I've been so busy these last two weeks that I haven't (mercifully, some would say) had the time to write. Covering the work of two teachers has its downside.
I was pretty non-compis until the beginning of last week, and not really enjoying myself. Missing Nadia (we are not often apart) was a large part of that, compounding my sense of dislocation.
This week I started to feel more myself here, a little more connected to familiar things and situations. It gave me the chance to play the detached observer, if such a thing can be said to really exist. In Japan, that can be a lot of fun, especially where those strange conjunctions occur between Western practice and its transplanted application here.
For example, Valentines Day. A silly thing at the best of times back home, the Japanese have made it, effectively, into a two day practice. February 14th is a day for women to give chocolates to a male friend, while White Day, a month later, is the time when men are supposed to reciprocate.
I was explaining the original practise to a sales assistant when she said 'It's very strange that you should change the day in that way.' Of course, you'll understand that she thought that St Valentines was a Japanese invention! I don't think I even flinched, since this kind of insular thinking is not uncommon here. I didn't have the heart to point out that St Valentine wasn't a Japanese martyr and that Christianity didn't visit these shores until the 16th Century. No matter.
On a completely different note, a Japanese sumo wrestler, Tochiasuma, won the January basho today. Its unusual because a Mongolian, Asashoryu, has dominated the top division for the last 2 years. A lot of the action in this basho was very exciting with competition for first place very tight until the last few bouts.
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