Tempus

Well, My updates here have not been occuring as often as they should. The first week of school has come and gone and again a lot has happened.

最近僕はこのブログをあまり最新のものにしていないですね。　新学期の最初の週間はもう去ってしまいました。

First off, my micro economics class is going to kill me. I can mostly understand the lectures and am going to be recording them with a voice recorder. That way I can listen again later. However, the class has no tests, no attendence record, and no homework. Only a 400+page book and a Final. The final is the only graded thing in the class. Tough. On the other hand that could be my saving grace because when the test comes my Japanese will be better.

最初に僕のミクロ経済の授業は僕を殺されます。　公園が大体分かります。　そして録音機器で録音するので後でもう一回聞きなおします。 しかし授業は試験がないし欠席は禁止じゃないしやっぱり宿題も無いです。　ただ４００枚＋の本と終末試験があります。　最終試験だけは成績と関係があります。大変.　逆に　試験が来るとき僕の日本語はもっとうまくなるからいいことだと思います。

Secondly, interesting things I was told. In class the first week of school I was informed of three things (well, rather the class was). The first two were in a level 5 class and the last was in a level 4 class.

The first is that Japanese think of lines as a sign something is popular. So, without thinking they will line up and buy things they never planned on buying. “It’s like, oh what’s this? A line? (joins the line) . . . (five minutes later) I wonder what this line is for, must be good. (finally gets close) Oh, it’s Ice Cream, and it’s expensive. Oh well, I made it all the way here so I may as well buy it.” Yeah, I think that kind of lining up is really hard to understand.

The second had to deal with culture shock. Same teacher as the previous thing, possibly the same class time. Basically the handout we were given was about culture shock having 5 stages. To sum it up:

1. Honeymoon phase. Everything is new and awesome

2. Who am I really? Doubt sets in questioning of one’s reality

3. Ugh, I hate this place! Confusion turns to ange

4. Aw, it’s not so bad. You begin to form your will and step forward

5. Second home. You may as well be in your native country.

Then the teacher asked us to name what level we think we are. Apparently everyone in level 5 is stage 5 except me. I was stage 1 a week ago, stage 2 Sunday, stage 3 last semester’s final’s week, stage 4 currently, and in Stage 5 when I went back down to Hiroshima over spring break. Basically, my thoughts are about this go up and down near daily. Whenever I am out of the kaikan I am in stage 1 or 3, mainly because I am either observing or being observed. Note to self, do not express opinions differing from the rest of the class in class. I had to try and explain why I don’t believe in Culture Shock. I don’t think it got across. Basically, I can activate a kind of stage 1 just by seeing a new part of Japan. So. . . I don’t think they are concrete.

The third was more of a multiple informing than a single message. We were informed in excess of 7 times about the condition that we as level three students are in. “This class is going to be really difficult for you level 3 people,” “I don’t know, you level three people are going to learn a lot but I don’t know about grades,” and “If you are in level three I can’t gurantee good grades, but good luck” were all said to us. Hmm, so am I supposed to expect to have bad grades just because of my level and not because of my work??

On a positive note the Drama we are watching in his class is very amusing. It’s called Kurosagi: “In this world, there are three types of swindlers. Those who defraud other peoples money, Shirosagi. Those who deceive others by manipulating their feelings, Akasagi. And then, using the Shirosagi and Akasagi as his only source of food is the ultimate Sagi(swindler) in history. His name is . . . . . . Kurosagi.”

Shiro = White Sagi = swindler/heron aka = red kuro = black

Basically it’s about Kurosagi and how he takes on Shirosagi and Akasagi, but it also has it’s twist because he’s doing it for revenge.

あるドラマ知っているかな？　クロサギというドラマ。　聴解の授業で見ている。　僕としてかっこいいドラマ。　“この世の中には三種類の詐欺師がいる。人を騙して金銭を巻き上げる「シロサギ」、異性をえさとして人の心をもてあそぶ「アカサギ」。そして、シロサギとアカサギだけをえさとする史上最強の詐欺師がいる。詐欺師を騙す詐欺師。その名は、「クロサギ」。”　かっこよくない？　日本人だったらもう知っていると思うけど　サギは二つの意味がある、詐欺と鷺だ。とにかく話はおもしろい。

In other news, I played soccer Sunday, there was a welcome party for the new students in the kaikan last Saturday, and last Friday we had a housewarming party for Marta (poland). Those were my weekend highlights.

Well actually to be more accurate this was last weekend and not the weekend that just began TODAY!! Where has all the time gone??