Today was one of those awesome days when they put on an event at the Cultural Exchange Center. Even though it is on a Saturday, I really love these days. It is when I really feel like I am making an impact on the community here.
This week 8 girls and their chaperons came to visit Kameoka. They were all juniors and seniors from Harpeth Hall in Nashville, Tennessee. I took the bus up to the International Exchange Center, which is where I work every Thursday. The girls were also taking the bus so I got a chance to listen to them as they got on. At first everyone seemed a little shocked to see me there...I don't think they were expecting a foreigner not related to their group to attend. So I got a few stares.
The chaperons sat in front of me and all the girls sat chatting behind me. It was really kind of funny listening to a bunch of high school girls going on and on about ridiculous things. They talked about boys, and the foods they missed, and how they missed their beds (they were staying in traditional style hotels throughout their trips meaning they had futons on the floor), etc. etc. I was reminded of high school and began to feel just how much more of an adult I have become since getting here (though sometimes I still feel like a college student...).
Finally one of the chaperons asked their tour guide (a Japanese woman from Tokyo I believe) about the population of Kameoka. None of them have been here before, so I piped up finally. That was when I introduced myself as the CIR in the area and that I would be attending the event to help smooth over the translation. Most of the Japanese people participating in the event were either English teachers or fairly good at English so I was really just there to make sure everyone understood each other. However, my Japanese coworkers seemed a bit nervous about speaking English so they had me do all the translation from Japanese to English (the tour guide did all the English to Japanese, thankfully).
It opened with a speech by the head of the department, Asada-san. He gave the speech in English, even though he doesn't actually speak any of it. He had given me a speech to translate for him, and then my colleague wrote it out in Japanese pronunciation, though he used the correct English pronunciation rather than the Japanese (ie. panfuret rather than panfureeto for pamphlet). It was actually not too bad, though I think it would have been better if he had let me speak for him. However, He is studying English, so I guess it is a good chance for him.
The girls gave a presentation to the students (mostly elementary aged kids....SOOOO cute) about their school and what they study. Then they taught them a line dance. Now I was expecting an actually country line dance....but it turns out they chose the electric slide. I have never seen anything so adorable. A bunch of Japanese elementary students running around trying to learn how to do the electric slide to the song Achy Breaky Heart.
It was really a nice change from my usual work day, sitting at a desk translating or laying out my newsletter. I rarely get to interact with children, and getting to see these kids was refreshing. One thing I have learned is that kids, no matter where you are, are exactly the same...Energetic, fickle, honest, and loud.
After the electric slide the Japanese teachers helped the kids teach the girls a Japanese game called "Daruma-san ga koronda" (ie. The daruma fell over. Daruma is a little red ball with a face on it...representing a Buddhist monk? who once meditated for so long that his arms and legs fell off. Each red ball has white eyes and when you make a wish you fill in one eye and when it comes true you fill in the other).
It is a game much like red light green light. The person who is the oni (it) turns their back to the players who line up at the other end of the room. When the oni is speaking, saying daruma-san ga koronda, the kids run forward...When the oni stops and turns around they have to stop or they are out (of course most of the kids tried to push this and moved anyway). When they get to the oni they tag him or her. The oni counts to 5 as the kids run away and at 5 the kids stop. Then the oni takes 5 huge steps and anyone behind the oni is out.
The kids were so energetic and adorable, trying to break the rules as much as possible. They were so excited when the girls joined in the game. But when one of the girls was oni, with me prompting them on how to say the phrase, the kids absolutely gave up on listening to the rules and ran whenever they wanted to. It was the funniest thing.
Finally there was question and answer time. Most of these kids were taking English classes from the teachers that were working the event, so when they asked questions some of them actually spoke in English. Kids that age seem to have no problems but once they reach middle school they tend to get self conscious. The first question was from one of the most energetic kids...
"My namu isu Tadahiro. I am foa yeas orudo. I liku...Disuney."
Kojima-san: "Did you have a question?"
Tadahiro: "No, I just wanted to introduce myself." *Giant grin*
Everyone kind of died at that. He was just so proud of himself.
The next kid did the same, only he got nervous and gave up after "My namu isu..."
Finally they started asking actually questions.
"How tall are you?"
"Do you speak any languages other than English"
"Have you been to any other foreign countries than Japan?"
"What is your favorite Japanese food?"
For kids, they actually asked pretty impressive questions.
Finally, I helped introduce the girls to their host families. This was pretty easy and most of the host families either spoke English or had been host families many times before. The girls seemed nervous, but they were going in pairs so they were able to relax.
One of the host families was actually a young man who spoke very good English....which I have to admit started a few wheels going in my head because he is pretty hot (yes I have been here long enough to start finding SOME Japanese guys attractive...not quite interested in the guys with all the product in their hair or the murses *man purse*...but some of the more masculine looking Japanese guys look pretty good....)
Then of course he introduce the girl sitting next to him as "my angel" so I laughed at myself and went back to work.
But events like that, where I get to help other foreigners experience and enjoy Japanese culture are my favorite. They make me feel as if I am making an impact on the community and am actually working as a CIR and not just a translator.
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