*sorry to double-post. if you haven't yet, go check out the post right before this one, in which i get a little angry at a particular movie. and of course this is from my pink notebook*
Date Written: August 20th
I went into this summer with a lot of worries, expectations, uncertainties. One thing I wanted to challenge was Tokyo's famed comparison to New York City, especially in terms of me being able to live there. No previous city, no matter how big or small, could stand up to NY on my list of liveable cities. NY stood alone.
Near the end of my program, facebook would tell me about all my Yale friends who were back in their hometowns saying things like, "18 days til Yale!!!!" and "_____ is SOOO pumped to go back to Yale" and I realized I wasn't ready to leave yet. I love Yale almost more than anything, as you all know, but I didn't feel like my time in Tokyo was quite over yet.
And then I told Ming, "I could just stay here."
*cue Ming victory music*
Took me almost 2 and a half months to realize it, but Tokyo became such a big part of my life and heart that I found somewhere other than NY that I could actually call home for longer than a summer.
And hopefully one day I will.
Tokyo-win♥
Y-A-L-E love all the way in Japan =]
![Y-A-L-E love all the way in Japan =]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjNf7UE2Ebw2WbcWPIC7JDxDXefq142VBuIRDGbDAQP1_7PvCwr6JTLftGpPOJCATOpvx4xSDYwukkBiW3Pl6jB7IiQLZW5c7GMlpK_P-VKcmkvtX5hs-CNhqh2z7egFdSX2VtZ7FKS4w/s1600-r/Y-A-L-EResized.jpg)
sábado, 22 de agosto de 2009
Lost in Translation Because You Threw Out The Map
*transcribed from my pink notebook*
Date Written: August 18th
"OMG you're in Tokyo and you've never seen 'Lost in Translation'???"
Yeah, guys. You didn't think it was possible, huh. The bar (New York Bar?) from that movie has reached considerable heights of fame, seeing as I didn't even know what it looked like and yet still explained to two American (really, they were, I checked lol) girls how to get there after the Starbucks girl had no idea that was even a movie.
So, with 13 hours to kill and a movie selection of 186, I decided to watch Lost in Translation on my flight home, after Grease and Lilo and Stitch.
I'll preempt this by saying that I did not finish the movie; at a certain point I started talking to the young Japanese guy next to me and proceeded to chat (in JAPANESE!! =]) for like an hour, after which I fell asleep for the remainder of the trip (but Japanese-win!!).
I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane--they showed clips of Shinjuku, Shibuya Station, Pachinko, Karaoke, crazy Japanese parties, etc. And I wasn't lost when it came to understanding the spoken Japanese.
I didn't like the portrayal of Japan in the movie. Japan is very close to my heart and to see it shown as a weird, lonely, emo, no-soundtrack kind of place was kind of sad. Neither Bill Murray nor Scarlett Johansson's charcters knew a bit of Japanese, which can very understandably make being in Japan overwhelming and difficult, but they weren't really trying at all; they were just being obnoxious. When being spoken to in Japanese, Bill Murray would do that "yeah. uh huh. of course. yeah. totally" thing teenagers use on their parents when they're reprimanding them and they wanna be smartasses about it. Meaning I derive from that obnoxious behavior? "I don't really care what you're saying, blah blah blah..."
It's not cute and it's not understanding.
I also disagree with certain uses of English. For example, before Bill takes Scarlett to the hospital and they're eating somewhere, he jokes with the Japanese chef/waiter dude in rapid, sarcastic English to make S laugh. CLEARLY, the Japanese man does not understand him, but kind of nods and smiles along with it anyway. Nobody can possibly feel good in that situation. The Japanese is made to look like an idiot and not even given a chance with slower, clearer English, just so B can flirt with S. Granted, I also dislike it when Japanese people do that to foreigners--nothing positive is gained by proving that yes, you know your native tongue better than some foreigner who has never studied it.
I guess what bothers me is the lack of effort. The movie portrayed two foreigners who were quick to dismiss adapting to Japan for just one week, opting instead for plans to escape the country and remarks of "I need to get out of here."
Yes, Japanese culture and life is ぜんぜん違う (completely different) from anything I've experienced in my 70% Colombian 30% American upbringing. But that doesn't mean I should close my mind to it and write it off as a weird culture with chikan and anime porn. Like, though I've taught her the word "chopsticks" 22 times by now, my mother insists on calling them "esos palitos" ("those little sticks"). That kind of mentality is the opposite of what we should all be striving for--open-mindedness and peace because of it. And an appreciation for things and people that are not like us.
Because that's what makes them beautiful.
Date Written: August 18th
"OMG you're in Tokyo and you've never seen 'Lost in Translation'???"
Yeah, guys. You didn't think it was possible, huh. The bar (New York Bar?) from that movie has reached considerable heights of fame, seeing as I didn't even know what it looked like and yet still explained to two American (really, they were, I checked lol) girls how to get there after the Starbucks girl had no idea that was even a movie.
So, with 13 hours to kill and a movie selection of 186, I decided to watch Lost in Translation on my flight home, after Grease and Lilo and Stitch.
I'll preempt this by saying that I did not finish the movie; at a certain point I started talking to the young Japanese guy next to me and proceeded to chat (in JAPANESE!! =]) for like an hour, after which I fell asleep for the remainder of the trip (but Japanese-win!!).
I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane--they showed clips of Shinjuku, Shibuya Station, Pachinko, Karaoke, crazy Japanese parties, etc. And I wasn't lost when it came to understanding the spoken Japanese.
I didn't like the portrayal of Japan in the movie. Japan is very close to my heart and to see it shown as a weird, lonely, emo, no-soundtrack kind of place was kind of sad. Neither Bill Murray nor Scarlett Johansson's charcters knew a bit of Japanese, which can very understandably make being in Japan overwhelming and difficult, but they weren't really trying at all; they were just being obnoxious. When being spoken to in Japanese, Bill Murray would do that "yeah. uh huh. of course. yeah. totally" thing teenagers use on their parents when they're reprimanding them and they wanna be smartasses about it. Meaning I derive from that obnoxious behavior? "I don't really care what you're saying, blah blah blah..."
It's not cute and it's not understanding.
I also disagree with certain uses of English. For example, before Bill takes Scarlett to the hospital and they're eating somewhere, he jokes with the Japanese chef/waiter dude in rapid, sarcastic English to make S laugh. CLEARLY, the Japanese man does not understand him, but kind of nods and smiles along with it anyway. Nobody can possibly feel good in that situation. The Japanese is made to look like an idiot and not even given a chance with slower, clearer English, just so B can flirt with S. Granted, I also dislike it when Japanese people do that to foreigners--nothing positive is gained by proving that yes, you know your native tongue better than some foreigner who has never studied it.
I guess what bothers me is the lack of effort. The movie portrayed two foreigners who were quick to dismiss adapting to Japan for just one week, opting instead for plans to escape the country and remarks of "I need to get out of here."
Yes, Japanese culture and life is ぜんぜん違う (completely different) from anything I've experienced in my 70% Colombian 30% American upbringing. But that doesn't mean I should close my mind to it and write it off as a weird culture with chikan and anime porn. Like, though I've taught her the word "chopsticks" 22 times by now, my mother insists on calling them "esos palitos" ("those little sticks"). That kind of mentality is the opposite of what we should all be striving for--open-mindedness and peace because of it. And an appreciation for things and people that are not like us.
Because that's what makes them beautiful.
quinta-feira, 20 de agosto de 2009
"American" and "Gai-jin" Are NOT Always The Same...It Turns Out
*faithfully transcribed from my pink notebook:
Date Written: August 17th
Despite our efforts to the contrary, Ming and I have fallen victim to that good ole American egotism. Throughout our week's travel around Japan, we saw a good bunch of gaijin (foreigners). And we would see them from far off and I would think, "Hah. Poor Americans. They go everywhere and expect others to speak THEIR language instead of trying to learn the language and ways of their host country. Shame. Americans think they rule the world as individuals and that's why no one really likes America (on top of politics)."
[Edit: I'm really grateful to America and represented them proudly for karate. As with everything though, there are also negative aspects that you cannot ignore. My thoughts and conclusions in this post might not be universal, but something very real I've seen throughout my experiences over and over again. And it's true, a lot of countries don't like us, as I've seen first-hand while traveling with the US Team. Reality.]
And then we got close enough to realize they were Italians.
Assumption fail.
Note to self: you cannot just assume every White person is American. There are indeed other countries they could be from.
Speaking of, that entire week was one big Spanish-win. There were SO many Spaniards everywhere and I would creepily eavesdrop on every stranger's conversation to see if I could butt in and make friends. What really depressed me though, is that I realized I can't form sentences in Italian or Portuguese anymore because I think in Japanese instead!
Date Written: August 17th
Despite our efforts to the contrary, Ming and I have fallen victim to that good ole American egotism. Throughout our week's travel around Japan, we saw a good bunch of gaijin (foreigners). And we would see them from far off and I would think, "Hah. Poor Americans. They go everywhere and expect others to speak THEIR language instead of trying to learn the language and ways of their host country. Shame. Americans think they rule the world as individuals and that's why no one really likes America (on top of politics)."
[Edit: I'm really grateful to America and represented them proudly for karate. As with everything though, there are also negative aspects that you cannot ignore. My thoughts and conclusions in this post might not be universal, but something very real I've seen throughout my experiences over and over again. And it's true, a lot of countries don't like us, as I've seen first-hand while traveling with the US Team. Reality.]
And then we got close enough to realize they were Italians.
Assumption fail.
Note to self: you cannot just assume every White person is American. There are indeed other countries they could be from.
Speaking of, that entire week was one big Spanish-win. There were SO many Spaniards everywhere and I would creepily eavesdrop on every stranger's conversation to see if I could butt in and make friends. What really depressed me though, is that I realized I can't form sentences in Italian or Portuguese anymore because I think in Japanese instead!
quarta-feira, 19 de agosto de 2009
The Wonder That is Kyoto
1. Light Fellowship: I am a terribleeeee blogger, but I will make up for it! I have 4 blog entries lined up right now!
2. Friends: I am alive. Fear not.
3. After Sun ended, Ming and I traveled for a week around Japan. Our itinerary was:
8/10: still in Tokyo, but kicked out of apaato, so in the Sakura Hostel in Asakusa (DEF recommend it, by the way)
8/11-12: Kyoto♥ with some SANC classmates
8/13-15: Fukuoka (on the island Kyushu), with day trips to Beppu (hot springs) and Nagasaki
8/16: back to Kyoto for the Daimonji (http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/festivals/gozan.html)
8/17: final rush meet-up with some SANC-ers and Kajikawa sensei in Tokyo before running to Narita to board plane back to the States!
**the following was transcribed from the pink notebook that accompanied me on my travels**
Date written: August 12, 2009
Early morning wake-up to meet up with Mattie, Kisho, and Evan was no problem--we were meeting at the Nijojo-mae station, the station we used as home base when I was in Kyoto last year with Genji's World! Ureshii! Recognizing the station's little details, while at the same time realizing it resembles our Nishi-Shinjuku 5-choume station, brought me endless joy =] It was like acknowledging the intersection of two beloved cities--Kyoto and Tokyo--into one uniting concept--> Japan.
It was hot as hell at Nijo Castle, but it was a perfect segue into Kyoto shrine-and-temple mode. Kiyomizudera was a definite stop on my itinerary, and it just so happened that K wanted to drag M back anyway to buy more things, haha. I can't say I had forgotten how strenuous the walk up the street to the famous temple was, because last time I had smartly opted for a cab with CJ and Julian, but I DID forget it's no longer mild May but hellishly humid and hot August. Because we didn't fit on K and Ming's bus originally, Mattie was running the risk of missing his shinkansen (again), so me and E said our goodbyes and continued trekking up the gravestone-ridden path to Kiyomizudera. Finally at the entrance, we said goodbye to K as well and went through the vermillion temple-lined path to fountains of love, happiness, and good fortune (literally). After eschewing fear of contamination via (ultra violet radiated and sterilized) silver ladles at the Kiyomizudera waterfall (thank you, Japan), we settled for some shaved ice (don't get matcha) and then feasted on Kyoto udon.
That was also our first case of translating today, explaining to a European(?) tour group 17-strong that there was only room for 10. Common language: English. Status: win.
Our tummies full of udon (even III say that with a smile, despite it not being soba) and the fact that it dropped from 140 degrees F to only 120 meant that we were ambitious. Our plan? Bus to Kyoto Station, then head 40 minutes over to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Palace/Pavillion) for some pre-dinner bad-ass sightseeing and picture-taking. Too bad it was closing in 40 minutes by that time.
[Sometime between here we went to the Sanjyuusangen-do, where I got the best god luck you could possibly get. 1001 Kannon statues, one of them rivaling DaiButsu size. Thanks to Eddy K, I will never forget Kannon, Goddess of Mercy.]
Our new and improved plan, courtesy of the helper lady at the Kyoto Eki, was to JR-line-it (for free, thank you, JR Pass) to Inari and check out a lot of pretty vermillion torii (Shinto shrine gates) there. What we thought would be a casual strolling around a small Shinto shrine admiring 2 or 3 big gates torii turned into a 2-hour journey through the woods, up an almost deserted mountain, guided by an eerie path of lined-up torii (see facebook pics) and oscillating between being scared of the horror movie setting and soundtrack (cicadas) and being scared of the resemblance of our situation to Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away). Please see our 3-episode horror movie video once I put it up on youtube for more info.
Our reward for being true Yalies and actually making it to the top of the mountain was not the view from the summit (which was obscured by trees, womp womp) but the sushi dinner E bought for us afterwrad =] It was glorious. And probably only the 3rd or 4th time I've had sushi in Japan this summer.
Fatasses that at least me and Ming are, we transferred 3 restaurants down from SushiDen to Lipton, where the quintessential soup was replaced by 2 peach parfaits (E and M) and THEEE most delicious 3-mango tart. Mmmm, seriously. Me and M have eaten SO well, trying to cram in as much Japanese food and Japanese sweets as we can before we get back so we don't miss the food as much. That's our reasoning, anyway =]
Plans were made to sightsee with E the next day before parting ways (he's a great travel buddy--completely a follower in that sense lol), and an epic me-M-E-Diana-and her friend Karen lunch materialized after I threatened D with bodily harm if we didn't see her before she left to study abroad in Nagoya for a YEAR.
On the way back to our own little apartment (aka Tani House), M and I walked through the station's underground restaurant-and-shop place thingy, which was closed and deserted because it was already 10:30ish. We came across a group of 12 guys, BREAKDANCING. We just stood there are watched them, flabbergasted. They were doing craaaaaaaaaazy things on their heads! After interrogating one of them (in Japanese! =]), we found out they were a new team called Zest and they are going to be in Tokyo (Yoyogi Park!) on the 22nd for an annual breaking BATTLE. SUGOIIIIII!!!!
2. Friends: I am alive. Fear not.
3. After Sun ended, Ming and I traveled for a week around Japan. Our itinerary was:
8/10: still in Tokyo, but kicked out of apaato, so in the Sakura Hostel in Asakusa (DEF recommend it, by the way)
8/11-12: Kyoto♥ with some SANC classmates
8/13-15: Fukuoka (on the island Kyushu), with day trips to Beppu (hot springs) and Nagasaki
8/16: back to Kyoto for the Daimonji (http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/festivals/gozan.html)
8/17: final rush meet-up with some SANC-ers and Kajikawa sensei in Tokyo before running to Narita to board plane back to the States!
**the following was transcribed from the pink notebook that accompanied me on my travels**
Date written: August 12, 2009
Early morning wake-up to meet up with Mattie, Kisho, and Evan was no problem--we were meeting at the Nijojo-mae station, the station we used as home base when I was in Kyoto last year with Genji's World! Ureshii! Recognizing the station's little details, while at the same time realizing it resembles our Nishi-Shinjuku 5-choume station, brought me endless joy =] It was like acknowledging the intersection of two beloved cities--Kyoto and Tokyo--into one uniting concept--> Japan.
It was hot as hell at Nijo Castle, but it was a perfect segue into Kyoto shrine-and-temple mode. Kiyomizudera was a definite stop on my itinerary, and it just so happened that K wanted to drag M back anyway to buy more things, haha. I can't say I had forgotten how strenuous the walk up the street to the famous temple was, because last time I had smartly opted for a cab with CJ and Julian, but I DID forget it's no longer mild May but hellishly humid and hot August. Because we didn't fit on K and Ming's bus originally, Mattie was running the risk of missing his shinkansen (again), so me and E said our goodbyes and continued trekking up the gravestone-ridden path to Kiyomizudera. Finally at the entrance, we said goodbye to K as well and went through the vermillion temple-lined path to fountains of love, happiness, and good fortune (literally). After eschewing fear of contamination via (ultra violet radiated and sterilized) silver ladles at the Kiyomizudera waterfall (thank you, Japan), we settled for some shaved ice (don't get matcha) and then feasted on Kyoto udon.
That was also our first case of translating today, explaining to a European(?) tour group 17-strong that there was only room for 10. Common language: English. Status: win.
Our tummies full of udon (even III say that with a smile, despite it not being soba) and the fact that it dropped from 140 degrees F to only 120 meant that we were ambitious. Our plan? Bus to Kyoto Station, then head 40 minutes over to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Palace/Pavillion) for some pre-dinner bad-ass sightseeing and picture-taking. Too bad it was closing in 40 minutes by that time.
[Sometime between here we went to the Sanjyuusangen-do, where I got the best god luck you could possibly get. 1001 Kannon statues, one of them rivaling DaiButsu size. Thanks to Eddy K, I will never forget Kannon, Goddess of Mercy.]
Our new and improved plan, courtesy of the helper lady at the Kyoto Eki, was to JR-line-it (for free, thank you, JR Pass) to Inari and check out a lot of pretty vermillion torii (Shinto shrine gates) there. What we thought would be a casual strolling around a small Shinto shrine admiring 2 or 3 big gates torii turned into a 2-hour journey through the woods, up an almost deserted mountain, guided by an eerie path of lined-up torii (see facebook pics) and oscillating between being scared of the horror movie setting and soundtrack (cicadas) and being scared of the resemblance of our situation to Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away). Please see our 3-episode horror movie video once I put it up on youtube for more info.
Our reward for being true Yalies and actually making it to the top of the mountain was not the view from the summit (which was obscured by trees, womp womp) but the sushi dinner E bought for us afterwrad =] It was glorious. And probably only the 3rd or 4th time I've had sushi in Japan this summer.
Fatasses that at least me and Ming are, we transferred 3 restaurants down from SushiDen to Lipton, where the quintessential soup was replaced by 2 peach parfaits (E and M) and THEEE most delicious 3-mango tart. Mmmm, seriously. Me and M have eaten SO well, trying to cram in as much Japanese food and Japanese sweets as we can before we get back so we don't miss the food as much. That's our reasoning, anyway =]
Plans were made to sightsee with E the next day before parting ways (he's a great travel buddy--completely a follower in that sense lol), and an epic me-M-E-Diana-and her friend Karen lunch materialized after I threatened D with bodily harm if we didn't see her before she left to study abroad in Nagoya for a YEAR.
On the way back to our own little apartment (aka Tani House), M and I walked through the station's underground restaurant-and-shop place thingy, which was closed and deserted because it was already 10:30ish. We came across a group of 12 guys, BREAKDANCING. We just stood there are watched them, flabbergasted. They were doing craaaaaaaaaazy things on their heads! After interrogating one of them (in Japanese! =]), we found out they were a new team called Zest and they are going to be in Tokyo (Yoyogi Park!) on the 22nd for an annual breaking BATTLE. SUGOIIIIII!!!!
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