Yayoi

The second week was the most exhausting of the entire trip, which is why I haven't been posting a lot lately. Last week Monday was a full day of travel from pretty much the very south of japan to the very north. We were supposed to have homestays on Monday and Tuesday but only three of us actually got one.  That was a bit disappointing; apparently Japanese families think that Westerners need a lot of space and feel uncomfortable that they can't provide that. Due to high population or simple differences in living style, Japanese homes are tiny.  I was only disappointed for  a little bit that I didn't get a homestay--the rest of us got to stay in a hotel. And after staying in a hostel, any hotel seems glorious. So Monday consisted of travel and relaxing to late night Japanese game show television.

Tuesday we met with some students at Niigata university and had a poetry class on haiku, tanka, and Gary Snyder (of all poets...really?) but I actually liked the poem by him we studied--December at Yase. It was inspiring to read a westerner whose writing was inspired by Japanese writing.

Yayoi is April in Japanese.

I had introduced myself to many many many Japanese people on this trip, and everyone's reaction to my name is exactly the same--to the point that other members of my group find it funny.  The Japanese person whom I introduce myself to is always wide-eyed with surprised disbelief. "Ap--April??!". Followed by some offhandedly comment like, "how interesting..."

Some things never change no matter what country you are in.  Thanks, mom.

April