Japanese Language Class

This week I took a Japanese Language Class and I am now fluent!  Just kidding. Far from it! In fact, I think I need to re-take this class because it is HARD!  It was every day for 1.5 hours around lunchtime.  It was very interesting because we got to learn a little about the culture too, since they are so intricately tied together.  A lot of the things my mama san does make more sense to me now.... like why, when I gave her a Christmas present (tipping is considered insulting in Japan. And you all know how I feel about tipping anyway!LOL), she brought me a bag of chips and a box of cakes the next week.  Apparently giving cake means "thank you" to them, like instead of writing a Thank You card they give you cake.  Good information to know. Weird, but good.

She also brought me two bags of chips the other day for no apparent reason, although the instructor explained that when you do a favor for someone it is appropriate for them to give you a small gift of food that they might think you like.  Since I took her to the base pass office I guess she brought me chips for this favor. She must think we eat a lot of chips!!

The people in my "class" were really starting to annoy me though.  One person asked how to say "Shut Up" in Japanese so she could say it to her husband without him knowing.  Umm.... okay, lady. No one thinks you are funny.  The instructor was Japanese so of course she didn't "get" it.  The Japanese are very, very polite people so they would never say "Shut Up" and there is no translation for this phrase.  Which she would have known had she paid attention at all on Day ONE of being on this island!  Another guy asked how you would say "Excuse YOU" if someone bumped into them and they didn't apologize... again, this is cultural, they are used to living on top of each other in very little space and so do not pay attention to slight bumps in a store or what not.

The Japanese are also superstitious about the number Four, or Shi, because in their writing it means Death.  So in hospitals, they do not have Room #4, you do not give someone 4 flowers, instead you would give them 3 or 5, etc.  So one guy thinks he's being cute and asks, "Well how would you translate it if you were going to a funeral with four dead people?"  Of course the instructor is totally confused and tries to explain it again... this guy just thinks it is funny. I just do not understand some people!

Anyway, the class was overall very good, but I will need to carry around my little book with me for awhile when we are out and about to practice. I should probably repeat the class again before going on to the Level II class.  The Japanese must think we are all so ignorant - they grow up learning English in grammar school and beyond so most of them have some knowledge of our language and yet we are so ignorant of theirs.  And we are guests on this island yet show such a lack of respect for their customs, traditions, etc. Living here makes you very much aware of your own culture and while I am so proud to be an American and all that we stand for, sometimes I am embarassed by our rudeness!

Just my random thoughts for the day... more to follow later.  Oh, and I just got HAPPY NEWS from hubby, can't share specifics but at least there are more firm details in place now. Yippee!