August 9, 2002

Tonight I went to an informal welcome party that the prefecture was throwing. We met at this place called Michael's American Pub. It was nice to be around an American store owner. Made me feel a little proud. Michael was very funny, and a really nice guy. His (Japanese) wife made us pasta salad, buffalo chicken wings and lasanga. They even brought out popcorn which made me laugh at first but I was excited to be eating it. Like I am starting to realize more and more, I'm NOT a group person. There were some new ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) and some old ones. Well the older ones had these Japanese friends that they hang out with regularly I guess and they were soooooooo loud! I guess it also bothered me because I was driving and wasn't drinking like everyone else in the pub. In Japan they have a ZERO blood alchohol level and especially in the area where I live I'm glad that they do. The roads are so winding and curving that it could be very easy to lose your control if you are not at 100%. So anyway, the screaming girls saying "KAMPAI" -which means cheer- and holding it out for like 13 minutes was just getting to be a bit much for me. I am sure that the white folks think I complain a lot, but I'm just not used to hanging out like that. My friends and I go drinking and dancing. We don't ever sit and just drink at a bar and get obnoxious. Well...There is the El...but we eat there and then go home, so its not the same. Even when we do go to a bar, its not the same as the way these folks party. I can't wait until my folks get settled so we can have some communication again. Figure out when we are going to Tokyo to party!!!

I bought a suit tonight at the train station in Fujiyoshida. They have some really nice shops there. It was a little department store kinda thing. Its BAD too. Three pieces and black. The salesman gave me a great price on it. I have been looking for one for a long time even in the states that was reasonable price because school begins the week after next and I didn't have one. My supervisor told me that I needed to try to find one. So, I finally did. I figured out with the help of the salesman that I am a size 11 or 12 in Japanese sizes. Which is like a 4 or 6 in America! Go figure.

I wrote my welcome speech today. I have to say it in Japanese and in English Monday morning to everyone at the Village Office. Wanna hear it...here goes: Good morning everyone. It is nice to meet you. My name is Eboni Staton. Please call me Eboni. I come from North Carolina in America. North Carolina is in the Southeast of America. I came to Japan on August 4th. I'm so excited to be here since this is my first time to visit Japan. I studied Japanese in America but I am still poor at it. My hobby is listening to all types of music and I am also interested in improving my Japanese while here in Japan. I am proud to be working with you and I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can. I will try to do my best. I hope our relationship will be a happy one.
For those of you who understand Japanese, here is the other version:
Minasan, hajimemashite. Watashi wa Eboni Suteiton to moushimasu. Eboni to yonde kudasai. Watashi wa Amerika no Nosu Karoraina kara kimashita. Nosu Karoraina wa Amerika no nansei no hou desu. Watashi wa hachi gatsu yokka ni Nihon ni kimashita. Nihon wa hajimetedesunode totemo tanoshiminishiteimasu. Amerika de nihongo o benkyoushimashita ga mada heta desu. Watashi no shumi way ongaku o kikukoto desu ga Nihon no nihongo o benkyou ni kyoumi ga arimasu. Mina sama to issho ni oshigoto ga dekiru koto o kouei ni omoimasu. Ouku no katagata to oshiriai ni nareru koto o tanoshiminishite orimasu. Ganbaritai to omoimasu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
What do you think?