Zelkova Family Tree, the Basics

Just to warn you, this is a huge post with a lot of information! If you can't finish it all in one sitting, don't worry; this took me a few days to write.

Zelkova House is mostly for underclassmen here at ICU. That would explain the rather high security, strict regulations, and all the kids here under 20. But, for some reason, ICU decided that it would be a good idea to also open up the dorm to third year foreign students. Ummmm, lots of 21-something, party-loving, loud and proud, American students in a super-conservative, Japanese dorm? You really thought that was going to work? Hahahahaha!! It makes me laugh because it is numerous!

While I love my roommate and many of the other April students, it really has been a relief to have the other foreigners around. At first, I must admit, I wasn't too sure if I'd like anyone else here (my track record for making friends in my dorms has been pretty low), but during the fall term, a little group developed and started hanging out, eating out, talking, and doing a lot together. Most of the students are from Middlebury University, a language school in Vermont that I was interested in going to, but that was too, too expensive for me to think about for long. Then there is myself and a boy from Taiwan/New Zealand, but he's just here avoiding the mandatory army service for a while. The other students are 4 year regulars; most of them freshmen who grew up outside of Japan and now returned for college.

One of our members starting saying that we were like a family; something I normally find too clique, but it seemed to work here maybe due to some of the hostility from the Japanese students to our group. Pretty soon, we even started assigning family roles (mommy, uncle, sons) to the different people. I wanted to make a little family tree, but luckily enough one of the girls with more artistic talent than I beat me to it. (Note: I didn't draw it this way, but only the white or mixed kids have round eyes, but all the full-blooded Asians -Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean- have slanted/closed eyes. The one that says "Me!" is Mika, the artist.)

The relationships are all self explanatory, so let me introduce you to the family!

A baffled Matthew helping Yuta with English 

First, we have Grandfather Gan-san. His real name is Matthew, but Gan (or cancer) is just his nickname because he complained about getting too much sun on his unnaturally pale skin. He's rather tall, quiet, and timid, but a wiz at kanji! This boy knows words and kanji in Japanese that I haven't thought about in English for years. He is a huge Arashi fan, too (no, like you don't even know!) so I still get a frequent dose of boy-band banter with him.

Next is Lia, the mommy in the group. She is absolutely gorgeous, very responsible, a model student, and a grammar fiend! She'll make sure you speak good (I mean, well) if it kills you.  She's a great dancer and really fun in arguments because she never backs down. I love her fashion sense and she's always making sure we stay on task.

Elliott is smart-mouthed and cocky, but well informed and good to have on your side of an argument. You can't force this kid to do anything he doesn't want to. He's chill and usually practicing some new dance moves during class. His main interests seem to be his girlfriend, current events, and mocking/insulting his friends, mostly Kaze.

Kaze, Ellie, and Lia (left to right)

Kaze (really name is Tony?) is super quiet, Taiwanese film major whose studied and lived almost everywhere! We used to laugh at him a lot in Japanese class, but he's gotten much better now. He's also really sporty, swims, runs, and plays basketball. He usually takes care of everyone else at parties, and all the girls agree that he's such a gentleman and too sweet for words.

Ellie is so young and genki (really, I don't know where it all comes from), but this tall and thin Hong Kong model is such a good student and always has such nice things to say about other people. She dresses so well all  the time and is so curious about everything the group does or talks about. I am so jealous of her skin, hair, height, heart, everything! I'm so glad I met her!

 According to our family tree, Ellie's twin sister is Mika, who is sassy and surprising. I don't know when she's going to be quiet and when she's going to play music really loud! She did my mermaid-bubble make-up and is great with fashion, too. She has a way of making other people feel better and can calm down the boys after they get too rilled up.

Sho is the classic cool, no other way of saying it. He plays lacrosse, cuts class, is always in a constant "chill" mode, wears name brands, etc.; it continually surprises me that he and I are in the same circle. Elliott likes to rag on Sho for not being serious enough and partying too much, but that is just what he does. We've come up with a lot of nicknames for him, but my favorites have got to be "Shosuke" (a play off of "Ryosuke", a typical Japanese boy's name), "Feather Now Spring" (the direct translation of his name), and "Fo' Sho!"

Zelkova Family's "golden son" would have to be Rei. This kid can do lay down the law in Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, and cooking. I love listening to what he thinks about everything from the complications of life to the consistency of a pizza crust. He's really talented with films, directing, and impressions. Having him around always leaves me in stitches; either from laughing so hard or bending my brain around so new perspective he's shared with me. What is more, this energetic New Yorker has picked up the yo-yo as a new hobby and watching him practice some of his advanced tricks leaves me hypnotized most of the time.

Takana (not officially in the family), me, Kaze, Elliot, Lia,
Meghan, Jerry, Mikey (left to right)

Mikey acts as the uncle in our group. He's a wonderfully talented musician, who will hopefully be able to study abroad in California at a legitimate music school. The girls (myself included) always force him to play his guitar and sing for us until late into the night, sometimes even after his voice is dead. Sorry, Mikey! His family are professional Outrigger Hawaiian canoe racers and his arms are as big as my legs, I swear! He's usually practicing at the pool when he's not int he library, or trying to stop talking with us and get to either of those places.

Jin plays sister to both Mikey and Elliott in our family tree. She's our Korean beauty, very mature, and a fantastic cook! Sometimes she'll treat the group (well, okay, mostly Elliott who misses his mom's food) to spicy and tasty Korean meals with names I can't remember (I think "thug" was one of them?). She's a great dancer and was even learning Arabic dancing, which made me happy to hear. It is good to just sit and talk with her when I'm feeling stressed or fried  from too much drama. She has even offered to help me learn the Korean alphabet! To think, she's had to learn to speak two languages fluently and is practically fluent in Japanese too. What a smart girl!

Jerry is a great balance to Lia. In the family structure, he is my dad because is the only non-Asian guy we have in the group. He's loud (always) and is not afraid to let you know that you're wrong, so get used to it. He reminds me a lot of my high school friend, Mike; he loves languages, studying cultures, and getting into debates. He is a great source of knowledge for Asian music, especially Korean and Hamasaki Ayumi. Now, I thought that I enjoyed a good stroll, but Jerry loves walking so much, he's refused to buy a bike because he knows he'd rather walk somewhere instead. Power to you, Jerry.

If Jerry is Mike, that would definitely make Meghan Sophie (and Lia would be Rashmi, come to think of it. Would that make me, me? Or is there someone better suited for that position? Regardless.). Meghan and Jerry always go off on Spanish tangents since both of them grew up in Hispanic households, but their arguments look so lopsided since Jerry is so much bigger and taller than Meghan, although she's got enough spunk for both of them!

Then there is same old, same old Zaiton, the oldest cousin in the Zelkova family. Zaiton is the romanization (or latinization) of the Japanese pronunciation of the American version of my family name. I would have done the Arabic pronunciation but Japanese doesn't really have an "tuu" sound and anything close to it wouldn't be close at all. It is better this way, and I'll let you all know when I find the right kanji for it.

Yuta is the newest member to our group. He was always getting help from Matthew and then came over one night. He doesn't talk much, but we try to get him into the conversation From what we've been able to gather, he's wicked tall, plays on (or is the captain of) the volleyball team, and likes (among other artists) Justin Bieber. Hahahahaa, he'll learn. Yuta is one of the only April students who is willing or bold enough, not only to hang out with us at the dorm, but in public, too! He's really laid back, which is good for our group dynamic, but I worry that we might scare him sometimes. In the family system, he got to pick where he wanted to be, and decided to be Ellie and Mika's older brother (he specifically asked to be under Kaze and not Elliott).

That wraps it up for the current family members.Why mention all these characters now? Well, we constantly have family outings, dinners, and parties, so it is all preparatory knowledge for later stories and blogs. Sorry for making this so long, but it needed to be done. お疲れ様でした。Good work for reading all of this! I'll try to make the next ones short, sweet, and interesting.

Kaitenzushi, the Basics

(Yet another food blog)

Up until now, I’ve only been to the kaitezushi (revolving sushi) bar behind Musashi-Sakai station and one in the basement of a Kobe department store complex. Going to the one in Kobe won’t happen for me until I go all the way back to Kobe, so I was prepared to settle for the one near the station. But while it was cheap, it was so small and so crowded, and I’d have to bike all the way there. Not such a good set up. That was until my friends let me in on a great ICU secret: there is a bigger, closer, cheaper sushi bar right down the street!

They had all been craving sushi (and, really, who doesn’t?) and we had Friday afternoon classes canceled for a government issued test that weekend, so we decided to head off for our fill of sushi right after Japanese class. So, after class, off we went; past the gate watchman, past the rival ramen stores, the small shrine, J-Mart, Don Quixote, the large shrine, and under a bridge or two. We can in mass, which might have intimidated lesser store owners, but this particular kaiten was used to having swarms of ICU foreigners, so they weren’t shocked to see us at all. We did, though have to split up because SOME OF US couldn’t wait and decided it would be a good idea to skip the second half of Japanese class and go to the restaurant early, so they were already done by the time we arrived. All’s well that ends well, though, as our second wave would have had to sit at a second booth anyway.

For those of you who are new to all this (and in case I haven’t written it already), kaitenzushi bars are known for minimal customer-chef interaction and for serving most of the food on a revolving belt. The sushi chef cooks (rather, matches or wraps) everything in a little area and sets his finished pieces on the belt. As the little fish travels around the counter, it is up for grabs for anyone sitting at the bar. If you want one, just take it. After you eat the sushi, keep your plate until the end the servers will tally up how much you ate and bill you off that. Different types of plates have different colors or styles to help calculate price. For example, a yellow plate might be 105 yen, but one with blue flowers will be 225 yen. Color also lets the customer know if the sushi comes with wasabi already included or not. Each shop has a different plate system, so it is good to check before you grab a 500 yen plate. Ordering off the menu is also allowed.

If the store is small enough, you can just tell the chef what you want. But at the place we went, there cooks were all in the kitchen and two belts of food were coming out on the floor. In order to order, you had to type what you’d like electronically and when your order was ready, it would be sent around in a special bowl and music would announce that it was coming near your booth.

Most people like tuna and other types of fish, but the chewier stuff is my favorite! Clams, oysters, squid, and octopus are all good choices, but if you want something else, just pick it up. The restaurant that we went to had French fries, soups, desserts, and lots of “unique” sushi rolls, too. The food was so good, filling, and cheap, we all went back two days later! But having it twice in a three day period is enough for me. I’ll be set for sushi for a while, I think.

Mochitsuki, the Basics

Okay, believe it or not, I actually keep a list of things that I want to write about in my blogs. It is just a matter of finally getting around to them....well, you know.

Today, there is a little thing I'd like to talk about called, mochitsuki (literally, "mochi making"). Mochitsuki is a tradition activity that has become more of less of a standard beginning of the year company ritual. Organizations set up the traditional equipment and provide the ingredients so that members, friends, and family of the group can come, pound giant mallets, and eat chewy, delicious paste to welcome in the new year. One such mochistuki was held by the construction workers at ICU. They invited everyone in to help them celebrate, and while I was interested in how the rice was actually made into mochi, I came mostly for the free lunch!

Hold on, what? Mochi? Oh, well that's uh.... I mean, it....hmm...right then. We'll call in a professional for this one: Wikipedia.

Mochi is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. Traditionally, mochi was made from whole, polished, glutinous rice, in a labor-intensive process. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time. Mochi is also a prominent snack in Hawaii, South Korea, Taiwan, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Further fun fact: The Japanese believe that there is a rabbit (not a man) on the moon and he pounds mochi with a large mallet.

Now that business is done with, let's move on. After the usual Saturday morning Wadaiko practice, I scampered over the the construction grounds just in time for the community's taiko performance. They were playing a piece that I knew which was very refreshing and, to my surprise, many other Wadaiko kids showed up to watch, too. They were on their way to see the latest Harry Potter movie, but had decided to stop off for mochi-on-a-stick instead of pay hundreds of yen for a bucket of Japanese popcorn. As an audience-powered people, the Japanese encourage unison cheering, something which I am also for, but I don't know the words. I tried faking it, but I ended up just saying the of an Arabic rice dish or other nonsensical phrases that sounded close enough. The rest of the mochitsuki was rather uneventful, in truth, but the experience was well worth the wait in line for the soup! I may or may not have had 4ths of the soup, by the way. Don't believe everything you hear.

People were constantly pounding mochi which was then used in every way imaginable by the cooks. Folks of all sizes gave mochi making a go, even little kids. I, apparently, did better than expected, but my friend Kaze wowwed more people than I did. Feeling pretty good about myself, I stood tall and proud until this spindly, little Japanese guy waltzed up, grabbed the largest mallet available and began pounding mochi with the timed precision of a Rolex watch! This man pounded on time, every time, with such force, I couldn't believe it!

Overall, a very enjoyable experience. We should do that again sometime. Next year? Sounds good. Although, this Saturday I'm rather excited for a Udon Noodle Making Party at Musashi-Koganei!! Soup! Soup for everyone!!!

Soul Run, the Basics

I know I just wrote about Soul Run going to Disney, but in reality, we don’t ever hang out. I used to see them three times a week and now we only meet up for dinner every few weeks or to go out. I miss practices! I miss scrambling from class to the gym back to class again! I miss exercising and dancing with everyone! I get the world’s smallest violin, right? Actually, I won’t be upset for much longer. We just had a Soul Run Bounenkai/Christmas Party at which they announced that we will begin practicing again soon! Apparently a really nice hotel has booked us as live entertainment for some big event and we need to get back into practice, reorganize our lines, and build up those leg muscles again. We did lose a lot of good members because they were only here for the first semester, but this time we won’t be starting from scratch, at least.

But this is a “basics” blog, so let me get the cultural lecture out of the way. I’ve done this speech so many times, and if I’ve already done it on here too, I’m sorry, but I’m sure someone will be reading it for the first time. “Soul Run” is a play on words; the group does a type of dance called Souran Bushi and it sounds a lot like Soul Run, so the name stuck. For Japanese, they translated the name directly (魂走) and call themselves the Running Souls. Kind of cool, kind of creepy, but it works. Souran Bushi is a traditional Japanese (Hodaiko?) fisherman’s dance that has been sped-up and reset to more modern-sounding music. Every group who performs Souran has their own version or style. There are certain parts in the song that are made for slight improve, and of course the number of people changes a lot of flare in the dance. For all my kids in FLA, we did Souran Bushi before, but I wanted to do the real thing here in Japan. It was such an experience and it really showed me how weak my stamina could be, but I soon got the hang of it.

Now that I know the real way to dance, I really want to start a group of my own at Witt. It would have a purpose: we can perform at the East Asian Festival during my senior year, I ‘d be teaching people about Japanese culture, and I would be able to do the dance again (hehe). But if it is under my control, the dancers are going to know their stuff! No slackers allowed! If we dance Souran Bushi, we go hard and fierce! Just saying. It is all still in the planning stages, but it is going to happen. But before then, we have to do the performance in February. Once more with the Running Souls, then I’m on my own in America. Dokkoisho!

Before I finish the post, I was able to find this video on facebook! It is of our final performance during the ICU Festival. The first one is us performing Souran Bushi and the second is the Para Para performance. The boys stage left are the Para Para Club and the kids on stage right are the Shorinji Kempo members. Soul Run is in front of the stage and I'm the one in dead center. Remember, I had dislocated (the relocated) my left knee a week before th performance and had been doing taiko all that week and weekend, too. But I think I kept pace pretty well. Hope you like it!

Fall Holidays, the Basics

It came as a shock to some of the exchange students here, but Japan has different holidays than the US. Japan has some strange holidays like Respect the Elderly Day, Culture Day, Sports Day, and Autumnal Equinox Day. But it doesn’t have things like Daylight Savings Day, Halloween, or Thanksgiving. Those are pretty Western/American concepts (because of the European historical and cultural heritage of the United States that never happened in Japan). “But, Alexandra, didn’t you just say in a previous blog that you dressed up for a Halloween party?” Yes, I did. Let me explain.

While Halloween, for example, is not a nationally recognized holiday here in Japan, many people think that it is a really fun idea, and groups of people celebrate it on their own. Halloween parties, neighborhood organized Trick-or-Treating, and Halloween decorations/goods can be found, but these are just based on whether or not anyone does it on their own. Dressing up in costumes, stories about ghost/daemons, colorful decorations, free sweets, and a reason to let loose all appeal to the Japanese (especially young people). Plus, except for local festivals, this time of fall has a void of national holidays, which people are eager to fill.

But something that hasn’t quite caught on here is Thanksgiving. Buttery mashed potatoes, thick gravey, a huge turkey, and corn on the cob hasn’t nabbed the Japanese appetite, nor has the idea that you spend one day being thankful for all that you have. Why not? Well, as far as the Japanese are concerned, they’ve always lived in Japan and didn’t have to make their way in any New World, but have inherited everything from the generations before them or the gods. If you want to express thanks, you simply honor your ancestors or visit a shrine. Simple as that. There are also other times for people to show they are grateful. They have their own, so why adopt a foreign concept? That is why instead of little pilgrim and Indian decorations, the Christmas lights and wreaths have already gone up, and a nation where less than 1% of the population is Christian is waiting the festivities of their adopted holiday.

"It's settai, everybody!!" The Basics

Glancing at my photo albums, you'll notice that there is a lot of food. Why is that? I love food, that's why! I use food when I'm celebrating, when I'm bored, when I'm sad, when I want to do something nice for a friend, as a conversation starter, and as a treat (something to reward myself after a long night of studying or a big project). Food is just good all around, and more food is better than less food, so let them eat cake!

Where was I? Right, sorry.

Anyway, most of the time, I eat by myself, but there are a few pictures already of me eating with a group of people. The people are probably the Wadaiko club, the Yearbook club, Keyaki/Zelkova Dorm, or the Soul Run group for settai. Let me explain: if there are three prominent Japanese values, they would be seniority, collectivism, and group harmony (WA!). Still explaining: when you join a group (be it business, club, neighborhood committee, whatever), you place yourself within the context of that group (age, time active, and rank). That is the seniority part of it. Now, of course you want the group to be the best it can be, so you and the other members work together to for the sake of the whole. Collectivism, deshou? Well, the fun doesn't stop when you clock out. Oh, no. If the older, high ranking members deem the stars to be in position, they might suggest a night out for the group. You're not to going to say no to the boss/president/club leader, right? OF COURSE NOT! Besides, in spending this extra time together, you'll become closer with the other members, increasing your group harmony, making you work better together, making the company better, etc. Phew! You get the idea.

This "extra group bonding time" is called settai, and people have some mixed feelings about it. Businessmen from American companies hardly like the idea at all: work is done, who wants to go have a drink with the boss? That could take hours, be expensive, and after a day of work, you're tired! Americans would rather go home and spend time with their families. Club members usually don't have a problem with it because they are all friends and looking for a fun time! But there is not nearly as much pressure to say "yes" to go to every club settai as there is for one at the office. And I'm fine with them (for the most part), if I know that they are happening. Like I said, they can be decided upon at the drop of a hat, so you sort of dawdle around after a club activity, feel the air, and see if tonight is going to be a settai night or not.

So far, I've been on about 6 settai, and I've had a blast! They are great opportunities for me to practice Japanese, and since we are all out, we don't have to talk about the club activities or school. The Japanese students know all sorts of cheap, fun places to go, too, so I find a lot of good restaurants that I'm sure I'll go to again later on this year. We've been to parks, different cities, around the college, the train station, and Mitaka, so I'm learning more about the area each time.

When's the next big settai? Within the next two weeks, I couldn't say, but there is going to be a big blowout at the ICU festival!! Then, I'll have my pick of settai, nomi/tabehoudais, and parties. Haha, we'll see what happens. Curfew is 11:30 at the dorm, so I need to be careful in whatever I do. :) Be on the lookout for more food photos, though! I'll be sure to let you know if they are settai or not.

Till then, cheers!

Japanese Fashion, Part One (of many, I'm sure)

Miki, I, and an alumna from Oberlin were strolling around Shinjuku the other day discussing Japanese fashion. Although the conversation was in a mix of Japanese and English, the translated version goes a little something like this. *note: some names may have been shortened to protect the identities of the speakers (ex. mine).

Alex: Did you see that? I would have never matched leopard leggings and a baggy, purple shirt! That was such a cool idea!

Luna: Yeah, you'll see a lot of that.

Miki: A lof of what?

Alex: Japanese fashion. It is pretty cool, but I don't know how to duplicate it yet.

Miki: I don't see much of a difference in what you're wearing and what Japanese people usually wear.

Alex: Awww, thanks, Miki.

Luna: You do look nice, but there are major differences in Japanese and American style.

Alex: True story.

Miki: For example?

Alex: Um, okay, well, for example that boy with the leopard leggings and the purple shirt. He'd probably get laughed at in Ohio. In New York, that might be more common, but most people would think he can't match his clothes well. And a lot of guys, I mean a LOT of guys, at school wear fanny packs over their chests like a purse. That hasn't really caught on in America yet.

Luna: That's true. And overalls are actually popular here. I mean, back home that's what people wear to work in or do something on a farm, but look at that girl! She's has overalls and the cuffs rolled up to her calf.

Alex: Yeah, that is something I would have worn when I was 5. Much of the style here is very young and cute.

Miki: But I wore overalls on Thursday....

Alex: I know, I know, and you looked so adorable! But in America, if you wear that, people will think your a little strange. Or maybe even poor.

Luna: In a few years, people in America will be dressing like the Japanese do now (a little), but by then, you will be doing something COMPLETELY different.

Miki: So if I wear my clothes in America, people will think I'm strange?

Alex: No, no, no, no. You're style is so sweet, Miki. And since you're from Japan, people will expect you to have slightly different clothing combinations.

Miki: Ahhh. I still don't think there is much difference....

Luna & Alex: Trust us, there is.

Now, none of this is to knock the Japanese fashion world. I love the fact that ankle boots, hair bows, headbands, little straw hats, and sweaters are all on the "hot list" for this coming fall line. Some girls on my floor and I were pouring over a Japanese magazine, and the outfits looked so adorable. Another positive aspect about fashion here, I can pull off leggings with anything here! Girls might wear super short skirts or have strapless shirts, but they always have something underneath. Leggings, undershirts, t-shirts, anything! You hardly see a Japanese person exposing a lot of skin, and when they do, it is because they're making a statement or trying to look more like Western girls. My friend Gina was stopped by someone the other day and told that she looked very nice, but have the Japanese fashion down pat yet. Why not? Her collar bone was showing in too many of her outfits.

Now, you see some really strange stuff here (you do everywhere), but the Japanese take great pride in their appearance. It starts in junior high school where students are drilled in proper uniform attire, hair style, and (no matter how busy one gets) always looking sharp and well groomed. Once they're older, I can definitely see how many of them carry these teachings into the work world, and even into different fashion sub-cultures. No matter what the trend, they look great.

There are so many things I'd like to say, but I'll stop here before I ramble. The next fashion entry will have to be about the shoe culture here, but I'll save all that for later!

Zelkova House, the Basics

One of the main problems when I first got to ICU's campus was finding my dorm.

"Do you know which dorm is yours?" Mr. Spengler asked.

"Um...I think it is called Zelkova." I replied. "Excuse me, Mister Entrance Guard, do you know where Zelkova House is?"

"Hmmm. I'm terribly sorry, but I do not think we have a dorm by that name."

Well isn't that just tanoshi?

Actually, ICU does have a dorm called Zelkova, but th

e Japanese name for it is Keyaki. In Japanese, keyaki is the name of a specific tree known for growing in the area, and in English we call that tree a zelkova (not that I have ever heard of such a tree before - maybe the Russians named it first?).

Anyway, when I found out this little bit of information, I got really excited! I wanted to find these keyaki trees and send a picture home to my nature-loving sister. But everyone I asked said the same thing. "Oh, yes, those trees are everywhere! But I don't know what they look like."

So, they are everywhere. You know they are around. You have named a dorm after them. You have named restaurants after them. The local elderly home is named after this tree, too. But no one knows what they look like?

Correction: one person does. I sought out one of the older professors on campus (such an adorable and knowledgeable old man!) and he gave me three clues to finding the mysterious, but abundant, keyaki tree.

1. It's core-middle (aka trunk) is of a medium size.

2. The branches grow upwards.

3. It gives anyone who looks at it a "round feeling"

.....um....yeah....thanks, sensei.

My only other clue was a picture of the keyaki leaf that is drawn on my dorm key. But armed with these pieces of information, I set out on a tree search the other day, and I think that I found the keyaki! But I'll let you all decide. Go to my "Campus and Heya 2" photos to see what became of my Great Tree Trek!

Ramen, the Basics

Be. Yond. Words.

But I'll try.

Ramen is not what you think. Ramen is not what I thought. Ramen is, by far, the best things I've had since I came to Japan. Everyone who has been to Japan before me wouldn't stop saying that they all got hooked on Ramen. "What is so special about Japanese-pork-and-noodle-soup?" I would wonder. "Maybe that is the Japanese comfort food or something."

Wrong. So, here's the story:

If you look in my Mitaka photo album, you'll notice that I got caught in a torrential rainstorm on my way home from the store one day. It was a long walk back to school, and I had already made pit-stops everywhere I could trying to stay dry as I lugged (full-out, lugged) a laundry basket filled with groceries and such back to ICU. After making it about 2/3rds of the way home, I thought of just stopping for a while and waiting till the rain calmed down a bit. But by then, I was right outside a ラーメン屋 (Ramen shop). Were they even open? Would they want someone who was all wet? How does one order Ramen? Just then, a young man came outside the shop to fix the "open" sign that had fallen from the winds. He saw me standing there. I saw him see me standing there. He looked at me. I looked at the sign. He looked at the sign. It was priceless.

A couple quick bows later and I was inside the store, my umbrella sopping wet in a rack, and my laundry basket-'o-stuff right next to it so as not to moisten the entire store. I threw my stuff down at the bar (for those who don't know, there is a bar that surrounds the Ramen store's kitchen) and pulled out my wallet. Now, buying food in Japan is a little different than back in the States. In this store, right next to the main doorway, was a vending machine. But not an ordinary vending machine, no Sir, this was a menu machine! You placed any amount of money into the machine, then pushed the button for the items(s) you wanted, and received the change and tickets for your meal once you were done. Then, just had the ticket to the cook and wait at your seat. Sounds easy enough, but the menu was all in Japanese. What was worse, it was mostly in kanji~! So I picked one that I could read, gave the man my ticket, and (after a while) he gave me a hot bowl of Ramen.

It looked soooooo good! Everything was in one bowl, sure, but it was neatly placed and orderly. And everything I needed to enjoy the Ramen fit on the bar top (tissues - for when your nose starts to run from the hot soup, soy sauce, pickled veggies - in the black and red container, and all you can drink water and tea). The taste was unbelievable, too!!! I'm a noodle-lover by nature, but this was more than my palete had ever handled from soup before; there was a buttery feeling, the veggies were still somewhat firm, but the meat was so, so soft, and the entire thing smelled like fall (don't ask me what that means, just have some for yourself). I was so dissapointed that I came there alone! I just wanted to turn to someone, ANYONE, and say, "Isn't this fantastic?! Can you believe this was just $7? They gave me so much, I don't think that I can finish all of this!!" There was a lot, by the way. It took me a good half hour to get it all down. But I loved every drop!

The moral of the story? Eat real Ramen, REAL Ramen, before you say that you don't like Japanese food. Don't like sushi? Fine. Can't find a taste for tempura? I can understand that. Eal just not your thing? I can dig it. But there is no way that in this world, someone exists who does not like Ramen. Get on over to Mitaka, if you can; I know a great little place just up the street.

Matsuri, Japanese Festivals, the Basics

While I'm in Japan, I'll be mostly on campus, but I'd like to venture out and about to get a taste of the famous and fun matsuri!! For all of the stereotypes that Japanese people are strict, self-controlled, meek, and well behaved, during a festival they will live it up with city-wide parades, dancing in the street, traditional costumes and music, alcohol (of course), and big spectacles for everyone to enjoy. Some matsuri are based on religious exercises, but most have become more like all-out-block-parties (similar to the old Marti Gras celebrations in New Orleans). These festivals can be for the whole nation, a single village, or even just a little shrine. Rumor has it that at any given moment there is a matsuri going on in Japan. I've studied about matsuri for two years now, and I'm dying to get a chance to see what Mitaka and Tokyo can do!

As it so happens, one of the reasons I booked my ticket for the end of this month is so that I would purposefully avoid a festival called Oban. As a Japanese travel site explains:

Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.

Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors' spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.

At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. The customs followed vary strongly from region to region.

Obon is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calender. However, since the 7th month of the year roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the formerly used lunar calender, Obon is still celebrated in mid August in many regions of Japan, while it is celebrated in mid July in other regions.

The Obon week in mid August is one of Japan's three major holiday seasons, accompanied by intensive domestic and international travel activities and increased accommodation rates.

I'm not sure what the next matsuri in my area will be, but hopefully I'll be able to go and not be overloaded with homework! By the way, this is the post is the start of my 1 week countdown!!

Studying Online, the Basics

Since Strongsville and Springfield, Ohio are not known for a large Asian population, I have had to find other ways of practicing Japanese. Luckily, many sempai (older students) have been able to give me great tips for studying at home, with friends, and online.

Here are a few of my favorite tools for languages:

Rosetta Stone - bright pictures, voice recognition, and repetitive study, Rosetta Stone lives up to its reputation as a language learning software. Instant feedback on pronunciation and slow progression through vocab, grammar, listening, speaking, and reading activities is a great way to practice old information or learn new phrases.

Smart.fm - This is a great way to gain vocab knowledge FAST!! An online flashcard site, smart.fm offers lists of words in various subjects and langues. Making an account is free (most of my study tips are free or low-budget), and not only can you use existing lists, but you can make your own. The one problem: because this is a community site, some people don't know their kanji or spelling as well as they ought, so you might find someone who doesn't know the difference between homophones like 上げる and 挙げる.

LiveMocha.com - My sister and her friend just showed this to me. It is another community made site where people who are interested in langues help each other learn. There are activities to learn how to read, write, and speak in a host of other languages, but be kind and help review the work of other people that are trying to learn your native tongue.

WordReference.com - This is a great place to get a quick answer to a language problem or to join in a world-wide forum about languages. This site part dictionary and part forum where people can help you with any question you have in almost any language. Just make an account and start a thread. Very helpful for late night conjugation tables, too (especially a romance language).

Of course there are a host of helpful sites out there. Language learning software is abundant, too. Just search around and find something that interests you; a program that tracks your progress is a bonus. And if you find something really helpful out there, please let me know too!!

Omiyage (お土産), the Basics

When someone does something nice for you, you normally want to do something nice back, right? You could go out and buy something, but consumer prices in Japan are usually wicked expensive. Besides, since I'll be coming from far-off America, wouldn't it be cool to give them a souvenir they couldn't normally get themselves? The Japanese call a souvenir an "omiyage." A funny word, maybe, but easy to say and remember (for those of us who saw the original Karate Kid, think of Mr. Miyagi and change it just a tad). Omiyage can range be anything from food, a small toy, a little box, or stamps. A little token of your appreciation for help or friendship.

"Gez, Alexandra, thanks for the vocab lesson and all, but why should we care?" I'm so glad you asked!

In Japan, the chain of events is usually as follows: clueless American arrives, fumbles around, attempts the language/culture, someone takes pity, really helps them figure things out, the American says thanks, and that's it. WRONG!! When someone does you a favor, you are expected to say more than just "domo" and think you've done well. Write a little card, give them a bag of sweets, or buy a key chain for their cell phone. International students need quite a bit of help in Japan, so we are expected to give quite a few omiyage.

"But that doesn't say much on what to bring. What would they like?"

Really, they won't care too much about what you bring, but here are some standards that your omiyage should meet:

1. Hard to find in Japan. Looking back, that cell phone key chain isn't a good idea since they are on every street corner and konbini (convenience store) in Japan.

2. It represents your area/state/country. Get little plush toys of your state bird, find some trifles from your school, buy post cards with pictures of your town, or get some thing that is made in your area (Malley's Chocolate, for example).

3. Add some words. Bringing anything with English on it will interest the Japanese. Don't we in America get excited if a song has some French in it (look to Lady Gaga for a clue)? The Japanese think that English words really cool, even if it makes no sense or says something very mundane.

4. Keep it small. Think of the omiyage as a knick-knack. Something that won't take up too much space in their house or your suitcase.

5. Taste appeal. A small snack that is popular in America is usually found in Japan. But since peanut butter is not widely used in Japan, something like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup would be a fun, interesting sweet that they are not used to. Just make sure that your candy does not melt in the airplane; have someone ship a bag to you once your settled in the country.

A final thought, bring some omiyage back!! While out and about in the city, there are a lot of places that sell souvenirs and trinkets just like we do in America. Just make sure they fit in your suitcase.

Study Abroad, the Basics

As I mentioned earlier, this year I'm heading off to International Christian University (ICU) in Mitaka, Japan. I'm rather fortunate to even be going there for two reasons.

1. Getting the opportunity for study abroad is fantastic in and of itself!!
2. Wittenberg was very lucky to be granted admittance to ICU and send students on an Invitee basis.

"But, Alexandra, aren't you going to be an exchange student?" Naw, not really. This is a tad different. Most colleges have partnerships with other schools in and out of the country. Depending on who and where those other schools are, students can bop around to different colleges, expanding their courses, cultural understanding, and language proficiency. Going into study abroad you have a few different options: exchange, direct enrollment, programs, and invitee. An exchange is a simple trade; one of our kids for one of yours. The students don't have to swap in the exact same year, but after a while, the number of students coming in is the same as going abroad. This works pretty well for the schools since they were expecting that American student to be living at the college anyway. Their numbers didn't change for the year, just their diversity level. Direct enrollment is when you study abroad, but it is a little more than the limited time deal. A student who is directly enrolling into a foreign school typically is now regarded as a student of that college, must fulfill all the general course requirements, and can graduate from that school. You only directly enroll somewhere if you plan on being there all 4 years and are already proficient enough in the language to live there. Programs are like tourism packages; sure you have to go to school and study, but the program staff will make sure that you visit the major cites in the area, meet and mingle with other people in your program, and act as your support group away from home.

This all brings us to the invitee end of it all.

Probably not "the best for last," invitee standing can be seen as a gift from a benevolent ruler. What do I mean? Look at it this way, if you come from a big school, you probably have a lot of programs, students, funding, and fame. Everyone wants to be your friend because they can then say that their students have the chance to study abroad at your school. But if you are a small school, people in the town next to you might not know you exist, so how is someone in another country going to know you are there? They won't. And they won't care. That is why invitee programs are so special. Being on an invitee basis with someone means, "I don't want my students to go to your school necessarily, but you can come to my school. Just don't come rushing in all at once! One at a time, if you please." See? it isn't that they are rude, just more focused on the bigger prize. But this means that I can sneak in under the radar and attend the same sort of school that the students from larger universities get to go to!

Wittenberg has an invite from ICU because one of the professors of Japanese here knew the president of ICU and a few years ago worked out a deal to have one Witt kid per year come to ICU. But just ONE student per year is invited over! I'll be the fourth student invited to ICU, much in thanks to my helpful sempai: Tyler Roberts, Kai Wiesner-hanks, and Joani Schaffner.

Phew!! That was a lot for just a little question. What was the question again? I'll have a couple other posts under my "Basics" category over the summer. For more on ICU, feel free to check out an online article I wrote about them and their official website.