Just a quick little update between classes here. Today we had a different kind of exam: a two-minute long memorized introductory speech using very set language as well as descriptions of our hobbies, hometowns, and the things we want to do in Japan. I had the honor of timing everyone with a stopwatch to make sure they made the +/- 20 second cutoff and also knew when they had 30 seconds left, etc. I did EXTREMELY well with mine (I feel) considering that I didn’t take my sheet up because I didn’t want to read from it (that would be dame), and I finished between the two and two-and-a-half minute mark. All in all, I feel it went pretty well, and everyone else seemed to agree (though there were smoother, more grammatically complex speeches than mine). At lunch, however, Schmidt-san from Stuttgart, Germany informed me that I had forgotten Kore kara jikoushoukai wo shitai to omoimasu (I now want to introduce myself) at the beginning. D’oh! Ah well, the rest of it went well, and I’m still pleased with how smoothly it all seemed to flow from my head out into the room. I was sure to make plenty of eye contact, and got a good laugh when I told everyone that I wanted to ride the Shinkansen Bullet Train while I’m here (What? There aren’t any trains that travel that fast in America! Besides, I said I wanted to go to Kyoto; can you think of a better way to travel?).
I’ve decided that this weekend’s trip is definitely going to be to Higashiyama Kouen’s Monkey Park. From what I understand, Little World is also close by, which is another park that appears to be something like Epcot’s countries of the world section if it were expanded to fill Epcot. Satoko went there last week, and brought back several delicious foods as well as some great pictures, so perhaps I’ll go there as well. They have an Ainu section, which is a collection of houses that the indigenous population of Japan would have lived in (before the Japanese settlers came and nearly wiped them out, of course–gee, Japan really IS like America!). So expect lots of pictures from that. Also, I’m hoping to have that video post I’ve been promising for ages up either tonight (Friday morning for everyone in the States) or tomorrow night (Saturday morning), but no later than tomorrow night because it’s been long enough already! Ijou de watashi no repooto wa owarimasu. Nani ga goshitsumon wa arimasenka? Goshitsumon ga areba, komento wo kaite kudasai (Now my report (post) is finished. Are there any questions? If you have a question, please write a comment). Yep, that’s one of the lines I had to memorize. Trust me, it looks a lot scarier when it’s written in the roman alphabet.
Mata, ne!
Jeff
October 5, 2007 at 8:59 am
Let us know if the Little World exhibition plays the song, “It’s a Small World Afterall..” It should be interesting to see there display of the US.
PS – You know what Dave Letterman says about Monkeys.
October 6, 2007 at 1:35 pm
How about a few sentences on the food? Balancing flavors, bland vs spicy, etc? How cold are the drinks? Are the stores and classrooms air conditioned? Do you feel like everything is still new, or have you settled into familiarity with the area.
October 9, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Jeff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Much love from Dickinson!
more importantly, though, be careful at the monkey zoo. Remember, their are moneky tribes which utilize spears which means in just a few years they will most certainly have bows, and after that it’s just a few short steps to sharks with laser beams…..