Worked at Japanese Restaurant in USA among Koreans

It's been funny. I worked for Japanese Restaurant in my neighborhood for about five month. I still remember the first day I knocked on their door. I was so scared and nurvous dealing with first time job serch situation. I asked...are you hiring? Answer, yes, welcome! Then my second job on weekends were started.

No, for me, it seemed to be my first job, especially these two month. I worked as a nanny on Monday thru Wednesday, as a waitress Thursday thru Sunday. I rest my body when I was with at my home with kids...it was just like my off day. Anyway, I worked really hard there and saved up to 5000. Yey.

Well, what I actually want to write is my experience there was little funny. I really like the restaurant now but first couple month working there was my nightmare. That was exactry culture shock. I need to mention two points before starting to talk about the restaurant. First, I was the only one Japanese worker there. Everyone else was Korean. Japanese people know that most Korean don't like Japanese. This is the second point. This caused my hard days facing my lil war.

First day working there, I was 'the first Japanese worked there'. My coworkers were curious about Japan, they asked me a lot about Japan, it was good thing, I thought.
Next day, I was shocked at my owner's chenge. He started asking just like the first day. But it was a political probrem between Japan and Korea. Then started telling his thoughts how Japan is bad....every single day. The most popular thing for him was Dokuto. Dokuto is the islands located between Japan and Korea, both country says those are their own territory. He ask me how do I think about thr islands tons of times. I've been said 'I don't care about such a small islands', 'How about we go there together and explore those?' 'Oh if you care so much, you should save money and buy them'. He kept telling me those are Korean. So why he needed to ask? It made me sad everyday. I thought that if he hates Japan so much, he should sell this restaurant and start a Korean restaurant, or why he can drive a Japanese car hating my country, why Korean people are so jerk and stupid...these bad thinking.

Then I realized that they saw me as 'a Japanese' but Miyuki' and I saw them as 'a group of Koreans', this thinking makes war. It was a really really the war. Small small war between Japan and Korea in US. Okay, so I tried to ignore them when they started that kind of talk, I joined only their fun talk. Also I started to learn Korean a little. Tried to smile, say thank you and please. To be good as 'a person'. I chenged my name tag 'Miyuki' which used to say 'jessica'.
I am Miyuki, yes, I am a Japanese, but not the Japanese!

Then my hard life there changed little by little. They still talk about bad things about Japan which I hate. But I Think I am Miyuki for them now. And they are not Korean any more. They are my friends....

Today I'm going there to say good bye and thank them. They said They will make sushi for me. That is not a Japanese sushi, they are Japanese, Korean, and American.

You smiled at me, I know you did.

And you don't know how much it helped.

I spend all day being the brave face for everyone I love, and at the end of each day I go home wondering if I will ever learn to swallow my pride and ask for a little comfort of my own. I was tired of being strong, and I was worried that I was empty.

But it seems that when you're at your lowest, the world will find you and remind you that there is still a little bit of good, and that you are not forgotten. Sometimes, all that means is a little smile.

My heart is full. For that, thank you. Thank you to everyone who found a way to give someone a smile, today, and thank you to everyone who will find a way tomorrow. But especially thank you to the woman who smiled at me. I needed nothing more than that.


.....this is my bad habit going to NYC's Craig's list and pick the posts, i know.
Especially 'missing connection' is all my interest. This page is the chaos. Millions of junks are floating on this site. I'm neither live in the city nor looking for someone missing, but I really like to peek the site. Sometimes I run into the posts that fill my mind with happiness. Many in the city want something special in the busy city. They take subways and buses and see tons of people everyday. They don't need a big thing. They are looking for really really small changes in their routine life. When they find a tiny special thing, they drop it on the Craig's list. I love to see these pieces of someones happiness! They are so lovely and adorable. At the same time, I envy those people in the city.

Above is today's favorite. He was helped by someone who smile on him. He made me happy by posting this article. I decided to smile!

....So I can't stop this bad habit!

New Bartender!

I took a vacation last week and went to the Bartender school in Midtown.
I felt like I'm a city girl that wek. I stayed at my friend's house in Yonkers, took the packed subways every morning, got out from the underground at 42nd st/Bryant Park, Bought bagel and coffee for $1.50, have breakfast and study at the Bryant Park then went to the school. My friend and I went to the lottery for the musical 'In The Heights' (Unfortunately we couldn't get the tickets), hang out and then went home. Isn't that sounds fun? I really miss that life in nowhere in Upstate now.

The school was sooo much fun! It was rather hanging out with my friens than studying. Teachers were/are awesome, they are fun and kind. We were required to make 20 drinks in 6 minutes for graduate. I was little worried because my English is not so good, had no knowledge of alcohol, and my height is way short against the bar counter! Also we have only a week to learn everything!! I thought NO WAY! But I suddenly remembered that I like studying! I really love to organize then memorize the information. I forgot that for years. I studied in the subway to and from school. Also at the Bryant Park, my favorite place. Which was so fun! And I made it! I got a perfect score on the paper exam and made 20 drinks under 6 minutes! I proud of myself! And the same time, I'd love to say thank to teacher Dan and Max!!

My English Level

miyukiさんは、実家に帰省することを「実家に来日する」と言われるほどの　英語力です

It says "Miyuki's English level, She would be said 'She visits Japan' when she returns home."

hmmmmmmm......hard to translate!

Insomnia

How many musicians sang about this? I am dealing with insomnia right now.....even though only tonight. It's getting bright outside and birds started singing. Morning...clock tells me that 6:48 am now.

This is my first vigil in the US. Am I so stressed out? I don't think so. But I couldn't stop thinking a bunch of things and it was already 4:54 am when I realized the dawn. I was surprised, so I grabbed my camera and took picture of the time.

Well, what am I thinking is about various thigs. I don't want to think about them anymore by now, but I don't want to forget them, I article them;

• Reserve the hostel
  
• Learn how to make jewelry (make samples tomorrow)
  
• Fold origami
• Tell D about garage sale
• Ask D about summer time schedule
• Divide things I need from I don't need
• I might be able to sell my Japanese thigs to someone
• I don't have enough money!
• Send email to my Japanese friends
• Buy a charger
• Go to the restaurant

....OK, I won't forget......
Ooooooo! It's 7:04 now! I've gotta start my job at 7:30!

Hello from New York (State)

I moved to Chester in New York State on March 22nd. I live with my new host family and take care of two children.
Chester, the town I am in now is very small town and there is nothing to do around here.....what is goin' on? Here is New York (State)!! I can see cows, I can see field goes to sky.

Anyway I think I live in New York now. I can get the city in about an hour. That's not bad! The city is craszy which I love it!!

Last Class

Today's class was the last ESL class for me.
I am moving to New York (State....not the city) next Friday.
I will stay there for half a year and go back to Japan.
But I will come back to Minnesota to hunt bear and see you!
I love you and will miss you guys!!!

Teachers,
Thank you so much.
I gained vocab and conversation skill a lot....maybe grammar too.
I think I will speak 'city' English when I see you next time!!

Friends,
I could have very good time with you.
I hope I can see you again soon.
Good luck your life in the U.S. and your English!!

Daylight Impact

It was January 17th and a perfectly normal Thursday. It was pretty cold but the sun came out. I send my host boy to the busstop and went to story time at Highland park library with my host girl. We had good fried rice from Taste of Thailand which was left-over from my birthday party the night before. See, it was a normal day.

After the girl's nap time, we decided to go to a library to pick up books and play at the children's area. Usually we choose Highland park one, but we already went there that day. Also that day was the last day for my ESL teacher Lisa to come to the Rondo library. I remembered that Lisa told me that she had never seen my host kids and wanted to meet them. So I asked the kids how about going to my school and they loved to go. We drove to Rondo.

I asked 'Can we say hi to my teacher?' to kids. They said 'No! I want to go to the kid's section right away!' 'Okay Okay (well, I can bring them even if they don't want to)' the conversation went so.

So, we arrived at the liberary and put the books into the box, headed to teacher's room (kids were asking where we were going and I said nothing) to say hi to Lisa and other teachers. We got to the room and Lisa was there. The kids were a little shy at first but I don't know why they got so excited that we stayed and talked maybe about 30 minutes. I was supposed to just say hi but the kids were just excited and wouldn't go, we stayed.

After Lisa got bored with my kids, I managed kids to say bye to her and headed to children's area. Then, we ran into my class mate Korse, we said hi to eachother and were having a small chat. Right when we were saying bye to each other, something boomed out and everyone in the library stopped motions. I didn't think it was a big thing, and I headed to the children's area with the host kids. The closer we went to the area, I noticed the more people went to the same dirction where we were heading and talking about something bad. But I still didn't get what had happened. When we got to the area, I realized at last.

Tons of people surrounded the childrens area. They were looking at something. I am so short that I couldn't see what was something. But we managed to squeeze our bodies and got to the front line. I lost my voice. So did my host kids. It was a car crash. The car crashed into the window on the children's area. Fragments of broken glass covered all of the children's area. A familiar peaceful sight changed into'accident scene'. The headlight on the car was sticking in the children's area. The driver was already carried out to somewhere. There was only a broken car and broken glass.

The people were talking, wondering what had happened and how this crash was crazy. Nobody knew what had happened because nobody was around there when the crash occured. Nobody got hurt. No children were there in children's area. But we were supposed to be there. If there wasn't Lisa in the teacher room, If my host kids were shy enough to leave Lisa little earlier, if I didn't see Korse...I could't stop thinking for a while.

We changed place to Highland park library and had a good time.
I couldn't see Lisa that day (suppose to be a party for Lisa) which is sad.

Kinda Funny Story?

I did it! I did it! I did it!
I finished reading 'English book' at last!

How I Decided to Hunt

I finished 'Firearm Safety' class, and after passing the exam this Sunday, I can get a hunting license. I started this class this month. Every time I told my friends that I'm taking a firearm safety class, everyone asked me that why I'm willing to hunt, because I am a almost vegetarian and I am studying animals. Also because I love living animals. Yes, I love animals, I 'm studying about animals, and I don't eat meat most of time. But I found out that hunting is a sport. Also not only hunting but every outdoor activities are parts of my life.

To tell the truth, when I started this class, I felt something uncomfortable in my stomach. I harbored reservation about 'gun' in the United States. Of course I was a anti-gun-society.
Even now, I can tell I don't like how the american people think of firearms.


“What it means to be my own referee?”

When I heard about the word “own referee” in this class, I felt familiar feeling to hunting as a sport. I started playing curling five years ago. The first thing my coach told me was “own referee”. He told me that we need to judge own behavior when I play any sports and that curling is a one of sports need more “own referee” than other sports. We don’t have referee most games except the big competition like national championship or Olympic games. And it is difficult for opponent team to find misplay. As I play curling for three years, I made some misplay. Most time nobody except me knows my misplays. But I knew. If I didn’t tell, nobody would know and we could continue a game with advantageous situation. But same time my conscience reminded me the coach told me that “curling is a sport of ladies and gentlemen. You have to play with pride. You always choose right way. You cannot do things you will be ashamed of later.” In fact, I broke the rule in early stage of the game and I didn’t tell anyone. My team could take advantage. But after that, my shot was wimble because I was nervous from hiding misplay. I made a lot of miss shots and my team lost that game. I was in bad feeling for a while. I’m sure if I told my misplay to the judge, I won’t feel that feeling and I could make good shots. I think I can say same thing about hunting. ‘Nobody’s watching’ is wrong. I’m watching what I do now. I would like to do the things I can proud myself but damage my own reputation when I hunt. I regard this is the spirit “to be my own referee”. I am not from a country which familiar with firearms or hunting. I was scared of firearms and hunting first time I saw them. Now I think hunting is a one of prestigious sports and I think I can enjoy this sport with pride.

New Year in New York

Fortunately, I could spent new year night in New York city! Who in the world doesn't know the countdown event at times square? world's most famous new year's event! I went there just to look how many people gathering the place around 2pm. It was mistake. It was messed up there, I couldn't find end of crowd. Everyone around me was trying to move somewhere, so I pushed away like a stone in big stream. Everybody had their destinations but nobody knows how to get there. Lots of police (wo)men surrounded us to tell directions and make barｒicade. I've never seen such a bunch of cops with guns, I was scared little. But somehow their face looked pleasant. Maybe They were excited to join the biggest event in whole year. It was lucky that my friend and I didn't lost from each other. After satisfied looking up the building the new year ball come down and taking pictures to proof I was there on new year's eve, we found burger king for the restroom and went to downtown to join different countdown event. Seeing polices occupying many seats at burger king was funny!







Where we went to count down is the restaurant-bar called 'Rodeo Bar'. Firsttime coming into the bar, we couldn't have a table so we had to wait standing for 30 minutes. After three bottles of beer we could have laptop-sized table for three perple. They have a space for bands to play. Several rockabilly bands played that night. I saw the balloons covered all ceiling on the bar to celebrate coming new year! It was so beautiful! And we had a lots of peanuts as a anack and I put shells back into the same basket they serve, then my friend told me 'You've gotta throw the shells away on the floor'. What? Do I need to make mess? But I looked around me and found the big mess! By hte end of the night the floor looked like chicken barn and I heard clacking sound everywhere.

Beauty in Numbers

I finished a book. I couldn't stop reading.

The title is "博士の愛した数式(Hakase no Aishita Susiki) which means "doctor's favorite formula".