Everyone here is always giving me little gifts, and usually it is some kind of food. I have gotten oranges, pears, plums, about 3 tons of rice, some chocolate, lemon gum, candy, and a lot of little rice crackers.
I have started to observe and I can now sense when it's coming. There will be 3 or 4 teachers huddled around, speaking in low voices and then they will look at me, smile - maybe giggle a little - and then run over to me, tap me on the shoulder and present me with some small token of friendship. I love the gestures and the thought put into it. They have to decide as a group if I will like what they are about to offer. And once they have given me the gift, they wait for me to try it just to make sure the foreigner isn't adverse to their offering. And every time, without fail they think it is amazing that I eat it, and like it and am so appreciative of their kindness.
I have been asked by every person I have met what my favorite Japanese food is. My response is always along the lines of, "I love all Japanese food! It is difficult to decide." This is a shocking response to them and almost becomes a challenge - what is the most odd looking weird food we can try to feed her? Luckily I will eat almost anything and can surprise them at every turn.
In addition to being excellent and thoughtful gift givers, the teachers here definitely know how to ambush a girl! Everyday within the 2 and a half hour time block of 11:30am and 2:00pm, the teachers here have lunch. I pack my lunch everyday, but I try to hold off and see what others are doing before I just go and eat at noon all by myself. I have been trying to pay attention and listen for familiar words, but my efforts are moot. I think their strategy is not employing a routine - I can't keep up because there is no pattern to it, no consistency to lunch time. I will be off my guard for five minutes and that is when they sneak up behind me, tap me on the shoulder and ask me to lunch. Of course because I am a delinquent teacher I am always in the middle of a conversation with someone online or in the middle of writing a blog post, so everything is put on hold while they whisk me off to lunch at the combini or down stairs to the Home Ec room where one of the teachers has prepared homemade curry and rice.
I wish I could better anticipate these ambushes, but I guess spontaneity is good for me and my obsessive planning and preparation.
3 comments:
Man, I wish teachers would plan fun gift-giving ambushes for me...
that sounds like so much fun! and think of all the food you're saving! :grin: i can see why this would be frustrating. we have a visitor at work this week and its hard for me to participate b/c i'm on a shifted schedule so i leave much earlier in the day - so its forcing me to be more relaxed abt my schedule. it's hard. but like you, i think it's good to test my boundaries every now and then!
all your talk of food though - it's making me hungry for a second breakfast! :)
I totally hear you on this one! Esp. because I am such a planner, too! That does sound like fun, though, and that's so nice that they present those gifts to you!
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