ended the tournament with a winning record and the probability that he will move up in rank. That's good. And, while he didn't do well for awhile, in the end, he was the only rikishi to beat the Grand Champion. The champion would have been undefeated in this tournament, except for my wrestler. So, that says something. This tournament was more interesting than the one in September, since we have developed a rivalry in the house. My one housemate has taken to cheering for the Grand Champion. The tournament is over now, but the rivalry will come again when the next tournament begins in January.

My Japanese class is going fine, except for one tiny thing. In December we are going to have speech day. If you happen to find yourself in Tokyo on Dec. 16, you are invited to attend. Our teacher said we'd be expected to invite people to our spech day. She didn't say they actually had to come :) It wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have to memorize our speeches. A speech in Japanese AND it has to be memorized???!! Yikes! I decided to tell a story about a cat named Yuki (that's "snow" in Japanese, and she is a white cat. Not very creative, but my vocab is rather limited yet).

Also, I bet you wonder what I do on Sunday mornings, since I am here with the ELCA as a missionary. Each of us is assigned a different cogregation. My congregation is Hoya Lutheran Church. It is near my house, and it is a wonderful little congregation. The people there are so friendly and welcoming. There are two women pastors at Hoya; one of them studied at the Lutheran seminary in Philadelphia. Usually I practice my Japanese after worship during lunch, but it's nice to know there are people who knowEnglish to help me along! I don't understand everything that goes on during worship, because everything is in Japanese, but I know basic words, such as God, Jesus, worship and "Let us pray." I can look up the Bible verses, sometimes following along (in English, of course, but listening to the Japanese). Also, I have joined the choir. Right now we're singing "O, Holy Night" for Christmas, so I only have to work on learning the Japanese, and not the notes as much.

On Sunday evenings I worship at a different local church which offers an English service on Sunday nights. Last night I was the preacher, so that was fun. It was nice to be able to lead worship again. There is comfort in that role: in the midst of Japanese studies, when Japanese studies confound me, the rituals of worship calm and orientate me again.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Sumo Obsession

My favorite Sumo rikishi ( wrestler) isn't doing well this tournament. Kotooshu is now 5-2, which still means he's doing well enough, but compared with his last tournament, he's not doing so well. There is a week left in the tournament, so I'll still keep up hope, and watch tv religiously every night.

Who would have thought that the sports bug would bite me? A few of you already know the devotion with which I watch Sumo already, and you hope it is a phase I will soon outgrow. However, my Sumo obsession has helped me learn Japanese: "Sumo rikishi" was on our vocabulary list. Also, Sumo has allowed me to develop my interests independent of my housemates and other American friends here. I am also learning Japanese tradition, religious rites and culture in my study of Sumo. In addition, if I can save the money, attending the tournament in January is a goal of mine. It is a good goal to have as it will encourage both independence and Japanese-langauge use (as I am suspecting none of my American friends will be interested in attending with me, because I am planning to sit as close to the ring as my misisonary salary will let me!

In the meantime, I will follow the Kyushu Tournament, and cheer on Kotooshu. And study Japanese. Because in January, I'm going to need it!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

How to order a newspaper in Japan

Step one: Sign up online.

It's in English, and there is less chance of a person misunderstanding you. Sign up for direct deposit which will also make life easier. Realize after you've signed off the computer that they never asked for your bank account information. Maybe they'll ask after the paper starts arriving.

Step Two: Begin enjoying newspaper.

For a month, the newspaper shows up daily in the mailbox and you devour it with relish. But, in the back of your brain, you wonder when they're going to realize you haven't yet set up a pay schedule.

Step Three: Pay the nice lady.

When you arrive late on a Sunday evening, loaded with grocery bags and suitcases becasue you've been at Bible Camp, and you're tired because there had been an accident on the train line and you had to wait for it to be cleared (it was one stop from yours, so you couln't go around it by another way), be on the alert for the newspaper collection woman. She shows up, smiling. Pay her what you owe.

Step Four: Attempt to discern your future payment schedule.

Ask the woman before she leaves if this is for one month only, and will she come back next month, or can you still pay online? She doesn't speak English.

Step Five: Look for your newspaper the following week.

Ummm, hey...Why did the newspaper stop coming?

Step Six: Have a long-term missionary call the newspaper office.

No problem. A long-termer called for you. He's lived here 20 years, his Japanese is awesome, and he also receives the same paper, so he knows what happened to you wasn't supposed to happen. Everything is straightened out. Your paper will arrive as usual bright and early Monday morning.

Step Seven: An hour later, if the phone rings, don't answer it.

She doesn't speak English and your Japanese, though improving, isn't that good yet. She will say Shinbun (newspaper, okay). Then something else, then ask you a question. You will know it is a question because there will be a long pause while she waits for you to answer. Finally, you say "I'm sorry, I don't speak much Japanese." And you hear her whisper to someone offstage, "English...." Obviously, she doesn't find anyone to help, because she comes back and repeats herself. Now, after a month of Japanese, you can say, "I would like my newspaper subscription to begin on Monday please." Or, at least you can say, "Newspaper - Monday - begin - please" which in the grand scheme of things means the same thing. And just because it's a new word you learned that day, you throw in a "mainichi" (everyday) for good measure. None of this weekend only stuff. It's your only contact to the English speaking world outside Japan...you need it everyday.

Step Eight: Admit deafeat.

Just say "Yes." Hang up the phone and pray.

Step Nine: Wait for Monday.

On Monday, enjoy your newly restarted newspaper. On Tuesday wonder why it didn't come. On Wednesday wonder why it came again.

Step Ten: Never assume anything.

Take each day as a blessing and laugh when things are askew. It makes things in Japan seem that much easier.

Did you feel the earthquake?

I would like to think that God is shielding me from an experience that completely unsettles me. I would like to believe I will live in Japan for 2 1/2 years without ever feeling the ground move beneath my feet. I would like to be confident that life will continue on as is, without the undue trauma that earthquakes cause me. With my track record, things are looking good.

I never considered myself a heavy sleeper. In college, when the phone rang in the middle of the might, my roomate would NEVER hear it, so I would have to climb down from the top bunk and answer it. I don't sleep through my alarm clock. Storms don't often wake me. So, what woke me this morning?

This morning I woke up to my two housemates hollering at each other. It was 6:40am, and neither of them are vocal at all before 7:00, and even then, they don't holler until at least 11:00. So, I was confused, but since it was past time for me to get up, I went downstairs and put my coffee on. Shortly thereafter, the housemate from Wisconsin came down. "Did you feel the earthquake?" she asked.

Did I feel the earthquake?

She has now asked me this twice in two months. And twice, I had to answer, "No...." This time, I slept through it. I slept through an earthquake. Do you realize just how momentous this is? Awhile back, there was a tiny earthquake that shook the house while I was doing homework in the dining room. It lasted all of a minute (or less), and the total effect was minimal. And I freaked.

I would like to think I will live here for 2 1/2 years without feeling an earthquake. While I know that's already not to be. But, we've had three, and I've only felt one. The odds are certainly in my favor!

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Yasumi

Yasumi is Japanese for holiday, or any day one has off school or work. Last Thursday was a yasumi for us. Culture Day is a national holiday here in Japan, and though I am still unclear as to how and why it was started ( it was an emporor's birthday...that's all I know), the festivities that now surround the day are exciting to watch. I spent the day at Meiji Shrine, which is said to be the most important Shinto shrine in Tokyo (the shrine is the burial place of Emperor and Empress Meiji, hence the name). The activities of the day included martial arts demonstrations, men dressed as Samuri giving antique gun demonstrations, sake vendors, taiko drum players, and - my favorite - Yabusame.

Yabusame is archery on horseback. An archer gallops down a stretch of ... well... I don't know how far, I've never been good at judging distance. So, the archer and horse gallop a ways, meanwhile shooting at two targets. After the three rounds of this, the finalists go on to the next round. The regular target is taken down and replaced with a small clay disk. The archer then aims at the disk. Whoever has the most hits at the end is the winner. This year, there was a senior high school student among the competitors. He didn't win, but he made it to the final round. A champion Yabusame player also took part. I think he was the winner again, but we left before the awards were given, so I am not sure.

The grounds of the shrine cover about 175 acres. It is a quiet, beautiful place to go walking. The grounds are open to anyone, so if the city gets to be too much, the shrine is a good place to escape the concrete.

I had a great time on Culture Day. One thing I'll say about Japan, I now have favorite sports I like to watch, which never happened at home!

Yabusame, anyone?