Japan Awaits

I am sitting at the public library in Clinton Missouri. I have blog posts to write, but no time to write them. I have used up almost all my internet time emailing Liisa (a quick, short, dirty email, nothing like the one I want to write, the one she deserves) and printing things I need for Japan - 200 pages worth. We bought a travel guide, but I guess I just wanted a second opinion. We have articles on how to behave in Ryokan, how to use a Japanese toilet, the various Japanese fast food restaurants, transportation in and out of Mutsu, Kanazawa, Ise... and dozens of every kind of reservation imaginable.

I am excited and nervous. I wonder, ten years from now, how it will feel to be on the edge of a big trip. I'm sure I will be more comfortable with it, for both better and worse. For now it's just so big that it seems impossible and frightening and I wonder what I am doing. At the same time I know it will be fine and work out and if bits of it don't that will only make the story better.

I've had to spend about 100$ on last minute purchases - really nice disposable razors, some new socks, these print outs (at 10 cents a page), some new eyeliner, etc. Not included are the presents for our lovely hostesses, and the backpack I may buy tomorrow. I've managed to pack surprisingly lightly... we'll see how that works out.

I finished Turning Japanese, and am about halfway through with the annotations. I'd love to finish those before Japan, since Japan will change everything about my reaction. But it's not going to happen. :)

Rosetta Stone is going well. I am almost finished with Level 1, I dare to let myself believe I may finish it in time.

I can say:

I am smelling the water – watashi wa mizu no noio o kaide imasu.

I am tasting the sushi – watashi wa sushi no ajime o shite imasu.

My fingers are on top of the table – watashi no yubi wa teeburu no ue ni arimasu.

My friends are outside – watashi no tomodachi wa sotto de imasu.

These are my guests – kochira wa watashi no okyusan desu.

Welcome to Japan – Nihon e yokoso.

This sock smells bad – kono kutsushita wa kusai desu.

This rice is delicious – kono gohan wa oishii desu.

The woman is walking with her husband – onna no hito wa shujin to aruite imasu.

The woman and her husband are walking – onna no hito to shujin wa aruite imasu.

Who are you eating breakfast with? – dare to asagohan o tabete imasuka.

My hands are on the ground - Watashi no te wa kusa no ue ni arimasu.

What are you doing? – nani o shite imasuka.

Where do you live? – doko ni sunde imasu.

Where do you work? – doko de hataraite imasuka.

Today is Sunday, but I am working – kyoo wa nichiyoobi desu ga, watashi wa hataraite imasu.

Today is Saturday. I am running in the park with my friend – kyoo wa dooyoobi desu. Watashi wa tomodachi to koen de hashitte imasu.

The boy is visiting his grandma’s house – otoko no ko wa obaasan no ie ni kite imasu.

This is a Chinese animal, but it doesn’t speak Chinese. – kore wa chuugoku no doobutsu desu. demo chuugokugo o hanashimasen.

Excuse me, do you speak Japanese? – sumimasen, nihongo o hanashimasuka.

She is teaching girls Arabic – Kanojo wa onna no kotachi ni arabiago o oshiete imasu.

I speak English, but I am studying Japanese – eigo o hanashimasu ga, nihongo o benkyoo shimasu.

Watashitachi wa nyuuyooku ni sunde imasu ga, ryoushin wa eigo o hanashimasen – we live in New York, but my parents don’t speak English.

Ima, nanji desu ka – what time is it now?

Who is your teacher? – Sensei wa dare desu ka.

Nani o oshiete imasu ka – what are you teaching?

Otoko no hito wa tomodachi o okoshimasu. – the man is waking up his friend.

Onna no ko wa okimasu – the girl is waking up.

Watashi wa shatsu o aratte imasu – I am washing the shirt

Kare wa kao o aratte imasu – he is washing his face

Watashi wa kami o aratte imasu – I am washing my hair

Shatsu wa kawaite imasu – the shirts are dry



I want to write about the summer, about how I relaxed in some ways but not others, how that really goes for all the time. Mental, emotional, physical exertion... they come in waves.

I want to write about cooking for my family, about understanding something of Como Agua Para Chocolate.

I want to write about the way you don't see the important things in your life coming, that you are never normal, your life is never colorless, it just takes time to develop in your memory and understanding, like a polaroid.

Except, perhaps, for travel.
I want to write about going home to Missouri, if only for a short time, smelling deep summer on the wind and seeing lightening bugs light up the trees all around me.

I've written something about my feelings for Missouri, for America, but I want to write more. I want to write about the security of one's own land, one's own culture.

I want to write a bit about staying with Laura, about Minasan no Keeku.

I want to write one last post about Rosetta Stone, how much I underestimated it, how the words are bursting from me, how surprised I am to love the lack of English, how it really does seem to work despite my skepticism, how I am afraid it is spoiling me.

But for now, Japan awaits.