Back home, I was in all sorts of international and Asian-themed groups: martial arts club, East Asian studies club, Japanese discussion table, American International Association, and FLA (oh, wonderful FLA~). But here, I'm surrounded by all that is Japan!! So do they have an EAS group here? Nope. We don't have an American Student Union back in the states (do we?). However, I was surprised to find out that they don't have an American Culture Club or at least an American Movie Club. Get on that, Japan!!
As you saw from my tsukimi photos, all the clubs came out to vie for new members. You have to be really careful about your wording (which I found out the first night). As you left the auditorium, there was a mob of club members sitting outside the door ready to nab and new foreign student. And, boy, did I feel foreign that night. One group I saw was the ICU Handbell Choir. They rushed up to me and asked, if I'd like to see them play. I didn't know what to do, so I didn't answer the question, but instead said, "Oh, there is a handbell choir at my school in America. I think they have 30 members." These. Girls. Flipped. Out! They were so excited to learn that not only had I seen handbell before, but that I came from a magical land where young people wearing white gloves could play bells in a group 30-strong. I was soon captured by the eager handbell members.
As the choir members ushered me down to their mat, I heard a few phrases that I think I should clarify for anyone else going abroad.
"Kyoumi ga arimsuka?" "Do you have an interest (in our club)?"
"Shimitai desuka?" "Do you want to try it?"
"Onamae to addoresu wo kaitekurenai?" "Won't you write your name and email?"
"Hairitain desuka?" "Do you want to join?"
Okay, here is the danger. Question 1 REALLY means that, "you have given thought to their club and want to learn more about joining." Question 2 REALLY means that, "you are very interested in their club and want to come to a meeting/practice/demonstration." Quesiton 3 REALLY means that, "the club can contact you as if you were a current member." And question 4 REALLY means....well..."do you want to join?"
Now, through a series of adventures too long to post, I was able to free myself of the handbell girls (but not before sitting through their rendition of "It's a Small World After All").
Flash forward a few weeks: We are now on or around September 24th, and I've joined only three groups officially: Yearbook, Wadaiko, and Soul Run. The Yearbook group is helpful because it is FREE to join, while other clubs cost about $30 just to join. Yearbook also lets me meet a lot of people, use primarily Japanese, work with really nice cameras, and see most of the groups here on campus. Wadaiko is the traditional Japanese drumming group that I joined last week, and it is a blast! Such a work-out and getting to use the drums is a great stress reliever. Soul Run is the Souran Bushi Dancing gorup here. I taught Souran Bushi back at FLA (oh, wonderful FLA~), but this group has its own twists on some of the movements. I'll say this right now: it hurts. Terribly. But this is a great way to strengthen my legs since most of their movements are done extremely low to the ground. Plus, they meet during lunch, so I don't have to worry about staying out late, I just swing by the gym. I'm still looking at Aikido (they have lovely mats to use and a great group of kids) and Judo (but I've yet to join in on their practice session). I don't want another martial art to ruin my taijutsu, but it would be nice to have someone to practice with regularly here on campus.
One of the great things about joining these clubs (even though they are much more demanding and strict than the ones at Witt), is that I can see different leadership styles. Club activities, meeting procedures, and organization are a bit of a change (and some of the clubs are held just in Japanese :S). I've already got a list going of what things I want to take back to America and use at my clubs in Witt. If they let me.
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