I have to miss Japanese class

What a bummer. I plan on going to Professor Noguchi's section, but it just won't be the same (although Dougsan from my Asian Art class will be there). Alas. That's all I can think of in terms of this week.

My blog must feel neglected

So it's been a while, alas. I forgot to write this week due to lots of studying, which I feel paid off on the big exam. Jennysan and I got together a couple of times (also Dougsan from one of Noguchisensei's sections) over break to benkyoshimasu.

Anyway I didn't really encounter any Japanese people which seems to be the impetus for my writing in my blog. I am gearing up for another intensive yoga weekend, where I'm sure to encounter at least one. I know because I actually emailed her. I've started researching ANOTHER grant propsal because I want to get some money to go to Japan after I graduate to study and teach yoga. I heard that yoga is getting really big there, but that in Japan the interest is in studying yoga from the United States, not from India. So you have this kind of roundabout way in which an Eastern tradition moves to the United States, becomes very Westernized, and then people in Japan get turned onto it and it moves back to the East. Whoa! So how does that all work out? That's the crux of my research question, although there's some other questions involved, too. If anyone knows anyone who practices or teaches yoga in Japan I'd really like to get in touch with them.

Okay I guess that's all for now.

not much to write about this week.

I AM TOO BUSY but I'll write a little bit anyway. I wrote a grant proposal to go do reasearch in Japan this summer; on Wednesday I had this strange experience where I called a museum to see if I could do research there this summer if I get the grant. But they didn't speak English! Oh no. The weird part was that I was talking on the phone with a Japanese person. Not that that's weird, I guess... what I'm trying to say is, I'm so used to hearing recorded Japanese in these canned circumstances through courseworks. So hear I was again hearing a digitized version of a human's voice, but it was actually a real human!!! It was one of those disequilibrium moments where the sheltered academic environment of Butler library brushed up against the real world. Hmm... I hope I get this grant.

My step-mother called the museum later on to feel them out about my visit and they are apparently excited about the prospect of me coming. And they can get me a translator from the Matsue tourism board. So the story has a happy ending.

My composition!

はじめまして。なまえはコンラドです。ニユーヨークからきました。２４歳です。Columbiaだいがくのさんえんせいです。　せんこうはちゆうごくごです。いちねんからちゆうごくごをべんきょします。せんでつからにほんごをべんきょうします。わたしはまいにちColumbiaのButlerとしよかんににほんごとちゆうごくごをべんじょします。どうぞよろしく。