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".

Teenage Dirtbag

I went to coffee shop to kill time. I brought my laptop and listened music in my laptop randomly. Sudden a long forgotten song started. This song was in a movie I watched when I was a 2nd year in university. The movie was a stereotyped school happy-ending love-comedy and I don't think it was big hit, but was still my little favorite movie. I had forgot about this for long time, but the heroine from this movie was the person I wanted to be. Yes, I can't and don't want to be a blonded beauty. Where my favorite part of her was she rocks but knows how to enjoy her life without money. She took a boy to a dating and show him that they don't need money to have fun. I was teenage and had no money when I saw this movie.

I didn't care about this song that time, but 2year later my boyfriend at the time gave me a MD (haha). This song was in that songs he chose for me and I loved this song. He also told me the song was in the movie and I was surprised because that was the first time to find a person who watched the movie!

Hmmmm...then I'm listening this song again today. This song reminded me my teen days. Phew... it was a good day indulgging in reminiscences. Let's check the movie...I think the title was 'Loser'.

Japanese Great Man in United States

I organized my pictures in my laptop. Then I found a picture from NYC visit. This picture is portrait of Sakamoto Ryoma. I found this picture at Brooklyn museum. I was almost cry when I found this. I was surprised him being in Brooklyn, NY! How he came to there? Most Japanese admire him and how many American know him? I am one of who adore him. Surely he is a xenomania. I can tell. He tried to smuggle himself to United States. He was the first Japanese wore pairs of boots instead of sandals and got ringworm on his feet. He carried a gun with him despite his sword technique. But why are you in Brooklyn museum?

If you were a Japanese you must know him and admire him. I read him in novel, textbook, TV proram, manga, everywhere. He was born in 1836 at the end of the samurai period. He was a son of merchant in Tosa domain where class discrimination was strict. He made a big effort on Japanese modernism. Japanese goverment those days were closed our port from other countries (I mentioned before), but he inclucated that the goverment'd better open the port up otherwise Japane will be colonized by western countries.　He also said it was unavoidable to overthrow the Shogunate for this aim. So he had many political enemy and was fugitive for most of his life. He was assassinated on his 31st birthday. Although he couldn't see the ports opened to other countries, there was Meiji revolution next year and Japan has never been colonerized.

The text behind him is telling (I guess) "spirit of hero went into dream." Have a good dream, Ryoma!

Ready For Christmas!

Snow covered on ground last Saturday. We have snowing today again, now every thing is white. Okay, cyclorama (new word from theater class) is perfect for Christmas. From last weekend, everyone in the United States seemed to get ready for Christmas. I saw several cars went by with pine tree on its roof. This is not familiar in Japan. I also noticed the houses and stores decorated with illuminations in my neighborhood. My friend told me that 'winter is dark and cold which make us sad, but we have a most brilliant holiday that's remarkable.' That is true! I don't like snwing, but I love illuminations against snow. I will decorate our house this evening with my host family. We will put a tree, a wreath, lightings. We have lots of to do. Then we will be ready for Christmas!

New York, New Hat, New Jacket

I visited my friend in brooklyn this holiday weekend.
I walked around Manhattan last time I visit, I stayed in Brooklyn most time this visit. My friend showed me many place tourist don't go. Hip!! Taking subway and walking on streets is the New York life for me, it makes me feel myself like a city girl!

Day 1 (Thu) : I arrived at airport around noon on Thursday. Because it was Thanks Giving day, most stores were closed and my friend and I have nothing to do that night. So we decided to eat dinner out at italian restaurant (not turkey) and checked out some DVDs and watched it. I was bored little and thought it was not special thing of New York life nor Thanks Giving at all, I can do same thing in Minnesota...but he told me this is the thanks giving day. Okay okay, I can go around New York city next day......went to bed early.

Day 2 (Fri): I woke up around 7 and went woke my friend up to go out.....but he told me nothing is open till 10 and he went sleep again. So I decided to read book waiting him. Bored again. Here is tip 1; New York is late city. Don't go sleep early. Don't wake up early. New Yorker have only two meal a day...brunch and dinner. Well, I couldn't stand anymore and managed to bring my friend out from his apartment around 10 and we went to eastvillage in Manhattan and see our friends and branch. Then, no restaurant was open! My friend was right! Everybody were looking at me and 'See? New York is late city'...sorry, but I was so excited being in New York city. Well, my friends are good New Yorker so they found a restaurant was good, thank you! Then they took me to CBGB store, I didn't know that but CBGB was a famous music club and Ramones played first act there. Ok! I got a T-shirts! Then two friends needed to wash jeans so we said bye bye to them and headed to MoMA. This was second visit to there because I can tell MoMA is my favorite museum in the world for now. I can live there and sleep in front of Sleeping Gypsy. But we left Moma of course and walked to Eastvillage to see laundry-finished-friends again and have dinner at Indian restaurant then went to drink Sake.

Day 3 (Sat): I woke up early again, I don't know why. Maybe I was still excited being in New York. So I waited my friend to wake up again. Bored again. I should have gone out by myself. Why I didn't think about it? Anyway I waited, it seemed forever. And I waited till my friend woke up around 11.
We went to Williamsburg that day.
I waited my friend finishing his DJ work till 4am. I slept

Day 4 (Sun): At last I learned to sleep till noon. Now I can be a New Yorker, right? And ate out brunch (like New Yorker), walked around Park Slope. I enjoyed brown stones and small shops on the streets. We went to free market in his neighborhood. My friend bought a sock monkey for me. Because I told him my favorite thing lately is sock monkey. He (sock monkey) is a typical sock monkey I imagined, in jeans.

Day 5 (Mon): Woke up 4 in morning. It was the return day to Minnesota. I took plane from New Ark. Nornal days started...sad. But I will be back soon, New York! Because I fell in love with you, New York city!

The Big Issue

I visited one of my favorite website today. I read today was a weekly content that famous people introduce their five favorite books (or magazine).
The person of this week was Kami Hiraiwa an actress in Japan. She introduces the magazine 'the big issue'. I didn't know this magazine, so I was impressed when I know the purpose of this magazine. You can't get this magazine at bookstore. The only way to buy this magazine is homeless people. This is a project to help homeless people to get a job and work. I don't think It is good for homeless people to give money. That can't help them in the true sense of the term. What should we do is to help that people to get job.

Pompeii

I had a class 'life and death in Pompeii' at Concordia Uiniversity Saint Paul. This class was connected to the exhibition at Minnesota Science Museum.

Later I know that the father of my host child's friend helped designing volcano map. He teaching volcano in a college. There was a big map showing where we have volcanoes in the world with red LED. Japan was perfectory red and it made me scared.

Interview: Takeshi Kitano

Takeshi Kitano is a famous Japanese film director or a comedian known the world over . I don't know him very much. But I found an article of his comment about Japanese culture in Western culture at MSN news and was very interesting, so I'd like to try translate it below.

Q: Recently, western people use a word 'Cool Japan' and Japanese contemporary culture tend to be accepted by them actively. Do you feel this movement as a producer of this kind of culture when you are in abroad country?

The first time I went to abroad, Japan was thought as a small Asian country which defeated in war. After that, I think we were considered that we got a great economic glowth and had money as well. However I came to go to abroad as a director in 1990's, I felt the chenge how I was treated. When I went to the film festival in Venice, related parties treated me respectfully and many people asked me my autograph or picture with me when I walked around the city. They were happy with my autograph. This remind me how we treated European people in Japan decade ago. Then naturally I realized I don't need to abase myself, and felt I am recognized to many people.

Q: Why do you think Japanese culture is accepted in western culture?

well, Japanese are good with details for everything, I mean precise. You will get if you compare Japanese food to junk food from United States. It can happen that I can't eat sushi at a sushi bar in France beside of Japanese food fad. They looks Sushi, but they were not, like French understand nothing about sushi! See, only Japanese can make sushi. Japanese chef told me 'those are just a mess'. There is such a big difference.
　the culture in such 隣近所を意識するような国はcontries are precise. I don't think it still works no longer though.　Hollywood movie goes like 'How many people watches?' Trying to gather people, nothing is better than 'knockabout'. Using CG and explosion! They are fun あれは確かにディズニーランド的でいいからと思うんだよね」
　However, I think Japan can exist because of the United States. Also in Cultural side. We need the United States. We need Desney land, Mcdonaldo and KFC. They make Japanese culture shine out standing in contrast. Both culture are related each other, not independent. We usually 'compare to' something when thinking of the things. It is same when we think about Japanese culture, we compare this to American culture, I think. I am sure that 'broad' American culture is neccesary, so opposite Japanese culture are accepted to those countries.

Stronge Than Me

Amy Winehouse is my new favorite singer. But I know only one song she sings. I play her CD in my car(I mean my host's car), but my host kids don't let her sing other song. because they love only one song. It made me addictred. The title of the song is 'Stronger than me'. This song goes....

You should be stronger than me
You been here 7 years longer than me
Don't you know you supposed to be the man,
Not pal in comparison to who you think I am,

You always wanna talk it through - I don't care!
I always have to comfort you when I'm there
But that's what I need you to do - stroke my hair!

Cos' I've forgotten all of young love's joy,
Feel like a lady, but you my lady boy,

You should be stronger than me,
But instead you're longer than frozen turkey,
Why'd you always put me in control?
All I need is for my man to live up to his role,
Always wanna talk it through- I'm ok,
Always have to comfort you every day,
But that's what I need you to do - are you gay?

He said 'the respect I made you earn -
Thought you had so many lessons to learn'
I said 'You don't know what love is - get a grip!' -
Sounds as if you're reading from some other tired script

I'm not gonna meet your mother anytime
I just wanna rip your body over mine
So tell me why you think that's a crime

I've forgotten all of young love's joy
Feel like a lady, but you my lady boy
You should be stronger than me.....

My children, 2 and 4 years girl and boy sings this song(almost all!) every morning and afternoon! I didn't know this song. But after hearing the kids sang this song, I became a fan of her! Because 4 year-old boy sang ' You been here 7 years longer than me. Don't you know you supposed to be the man' emotionally. Also 2 year-old girl was trying to sing. That was so cute!


Chenging the subject, I sometime think Amy Winehouse and our teacher Lisa looks like to each other....no?