Paying Respectz

I guess I will say a few words about what I have actually been doing at work, since school doesn’t start till next week. It feels like every few days I am meeting or “paying my respects” to someone new. The past 3 weeks is has been the Board of Education, the Superintendent, the Mayor, the Principals and Vice-Principals, the teachers, the staff, and some parents (Japanese equivalent of soccer moms?). Usually this is how it goes…

My sup, an unfortunately nervous man calls in the morning, speaks in a 90/10 mix of Japanese/English, to which I resignedly answer, Hai hai hai. Hai Hai. Ummm Ok. Eventually he shows up later in the day. We drive somewhere, get out of the car, nervously enter the building searching for the change of slippers, nervously peak in through doors until we find the right one. I half-heartedly bow, but make up for it by bowing many many times, as I enter. There I am introduced in Japanese. From what I gather I am from California, don’t know any Japanese (oh, the hopeless language) but am interested in Japanese Culture. Then there is an awkward silence, as I stand in front of the staff. We are all smiling. Hmmmm. Silence. When nobody can take it anymore and the first beads of sweat are about to tumble off my sup’s upper lip, I get the hint to start my self-introduction.

From what I imagine, I am saying. “Nice to meet you. Excuse me. My name is Kelly, I come from California. Excuse me. My Japanese is uh. I come from the UCLA in America. I studied the puberty of Africa (actually I think I picked the right word for development, but who really knows?). I don’t speak Japanese. Little by Little. Excuse Me. Thank you very much. Nicengjkegn to meet you.”

Then everyone claps and bows. I bow some more. We smile at each other. I leave. I laugh inside.