More Adventures of Mousapi in Japan
Aug. 11th, 2007 03:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mousapelliWe are safe at the Tokyo Ryokan! It is very pretty! we are catching our breath from hauling our crap around, but then there is going to be food, oh yes.
On the first train, i spent about two hours sitting next to an adorable Japanese business man, who struck up a conversation about a half hour into the ride. He was very nice! and spoke primarily in decent but halting English, while I spoke primarily in terrible but enthusiastic Japanese.
an example:
salaryman: "Ah, Kanazawa! What was your...impression...of Osaka?"
Me: "Daisuki! It was...dammit i always forget the word for beautiful...KIRAKIRA!"
(tabs, later: you couldn't remember "KIREI DA?!" Me: STFU Osaka was totally sparkly!)
And:
Me: Niichan wa Italy no tabibito, soshite atashi wa Nihon ni...Okaasan to Tousan wa...dokidoki?
salaryman: Ah! Yes, parents are worried!
me: Hai, hai! Okaasan wa...come on, uh...happy janai.
salaryman: sooooooo.
I got across that we were in Kanazawa for a concert, although he didn't seem to know w-inds., and also that I was a teacher from Pennsylvania. I also asked, in completely competent japanese i want to point out, if that was the ocean outside the window and said that it was so blue! In return, I learned that the ocean is too rough to swim in because of the wind there, that his sister went to the University of Pennsylvania to be a sociology major, and also that he used to be a sports reporter and covered Matsui when he was in high school playing for his home prefecture.
he reported that Matsui was "very modest, very smart! He was....diligent!" God bless Japan.
ETA: and Hal, i thought of you! He told me that he played baseball in high school, so i asked his position! and he was first base and third in the batting order! and because I now actually know something about baseball, I said, "ah, sugoi! Clean-up batter! ano...girigiri..." and he seemed pleased by that. ^^VV
On the first train, i spent about two hours sitting next to an adorable Japanese business man, who struck up a conversation about a half hour into the ride. He was very nice! and spoke primarily in decent but halting English, while I spoke primarily in terrible but enthusiastic Japanese.
an example:
salaryman: "Ah, Kanazawa! What was your...impression...of Osaka?"
Me: "Daisuki! It was...dammit i always forget the word for beautiful...KIRAKIRA!"
(tabs, later: you couldn't remember "KIREI DA?!" Me: STFU Osaka was totally sparkly!)
And:
Me: Niichan wa Italy no tabibito, soshite atashi wa Nihon ni...Okaasan to Tousan wa...dokidoki?
salaryman: Ah! Yes, parents are worried!
me: Hai, hai! Okaasan wa...come on, uh...happy janai.
salaryman: sooooooo.
I got across that we were in Kanazawa for a concert, although he didn't seem to know w-inds., and also that I was a teacher from Pennsylvania. I also asked, in completely competent japanese i want to point out, if that was the ocean outside the window and said that it was so blue! In return, I learned that the ocean is too rough to swim in because of the wind there, that his sister went to the University of Pennsylvania to be a sociology major, and also that he used to be a sports reporter and covered Matsui when he was in high school playing for his home prefecture.
he reported that Matsui was "very modest, very smart! He was....diligent!" God bless Japan.
ETA: and Hal, i thought of you! He told me that he played baseball in high school, so i asked his position! and he was first base and third in the batting order! and because I now actually know something about baseball, I said, "ah, sugoi! Clean-up batter! ano...girigiri..." and he seemed pleased by that. ^^VV
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Date: 2007-08-10 06:20 am (UTC)I also find it funny that a w-inds. fan could not remember 'kirei da' XD. RIGHT, RIGHT, CAUSE THAT'S A W-INDS. SONG? I think XD. I need to listen to w-inds. more often ^^;.
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Date: 2007-08-10 06:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-10 06:30 am (UTC)HAHAHAHA I dare you to work "It's in the Stars" somewhere in a future conversation with an actual Japanese person, DARE YOU.
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Date: 2007-08-10 06:39 am (UTC)I always panic and forget that one! and it always comes up!
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Date: 2007-08-10 06:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-10 06:40 am (UTC)GAIJIN SPEAKU HAPPY HOUR~!
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Date: 2007-08-10 07:02 am (UTC)you are so cute, mousaPi, with you l337 nihongo skillz
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Date: 2007-08-10 07:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-10 08:59 am (UTC)... ha! there was one time when I sat in an English exam and couldn't remember the word happy even if my life depended on it. And I had had more than four years of lessons back then. Baka jan. ^_^~
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Date: 2007-08-10 10:08 am (UTC)Continue on your kirakira journey and have funnnnnnnnn~~~
AH SOOOOO
Date: 2007-08-10 11:14 am (UTC)Re: AH SOOOOO
Date: 2007-08-10 01:06 pm (UTC)Actually, i knew that, that's why I said 'girigiri' which means almost. But third is still pretty good! I told him that sam played catcher until he hurt his shoulder.
tell him that he can't start a static electricity fire no matter how fast he rubs them together...seriously...
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Date: 2007-08-10 01:16 pm (UTC)Sigh.
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Date: 2007-08-10 01:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-08-10 02:41 pm (UTC)Me: Dare mo watashi ni hanasanakattara, watashi ga dare ni mo hanasanai...crap, what's the word for shy? um? Shy na hito kara da. ::facepalm::
My coworker, nodding sagely: Hazukashigariya, you mean?
Me: Er, yes, that. >.>;;
Also, I randomly ran into the former Japanese ambassador to Pakistan/Undersecretary General for the UN for disarmament affairs walking around the back streets of Kyoto. He struck up a conversation with me because I "looked American" (Debbie: Really, that obvious? Damn. It's because I'm wearing flats, isn't it.) He was like, "So I found myself in Pakistan representing Japanese interests, but after about six months I realized that I didn't actually know very much about Pakistan..." Random encounters with older Japanese men for the win!
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Date: 2007-08-10 03:09 pm (UTC)I'd rather say kirakira anyday XD.
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Date: 2007-08-10 03:20 pm (UTC)I think I'm going to re-watch some of the H2 live-action series this weekend for some sweet battery love. (Even if live!Noda is skinny, dammit.)
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Date: 2007-08-10 03:20 pm (UTC)