The unsettling class placement result

 The class placement result for the second semester of my intensive Japanese programme was released this afternoon.  I was informed that I have qualified for the Advanced class, based on my results from a 2-hour placement exam on Monday. I should be happy but I have mixed feelings.

 

 

The placement exam was only a written exam. I know that my listening and speaking skills are still not up to the mark, which is pretty obvious from the day to day interaction I engage in. For example, when you make payment at the cashier in a supermarket in Japan, you will usually find yourself being asked a few questions by the cashier. Do you have a member's card? Do you need a bag? These are some of the common questions. If you buy a bento or a cake, you will get questions like Do you need chopsticks? Do you need a spoon? Most of the time, I couldn't catch what the cashier was saying and used my common sense to guess what he or she had just said. And with the conversations with my landlord, it was the same. I guess alot, from the context, from body language, from facial expressions etc.

 

My classmate commented that we could only improve if we keep challenging ourselves. Of course I know that. But with language learning, being placed in the wrong class can affect learning progress. I recall how I was always struggling to listen to what the teacher and my classmates were saying in my class last semester and how I could not respond during discussions because I didn't follow the flow at all.  And once, I was called suddenly to summarise my thoughts about a discussion in front of the class while I was still busy trying to grasp the points of discussion.  It totally spoilt the whole learning process because I just couldn't follow.

 

There is no way I will accept being placed in the Advanced class for listening and speaking, as it probably means I will be lost most of the time, again! So I decided to veto the result and requested for a change to a lower-level class. Your teacher should know your proficiency level better than you, said the programme coordinator when I approached him.  It was a no-go and I was told to try my luck again with my teacher after a few lessons.

 

It looks like the next semester is going to be a tough one...

The food on the table

After the first month in Kyoto, a miscalculated budget forced me to cut back on my meal expenses and I found myself having to give up the luxury of school meals and supermarket bentos for cheaper home-cooked meals.  

 

This turning point in my life opened my eyes to a perspective of food which I have often overlooked and taught me to truly appreciate the circumstances I am in.  If I had not started cooking for myself, I would not have fully experienced the goodness of living in a city where I can get the ingredients for my meals fresh from the farms every day.  

 

One of the joys of cooking in Kyoto is being able to get fresh ingredients for my meals.

 

In particular, Kyoto's traditional vegetables, or Kyo Yasai (京野菜) as they are known in Japanese, have a reputation for their rich colours and taste.  Just as the masters of traditional arts strived to perfect their craft, the  farmers of the old capital too worked hard to ensure the highest quality in their vegetables. Whether it was to delight the palate of the nobility or a response to the spread of Buddhism and vegetarian dishes in those days, the tradition of cultivating Kyo Yasai  seemed to be as important a tradition to the farmers of the old capital as any other Kyoto tradition then.  Today, even as Kyoto modernises along with the world, the tradition continues and Kyoto's vegetables and vegetarian cuisines are considered a must-try for visitors.  Those with a discerning palate often found the vegetables refreshingly sweet.

 

Vegetables from different parts of Japan are available in supermarkets in Kyoto but some supermarkets 
have a special section to promote Kyo Yasai of the season.

While Kyo Yasai could be slightly more expensive than vegetables from other parts of Japan, there are occasions when the supermarkets give discounts for seasonal vegetables. There is a variety of Kyo Yasai in season at different times of the year. In summer, eggplants cultivated in Kyoto are widely sold in the supermarkets.  I have never had a craving for eggplants in my entire life but since I saw them in every supermarket I went to, I decided to try some. They were really sweet and delicious! I have to admit that I have become somewhat of a fan of this vegetable.



In summer, eggplants from Kyoto can be bought at about 100 Yen for three.

Apart from Kyo Yasai, Kyoto also has its own rice fields in  some parts of the prefecture. When I took the local trains out from the city for my summer excursions, I passed many of these rice farms. The view of rolling green fields from the train windows was a picturesque sight. I couldn't possibly miss an opportunity to stroll through the fields. And that I did one summer day.  When I eat my rice today, the image of that lone, elderly farmer toiling under the hot sun tending to his fields always comes to mind.

Main picture shows rice fields in Yosano, a town in the Tango region, north of Kyoto prefecture. Top right picture shows a pack of  rice produced in the central Tamba region of Kyoto prefecture, which I recently bought. 

 

Before coming to Kyoto, I hardly stepped into the kitchen to prepare my own meals. I ate whatever was conveniently available and finished my meals without as much as a thought as to the origin of the food on the table.  But now, when I eat my meals, I taste the sweetness of the vegetables and the texture of the rice. And I feel grateful to the people who work closely with Nature to provide the food on my table.

Statistics series: Japan's Grand Generation

The third Monday of September is Respect for Elderly Day, a national holiday in Japan.  So today is the day to show our respect to the aged and to celebrate their contributions. 

 

The Nikkei Shimbun carried on its front page some figures relating to the number of elderly in Japan released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. According to the figures, there are 30.74 million Japanese citizens who are aged 65 and above, making up 24.1% of the total population. This is an increase from the previous year, making the number of elderly the highest to date.  The number of elderly who live alone has also increased, making up 16.4% of the above 65 age group. On the other hand, the number of those aged 64 and below has decreased by 1.28 million. So there it is, an indication of the gravity of the aging issue in Japan.

 

I was hoping to read a little more about the Japanese government's response to the rising numbers but did not see it anywhere else in the article nor the rest of the newspaper.  Just for comparison on where Singapore stands against the numbers from Japan, about 6.8 per cent of Singapore's total population are aged 65 years old and above, based on the population statistics as of end June 2011. In absolute numbers, that is about 352 000.  I just cannot imagine that there may one day be millions of elderly people in Singapore too.

 

Vegetables sold at a special discount at Nakamura, a supermarket,
in conjunction with Respect for Elderly Day.

While Respect for Elderly Day did not seem to be given a more reflective treatment at the national level in Japan (the Senkaku issue probably overshadowed everything else), it was definitely given more thought at the local level. I gathered that on this day celebrations were commonly held for the elderly at the community level. The supermarkets also held special sale as part of the holiday and one I went to even put out a special edition of the daifuku or rice cake.

Respect for the Elderly rice cakes on sale at Fresco, another supermarket near my place.

An acquaintance at the place where I volunteer told me that the Japanese elderly didn't like any references to be made to their age. Hence, in recent years, there have been efforts to come up with a more politically correct term such as the "Grand Generation". It appeared that the phrase was often abbreviated to "GG" which sounds like the Japanese slang for "old man" which isn't very nice either.  I guess there is room for further creative thinking to come up with a cool-sounding term to refer to the aged.

On a daily basis, I find myself in the midst of the Grand Generation so even without the numbers, the aging population is evident in the Kyoto streets. It is nice to see them playing sports in the nearby park, volunteering as guides at tourist attractions, or speeding past me on their bicycles uphill with a load of groceries. This is what active aging is about.  But there were times when I was reminded of the seriousness of the aging issue. And on those times, I couldn't help but shudder at the frightening thought of a country with only a minority of young people bearing the burden of an aging society. 

Poster series: Recruitment ads for police officers and fire fighters



I came across two recruitment posters for police officers and fire fighters recently and couldn't help but be attracted by the designs.  

 

The recruitment poster for police officers has a tagline that says, "Youths with great aspirations, come on!" The calligraphic paintings of a female officer on horseback and a male officer on a motorbike look as if they may spring out of the posters into real action right before your eyes.

 

"さすが京都だ!" I thought to myself when I saw it.  Just as one would expect from a city steeped in traditional arts and culture. The use of calligraphy just turned a common poster into a piece of art.

 

An A2-sized poster found on a notice board near a sunflower farm in the town of Yosano, Kyoto.

 

 

The recruitment poster for fire fighters, on the other hand, cleverly plays on the words of a proverb.  "I want to borrow even if it's a cat's paw" (猫の手も借りたい） is a Japanese proverb which is used to describe a busy state a person is in.  The explanation for the proverb is that when you are so busy, you probably wish that even the animals around you can help you. Instead of using the original proverb, the poster uses the words, "A cat's paws can't be borrowed"　（猫の手は借りられない), to emphasise the gravity of the fire fighters' mission.

 

You may ask, why a cat of all animals? The guess (according to this website) is that perhaps the image of a cat chasing after rats gives Japanese the impression that cats are good helpers. 

An A2-sized poster found alongside other random posters pasted on the walls of a subway station.

The noise outside the door



I woke up in the darkness, frozen in fear. Someone was just outside the door and was obviously meddling with it. There was no mistake. With a door made of metal, even the smallest object hitting against it would send a reverberation loud enough to be heard in my tiny apartment.

 

I turned to face the door while still on my bed, not daring to move, and listened keenly.  I had been studying for my upcoming placement exam late into the night and had barely fallen asleep when I heard the noises coming from the door. Could it be someone who was drunk and got to the wrong door? 

 

I looked at the clock, and then relaxed. It was 5.20am. I was expecting him afterall! I jumped out of my bed and rushed to the door. 



A picture of my mail box that is affixed to the door.
I don't receive all my mails in this box. Only important stuff was dropped off here.
 Sometimes, the postman just left the mail in the letter box at the entrance
 to my mansion, if the mail is not deemed important.



I peered into the box affixed to my door meant for the postman to drop off important mail such as my bills. There it was, what I had been waiting excitedly for in the past week - my first Japanese newspaper! Yes, the person who woke me up from my sleep was none other than the Nikkei Shimbun newspaperman! He must have been trying very hard to fit the newspaper into the narrow slot on the exterior of the door!

 

Nikkei Shimbun, 15 Sep 2012 morning edition received at around 5.20am.

Nikkei Shimbun, 15 Sep 2012 evening edition, which I found in my mail box
when I returned from volunteer work in the evening.

Not too long ago, my neighbour told me about a mailer she had received in her letterbox regarding a newspaper company providing a one-week free trial reading of their papers. As I often threw flyers in my letterbox straight into the garbage bin, I missed out on that application for the free newspapers. Following that lesson, I had since made it a point to go through the stack of mailers in my letter box more carefully.

 

Last week, I saw in the mail Nikkei's mailer offering a one-week free trial reading of its newspaper. I sent out my application on Monday, received an acknowledgement from their Osaka office on Friday and got my first newspaper on Saturday.  With the summer vacation now gone and my Japanese deteriorating into a most lamentable state, the newspapers should come in helpful as I work hard to bring myself up to speed again with the language.

 

And if my sensei should ask me if I had followed her advice and started reading more Japanese texts in the summer vacation, I could at least let her know that I am attempting to read newspapers now.

Autumn is near!

Autumn wear is decked out in the departmental stores, signaling that summer is coming to a close.  I have survived the humid summer.

 

How will I fare in autumn? I can't wait to find out!

 

 

 



My landlady's pride

One reason I am in Kyoto and taking this long break from work is to take time off to smell the flowers, as the saying goes.

Coincidentally, my landlady is a person with green fingers and I am in no want of pretty flowers even at my Kyoto home. The patio of the mansion where we live is where my landlady proudly displays her plants.

Around mid-August, I saw a plant prominently placed at the patio which I had never seen before. It caught my attention because of the small, yellow star-shaped flowers flanked by two white petals.

The flowers were in bloom for only a couple of days and I was glad I took a photograph of them.  I wonder what they are called.

A day after I saw the wilted yellow flowers, another new flowering plant was in their place. And I began to realise why I didn't see these plants before. 

My landlady probably kept some of the plants in her house and brought them out only when the flowers started to bloom so that others might admire them too.

"Come look at this flower! It only blooms for one day," she said enthusiastically when she saw me at the patio, and pointed to the huge, crimson flower which looked like a variety of the hibiscus.

"Okusan, you really like flowers, don't you?" I commented. "Yes, I love them!" She said happily and then started to bring me through the various plants at the patio, for the third time in the five months I have lived here.

How nice it will be if I could always be here to listen to Okusan talk about her plants.