Monday, November 08, 2010

The Sandwich Witch (me)

Greetings!

I thought I'll create a little Ham Sandwich effect (which means stuff something between something) to lighten my usual all out emotions about my Japanese experience blabberings and talk about some small fluffy stuff. Snickering ensues.

First off, I finally got myself to watch the 2008 Oscar winning film 'Okuribito' and I'll say it straight - if you haven't seen it, then DO IT NOW. Really, it's beyond words and redefines the human drama genre with it's calm and soft yet deep, dramatical yet sometimes comical touch on human relationship and also it is unbelievable eye opening in many ways... I can't find a better word for it. Makes you respect everything around you more and care for even the smallest things you do. One of the little things - 'Think before you say.' A saying I have thought of quite a lot recently due to the Japanese culture of 'undertsanding what is left unsaid' I'm living in.
Damn it, yet again went the old 'emotional experience' way! Sorry!
But the film is awesome and no wonder why it snatched the prize. A piece worth watching.

To make things up, on a lighter note, I'll talk about my hobby - getting off my usual bus at a different from usual stop. Then wonder about. That way I have discovered many small but hugely peculiar things around my seemingly usual hometown.
My latest find is an apartment complex near the elementary school my sister goes to. The building is called 'Gryffindor'. How cool is that?! You can actually live the life of magic in this muggle world! Haha!
Other things are for instance buildings of odd shape or style, for example a Japanese sweetshop covered entirely with moss making it look like a huge green stuffed toy, unbelievable narrow snake like winding alleys and small parks in the most cramped of spaces. You know, for the kids to play in. To keep them of the streets. ;)
Also, just last week I got off the bus about 5 stops before my usual place and took a little walk home. On the way I suddenly noticed that there was a small group of elementary school students running after me shouting 'Konnichiwa! Hallo! Hallo!' After I turned around they caught up with me looked at me from every angle (of course commenting on my eyes, round and huge xD) and followed me home while asking various questions about where I'm from and why I'm here. I had some questions for them too so we had a small friendly chittery chat until we parted ways. They were all my neighbourhood children, some living right next to me.
Needless to say that this kind of thing is unusual in here. Why? Firstly, it's more of a countryside here, but moreover isn't it well known that the Japanese are more on the timid side? They usually might just nod to you when your eyes meet in the street then scatter away, but when the girl who seemed to be the leader of the bunch started talking to me, I really sensed that Japan is changing. In every sense. Also the old generation being replaced by the next. Japan really is in the middle of the biggest change it has ever faced. Bigger than Meiji. It may seem small from the outside, but the biggest changes always happen on the inside, where it isn't easily seen. Only when you're part of it. But every change has it's ups and downs so I'll be looking forward to see what will happen to Japan and overall world as I keep living on this ball of mud and imagination.

That is all of my little foundings. I hope you found them entertaining even though I still ended up being too serious. Gomen ne! :)

Until next time!
Hails hoy!

1 comment:

  1. Oo, nägid ka ära. Me käisime Ennuga suve lõpus tARTuFFil ja nägime ka seal Okuribitot. Väga hea oli!
    Ja sinu naabrilapsed on tõesti avatud. Ja tunduvad nunnud. :P

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