The Road Less Traveled

Asuke, Part 1: Prior to Departure (A-side)

Thursday, March 5th, 2009 by Rintaun | Uncategorized

Well, I’m back from Asuke. For those of you who missed the update, between February 21st and March 2nd, I was in a tiny town about an hour and a half away called Asuke for a “cultural experience” trip. Of course, I haven’t really said anything about it other than that, yet. Well, as part of the trip (and the grade), I had to keep a journal of things that happened. So, well, I’m basically just going to post my entries from that. I’ll add little notes in here and there, because the journal assumes you know basically everything I do about it and the people involved. So anyway, this is the first post in a series, so sit back and enjoy.

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February 15th, 2009: 6 days prior to departure
Well, this is my first journal entry, though I’m not really certain yet what I should be writing — the reality of the Asuke trip hasn’t really hit me yet. I have to admit that I haven’t finished my readings, yet, and that may factor into this as well. Over the next few days I plan on finishing them up. I’m looking forward to the trip — not only does it mark the halfway point of my stay in Japan, but it also is going to be a lot of fun, I think. Given the history of our group so far, there will probably be some problems and drama, but even so, I’ll probably have a good time, and learn a lot, to boot.

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February 16th, 2009: 5 days prior to departure
Yesterday was my birthday… it was pretty mundane. I suppose even if I was in the States, I wouldn’t have done much of anything special, but I was thinking a lot and not really doing anything, and I seem to have put off my readings again. At least I’m honest about it, I guess. I leave to go teach English for the first time in an hour and a half. But that’s all beside the point. I know I should be thinking about Asuke, but I just don’t know what to think. Even with the readings I have read telling me that this is going to be a unique experience, different than anything I’ve experienced in life, let alone Japan, my brain just goes on expecting it to be exactly the same as Kasugai. I know, rationally, that it will be very different, but I guess since I haven’t experienced it, I have nothing to relate it to in my head. Maybe it’ll hit me tomorrow. For now, my brain will just continue to see it as another trip.

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February 17th, 2009: 4 days prior to depature
Today was my second day teaching English. Seems like a great idea — starting this right before Asuke — doesn’t it? Just one more distraction. Thompson-sensei gets here tomorrow night, and we’re all starting to rush around to finish up our work before Thursday. I hope I don’t inadvertently do or say anything rude while I’m in Asuke. Around here, people are pretty tolerant of the foreigners and their lack of fluency in Japanese, but I wonder how tolerant they will be in the little town of Asuke. I hope it all turns out okay… We’re hoping to take Thompson-sensei to a local okonomiyaki place on Friday — hopefully that works out too.

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Well that’s all for now. It’s 6:50am here right now, and I haven’t slept yet (I was out all night at Karaoke again), and I need to get some sleep before I have to go the the above-mentioned English-teaching job at 3:30. Woo!

Anyway, it’s a bit short, but expect the next part in the series [Prior to Depature (B-side)] soon!

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