BLACK TISSUES AND THE BRIEF I'LL MISS YOU
June 3rd 2009 07:18
Our first class was called “Japanese Culture” and it was introducing ourselves and it was running around and it was playing games with girls who couldn’t understand me. There was one game where I shoved the teacher and screamed,
“You’re it! You’re fucking it!”
And then I realised the game wasn’t tiggy.
The six of us Australian students sat within our own little group in the cafeteria, commenting on how good and cheap the food was. Once in a while Trevor would wink at a girl and make her blush. I don’t know whether if it was from a few dirty jokes being passed around, or if it was from Natalie complaining about something, or if it was the fact that I was slowly starting to remember everyone’s names, but I was honestly enjoying their company. Maybe I just didn’t want to return to my host family.
It turned out that the red headed waddling girl is named Lauren. “Hey guys,” this Lauren said, handing us all some candies, “try these Japanese candies. They’re Calpis flavoured candies.”
No one wanted to hang out afterward our classes – they all wanted to return early to their host families.
I frowned. “I’m going to miss you all.”
When the short day was over I caught a bus home with Natalie, who showed me the train we had to catch afterwards. She then showed me her black gloves and asked me if I liked them. She told me that it was cold in this area, so tomorrow, she wanted me to come with her to buy some ear phone things or whatever to protect her ears. As we exited the train station we noticed someone handing out free packets of tissue paper.
“Check this out, Dean,” she said, pulling something from her purse. “Black tissue paper. They were giving out black tissue paper yesterday. Isn’t Japan amazing?”
I didn’t want the day to end, I didn’t want the sun to come down. But the day did end, the sun did come down.
“What a prick,” I sighed.
I walked Natalie home, waved her goodbye. I really didn’t want to head to my home, so I walked around the block; I found a bakery and looked at some of the bread and asked the girl behind the counter if I could just sit around there for a few hours longer, just looking at the bread. She laughed and said no, please leave. I left and explored the block. It was quiet and peaceful and there were a few people on bicycles. An old, hunchbacked woman looked at me and smiled.
Sakamoto Ryuichi - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
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Comment by Lara M
Love Speaks
Food Slate
It's been a while -- happy that you're enjoying Japan. Sounds like an interesting experience. I hope to visit it some day.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
What a trip you're having. How long are you there for? It sounds fantastic.
I love that song and also the version with David Sylvian, it gives me goose bumps.
Tracy
Comment by Kristin Wolgemuth
Poetry Lighthouse
Time to Get Up Club
That's great that you're enjoying Japan! What a wonderful thing to experience. I was able to travel to Germany (from the US) when I was in high school, and it was really worth going. It's interesting staying with a host family, isn't it? I guess it makes the experience more "authentic." Ha. Good luck with your studies there!
Kristin
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
I've since now returned and things have definitely changed. But I am recapping all the events that happened to me there for your literary entertainment, and also for me to relive it all.
I'm going to look at the David Sylvian song RIGHT NOW!
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
Keep up the traveling, especially if you find an opportunity that's completely free like I did!
I'm thinking about selling a kidney next week so that I can afford a trip to Jamaica.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I had to listen and watch, I love David Sylvian. Here it is:
I had to share. What did you think?
Tracy