Overheard in Mito

I recently came across a website called "Overheard in New York" (it's not appropriate for all audiences, so I won't put a link to it here). Every day, New Yorkers post snippets of conversations they've overheard on subways, in bagel shops, at Broadway shows, in Central Park, ...:) and, of course, at many other not-as-New York-y places. It seems that the best comedy is often in your own backyard, and that's why we present to you...OVERHEARD IN MITO!
Sometimes our friends and teachers have a flair for the poetic (in English)...
"Mark-sensei...when you lit that pumpkin...it was beautiful." After what was apparently a very touching Halloween presentation.
"Kelly-sensei...your chopstick work is excellent." So that's why he was watching me so carefully during lunch time.
"I have no time to love somebody." Our friend Shingeru, explaining his current single status. One of the more ironic moments in Japanese...
Scene: a teacher and a secretary discuss a meeting handout as they stand right next to my desk, assuming I can't understand (hence the irony)
"Oh, don't bother giving a handout to Kelly. She can never understand anything anyways. Poor thing."
Kids say the darndest things, part deux...
in Japanese:
"How do you say 'bye-bye' in English? How about 'rocketo'? How about 'cakey'?"Yes, these are all "Japanese" words too. Correct answers are: "bye-bye," "rocket" and "cake."
in English:
"My name is Yuri. I like peach. I want to be a flower shop. Thank you." Just another day of giving speeches in a 6th grade class.
"I'm fine happy!" One of my favorite third-grade students who can't get the hang of choosing just one response to "how are you?"
"Mark sensei! Make yourself!" One of his favorite fourth grade classes, introducing their lunchtime end-of-the-year party. He thinks they were going for "make yourself at home."
"Teddy bear, teddy bear, shoyu [soy sauce] ramen, teddy bear, teddy bear, miso ramen..."A first-grade improvisation of the "Teddy Bear" jump rope chant that I taught them. To Japanese kids' ears, "show your shoes" sounds like "shoyu"--why not make it about ramen instead of shoes?
"See you neck tie [next time]!!!" Mark's students, realizing that they now know enough English to make clever jokes.

There you have it. The Big Apple's got nothing on M-town. Visit us sometime...you never know what you might overhear.

Happy 24

24 years ago, in a Dallas hospital room, Ronda Barneche gave birth to a precious, brown-eyed baby boy. It's this writer's opinion that our lives, and the world in general, is the better for it (and no, this is not Mark writing!) That cute little tot has grown into a funny, intelligent, energetic, giving, talented, and overall amazing person (if any AETs are reading this, don't tell any of our Japanese friends that I said those kind things about him...:)) He blesses our lives, we love him for it, and I hope you'll join me in giving him a big ol' Japanese-style........

HAPPY BASUDAY!!!!!

Anko--Beans Aren't A Good Dessert

Ah, anko. How many times have I eyed a sweet-looking treat, my mouth watering at the prospect of biting into what looked like chocolatey goodness, only to discover that I was actually biting into...bean paste. Sure, I should have known; once you know what to look for, you can see the difference between the rich brown color of chocolate and the reddish hue of anko. But since I'm new to the idea of sweetened beans being someone's idea of a great dessert, I've assumed, incorrectly, several times now, that I was being offered a chocolate delicacy. There was the pagoda-shaped cake at the temple in Tokyo, filled with anko; there was the pancake sandwich, filled with anko; there was the cream puff, filled with anko. And most recently, there was a reversal on the usual theme...an anko cake filled with: rice! Pounded, sticky rice mush, called mochi (which is really okay when not surrounded by anko).
Now, I'm not against rice, and I'm not against beans. Because of my family's roots in Brazil, I have eaten many a delicious lunch or dinner of rice and beans. But I'm not sure if I will ever get used to adzuki bean paste as dessert. Of course, that's what I said about green tea and tofu...later I'll tell you about my conversion to those.