I'm just a bit proud of myself. After my rant yesterday about not having words to adequately express what I experienced in Japan over the past seven weeks, I have made a break through. I have found suitable equivalents to two words that have played a key role to my time in Japan.
Synchronicity. Call it what you will: God's will, luck, fate, miracles, angel kisses, coincidence. I believe in it. It's real. It exists. Synchronicity is in the moments where logic defies reason. Things happen that shouldn't. There is beauty in this. It's a most perfect combination of peace and fun.
Go-en. Or, more simply, en. I'm allowing myself to translate this as synchronicity. The more literal dictionary translation is luck. It's far more complex though. It's deeper than just plain luck. Go-en is luck with a reason. Go-en is fate as a gift. It's meant to be a blessing to the receiver.
I heard and used the words synchronicity and go-en repeatedly in Japan. It's as if through the earthquake and tsunami and the catastrophic devastation they caused also bestowed the grace and gift of luck, fate, and coincidence to those who were willing to receive it. Time after time things happened that shouldn't have. Good things. I have story after story of how this happened.
I like the idea of being receptive to the unknown. I like embracing the indescribable tidbits of fortune that I encountered. I took every opportunity to use the words synchronicity and go-en. The idea, meaning and definition behind these words make sense in both languages. People get this. Synchronicity and go-en make people smile.
The question inevitably comes up.
"Do you know what go-en means?" This is always asked with a grin, a raised eyebrow, and a sneaky look.
"I do," I always replied and smiled. I then dug into my backpack, pulled out my wallet and showed them the five yen piece I have stored away in a small and special compartment.
"See?"
"Good," was usually their answer, content I had the proper appreciation for fate by carrying around the one coin that symbolized, literally and figuratively, go-en.
Go-en also means "five yen" in Japanese. It's a homonym for "luck" or in my case, synchronicity. It's a good idea to carry around the coin that symbolizes synchronicity. That I knew this and respected the language and meaning behind go-en means I passed this test. That I carry around a special five yen piece is even better.
Synchronicity and go-en. Synchronicity and the five yen piece. These are now a few of my favorite things.
Showing posts with label Japanese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japanese. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The dreaded white phone
There is this cell phone that has been passed from interpreter to interpreter here in Iwate. It's used to take calls of local residents wanting help, people calling with complaints and in general, anyone who speaks only Japanese who wants to reach the volunteer group here. I had my turn with it for about two weeks before I went to Tokyo. I handed it off to another bilingual volunteer when I went to Tokyo and then since my return, my illness has kept it from it coming back to me.
It's called "the dreaded white phone" for several reasons. First, it never stops ringing. This is generally a good thing as it means people are calling asking for help. It also means the person answering it is in charge of taking down the information (correctly), relaying it to the necessary parties and then doing all the go-between work.
Second, not everything runs smoothly. The person answering the white phone must speak Japanese as this is the number that's called by the Japanese public. This means the person taking the calls handles not only the language but also the cultural nuances. Anytime one person is put in the middle of a bilingual and bi-cultural situation there is always the probability there is a misunderstanding. It's the white-phone-handler's responsibility to keep all the potential mishaps at bay. This is pressure. It's actually a lot of pressure.
So, now that my voice is back and all I'm really doing is coughing and hacking here and there, the phone has made its way back to me. For a few days at least. This will kick up my stress level several notches. It's what I'm here to do but that doesn't make it easier or enjoyable. I know how to alleviate potential problems. This is what I do. This doesn't make it easy, though.
All this to say if I'm cranky in a few days and this pops up in my posting you'll all know why.
It's called "the dreaded white phone" for several reasons. First, it never stops ringing. This is generally a good thing as it means people are calling asking for help. It also means the person answering it is in charge of taking down the information (correctly), relaying it to the necessary parties and then doing all the go-between work.
Second, not everything runs smoothly. The person answering the white phone must speak Japanese as this is the number that's called by the Japanese public. This means the person taking the calls handles not only the language but also the cultural nuances. Anytime one person is put in the middle of a bilingual and bi-cultural situation there is always the probability there is a misunderstanding. It's the white-phone-handler's responsibility to keep all the potential mishaps at bay. This is pressure. It's actually a lot of pressure.
So, now that my voice is back and all I'm really doing is coughing and hacking here and there, the phone has made its way back to me. For a few days at least. This will kick up my stress level several notches. It's what I'm here to do but that doesn't make it easier or enjoyable. I know how to alleviate potential problems. This is what I do. This doesn't make it easy, though.
All this to say if I'm cranky in a few days and this pops up in my posting you'll all know why.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Self-deprecation and Divinity
I'm not sure what it is about being sick that makes people say and do strange things to me but today has been one of those days. Remember: I have an active imagination and pride myself in that. Making up stories? Not this time around. What I write here is the straight-up truth.
I've been drinking hot water with lemon and honey all day. It burns going down. I tell myself this is a good thing. There's no doctor here so I'm self-medicating. It's all natural so I'm fine with it. I'll let you know how if it's made any difference tomorrow. But, I digress. I stepped into the small kitchenette (five feet by six feet, I kid you not) to boil some water on the two-burner gas stove that I do believe I've seen used at camp sites. In other words, it's not a stove-stove....if you know what I mean.
Lo and behold, Mrs. K., one of the local women who does the cooking in the evenings is already boiling water. I ask if she'll fill up my giant mug as I cover my mouth with my arm and croak out the request. She's shocked at how bad I sound and I say, "I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just a cold." Get this. To this she replies, "I think of you as a god. You're not supposed to get sick."
Whoa. This is a problem. I laugh (always a good way to deflect) and say that I am most definitely not a god, at which point a giant cough comes out from me. I must say, the timing couldn't have been better. "Gods don't get sick, right?" I say to her.
If I may switch gears here for a minute. There's a rule ingrained in everyone who lives in Japan. If you were born and raised here, this was drilled into you from a very early age. If you come to Japan as a foreigner and you don't know this rule, you're out. You make this mistake, you're so, so, so out. The rule is "never take a compliment" which is defined by making sure anything good said to you is denied through self-deprecation. What do I mean? Anyone saying to me, "oh, you're Japanese is so good" is to hear the right response of "oh, no no no no no. I'm still learning," or "I'm sorry you have to listen to such poor Japanese" or something equivalent. "You're handsome" is to be met with "no, I'm not" and an explanation of why you're ugly. I'm not kidding.
So, with this rule of self-deprecation hanging over me (which I don't mind--it's part of life here) now try applying it to "I think of you as a god." This kicks up the self-deprecation requirement multiple times. First, I'm clearly not a god. Second, this is a huge compliment and I have to be careful how I turn down my so-called divinity. Third, she's concerned about me. I appreciate that. I do, however, have to gently but firmly knock down any notion of amazingness (if that's a word) and let her know I'm really just me. Yes, I appreciate the fact that she appreciates me. At the end of the day, I want our mutual respect to be enough. Don't make me into something I'm not, Mrs. K. I can't handle the pressure.
I've been drinking hot water with lemon and honey all day. It burns going down. I tell myself this is a good thing. There's no doctor here so I'm self-medicating. It's all natural so I'm fine with it. I'll let you know how if it's made any difference tomorrow. But, I digress. I stepped into the small kitchenette (five feet by six feet, I kid you not) to boil some water on the two-burner gas stove that I do believe I've seen used at camp sites. In other words, it's not a stove-stove....if you know what I mean.
Lo and behold, Mrs. K., one of the local women who does the cooking in the evenings is already boiling water. I ask if she'll fill up my giant mug as I cover my mouth with my arm and croak out the request. She's shocked at how bad I sound and I say, "I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just a cold." Get this. To this she replies, "I think of you as a god. You're not supposed to get sick."
Whoa. This is a problem. I laugh (always a good way to deflect) and say that I am most definitely not a god, at which point a giant cough comes out from me. I must say, the timing couldn't have been better. "Gods don't get sick, right?" I say to her.
If I may switch gears here for a minute. There's a rule ingrained in everyone who lives in Japan. If you were born and raised here, this was drilled into you from a very early age. If you come to Japan as a foreigner and you don't know this rule, you're out. You make this mistake, you're so, so, so out. The rule is "never take a compliment" which is defined by making sure anything good said to you is denied through self-deprecation. What do I mean? Anyone saying to me, "oh, you're Japanese is so good" is to hear the right response of "oh, no no no no no. I'm still learning," or "I'm sorry you have to listen to such poor Japanese" or something equivalent. "You're handsome" is to be met with "no, I'm not" and an explanation of why you're ugly. I'm not kidding.
So, with this rule of self-deprecation hanging over me (which I don't mind--it's part of life here) now try applying it to "I think of you as a god." This kicks up the self-deprecation requirement multiple times. First, I'm clearly not a god. Second, this is a huge compliment and I have to be careful how I turn down my so-called divinity. Third, she's concerned about me. I appreciate that. I do, however, have to gently but firmly knock down any notion of amazingness (if that's a word) and let her know I'm really just me. Yes, I appreciate the fact that she appreciates me. At the end of the day, I want our mutual respect to be enough. Don't make me into something I'm not, Mrs. K. I can't handle the pressure.
Monday, April 25, 2011
My "Lord Person"
In Japanese, the proper way for a wife to reference her husband in public is to call him her "lord person." There's a word for "husband" as well, but this isn't used in the same way. I've told my husband about this "lord person" bit years ago and of course he loves it. The proper way for a man to refer to his wife in public, and for those of you who don't speak Japanese you'll just have to take my word for it, the word is "inside-the-house." I have long ago told my husband I'll refer to him my "lord person" in Japan but under no circumstances does he ever get to call me his "inside-the-house." We laugh about this all the time.
As I meet and talk with people here in Japan many, almost all in fact, ask how my family feels about me being here. I give my "lord person" a lot of credit saying he's very supportive, patient and encouraged me to go, giving me only one condition. I have to come back home.
I spoke with him for an hour this morning (thank you, Vonage!) and he told me to tell everyone who has supported me over the past month that he, too, appreciates the generosity, kindness and acceptance of those who have given me a safe place to be. Please know being away from my "lord person" is possible only because I have people around me who will go beyond the extra mile to make sure I'm well taken care of, fed, pampered and given a space to laugh and cry. For this, my "lord person" and I are truly humbled, grateful and in awe. Thank you.
As I meet and talk with people here in Japan many, almost all in fact, ask how my family feels about me being here. I give my "lord person" a lot of credit saying he's very supportive, patient and encouraged me to go, giving me only one condition. I have to come back home.
I spoke with him for an hour this morning (thank you, Vonage!) and he told me to tell everyone who has supported me over the past month that he, too, appreciates the generosity, kindness and acceptance of those who have given me a safe place to be. Please know being away from my "lord person" is possible only because I have people around me who will go beyond the extra mile to make sure I'm well taken care of, fed, pampered and given a space to laugh and cry. For this, my "lord person" and I are truly humbled, grateful and in awe. Thank you.
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