Blog 1.17.12
Okay! So today was pretty fun. Not only did I feel like I got some things done, but I had a great time doing all of it!
I got up this morning with Keiko calling "Leah, Carnation is going to start!" I was surprised, because I've been setting the alarm on the cell phone I have now for 7:45. I checked the phone...dead. Well, I guess that's what happens if you don't charge the thing.
So I grabbed socks and ran downstairs and jumped around on one leg while putting them on. I completely forgot my slippers in the rush. I wiped the table and set the food out that Keiko had prepared - oops! Then Carnation began. It is about Itoko Ohara, a fashion designer and her story. I've been watching it basically the whole time I've been in Japan. It's 15 minutes, 6 days a week. I hardly understand the heavy Osaka-ben, but being here a week I've already gotten a little more used to it. While Kumamoto-ben ends a lot with "an" or "en" (like, instead of dakara, it is daken, or instead of wakaranai, it's wakaran). But with Osaka-ben everything ends in "ya". So, rather than "iiyo" it is "iiya". Things like that (nanio become nanya...etc...).
It sounds a lot more playful than Kumamoto-ben, probably just because it ends in a vowel. Intersting...I still can't get over how Japanese consider Kumamoto as "the country". They consider 30 miles outside the city's downtown as country...I can't imagine what they would think of Oberlin. I don't think they can comprehend a town that small! I guess I never considered Oberlin as the country...but I'm realizing it really is!
Anyway...ate breakfast. Today was bread day, we have bread every other day and rice every other day. After that, I washed up the dishes and took a long bath. The ofuro (deep bath tub) is a billion degrees and it feels wonderful. I just lie there in the steam and heat and think of far off things...then suddenly it is too hot and I feel like I can't breathe too well so, I decide it's good if I get out. Outside of the shower room is freezing, the windows are open and there is no heating except for the main room that we spend all of our time in, since it is warm. I then packed up a box after going to the super market and buying mom katsuobushi, the fish flakes that are tasty on top of okonomiyaki (cabbage pancake, famous in Osaka). Keiko was teaching pottery from 9:30 to 12. They were three adult ladies. Keiko told me the sweet potato we roasted on the top of the stove was ready to eat, so I ate it as a snack. It is delicious. Naturally sweet and soft and wonderful, not to mention nutritious! The golden yellow inside literally glows when it is fresh...
Around noon I had tea and more snacks with Keiko and the ladies. After they left, Keiko made Kumamoto style ramen for lunch. All I do is eat!
After lunch I strapped the package to the back of the bike I'm getting to use and rode to the post office to mail it. All on my own! They were really nice, the two people working there. At Uto, there was one guy who I felt had something against me personally. When he looked at me I thought he was going to burn holes through me, it was awful! So I was really grateful that these two were so kind and helpful.
When I got back to Keiko's, I made three bowls with a design I am proud of. Glazing is going to difficult...just another learning experience. Soon after that, I started to prepare for my big night out! Keiko's son and his girlfriend (soon to be wife!!!:D), Kanako, were taking me to Nanba during the night to see the famous city lights and to take me to dinner. I was kind of nervous because they are 30 and 36 and I'm, well, still 18. In Ameirca, 18 is when you have to become an "adult" in the eyes of others, but here, they still think of my as a kid. It's kind of nice, a lot less pressure, but I still got nervous. We met in front of a Uniqlo at the Nanba train station. I soon realized there was nothing to be nervous about, they were really nice and relaxed, so soon I relaxed as well. We went to the "Ganko" a chain that serves traditional and good quality Japanese food. I think they said it is very famous in Osaka, mostly. We had to take our shoes off and there were mini wooden lockers with a traditional wooden key so that no one would steal our shoes. The waitress was in kimono and there were tatami mats, but luckily, the hole in the floor for our legs. A lot less stress on my poor knees.
They ordered sushi, agedashi tofu, another tofu dish, yakitori (chicken on a stick), puffer fish sashimi and tempura. The tofu dishes were great, tofu is pretty amazing. The puffer fish I was a little uneasy about, just because I know that if they don't cut it JUST right, then it is poisonous. I tried it though, and it was pretty good. Not very strong flavor and more chewy than the normal fish. They ordered one plate that was varying qualities of tuna sushi. They pointed out which was which and asked me to eat the best one, the fattiest one. So I did and...oh my goodness it was great! The tuna was soft and flavor amazing and it melted in my mouth. Melted. I've never had a piece of fish do that. Now, after tasting that I can MAYBE understand a LITTLE more why people pay hundreds of thousands of dollars on a 200 kg tuna fish...probably if you google it you can find more information on that...
The tempura was good of course. While eating the shrimp tempura, I could only think of Elijah...:(
While we were eating two people came to eat at the table beside ours, it was another foreigner and a Japanese woman. It was funny to me, because I'm used to being the only foreigner, but here, they are everywhere!
It was fun, and soon we went to the bridge to see the famous lights of Osaka's Nanba.
At the bridge, there were men standing around everywhere dressed crazily. At first I thought it might be an animation convention or something, because it really was that weird, but Kanako said "No, that's their normal clothes." Then she told me that basically you can buy a date with them, or something...like they will keep you company at a restaurant.
The lights were wonderful! In the daytime it was great, but at night it was brilliant. I couldn't live here, but I could sit here and stare at the lights for quite some time. There was just so much to look at! They led me down a couple other roads with famous shops and signs. Giant puffer fish and crabs and octupus sculptures clinging to the buildings, neon lights and flags and more lights and everything you can imagine. I think in the guidebook it said it would remind you of "Blade Runner" or something...it definitely seems pretty sci-fi.
They also took me to the Osaka Tower (in Ryo's "cramped, tiny and messy" car which ended up a beautiful mini cooper...Shock) and we went down one street that sells a lot of fried food, but with more exciting signs, so we could look back up at the tower and through the street. The pictures I took could be straight out fo the guidebook. I was so grateful they were taking me to these places. For them it is normal, but for me it is magical! Not in a mossy fresh water spring way magical, completely different but equally inspriring. There was a sculpture there, a sculpture of "the god of they way things ought to be". I thought that was an interesting god to have...but a good one to have around, I suppose.
It was getting late so soon we headed back, dropping Kanako off at her home just a little further than where Keiko lives. Ryo and Kanako were really fun to hang out with and kind too. Am I lucky to be able to meet such wonderful people or is everyone here just amazing? They are very down to earth and smart, which makes being around them easy. If they were the type that dressed like anime characters and looked like dolls...I think it would a lot more difficult to hang out with them, and if that was the case, they probably wouldn't be too thrilled about walking around with an oversized girl with no fashion. But, it all worked out. Sunday they are taking me to Kyoto to see the normal side of the city, which I haven't ever seen before.
I'm excited!
For now, I'm exhausted. Yahoo to a fun day!
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