widdle chwildren & confusion about Jpns relationships
So I went to my out-service daycare. As I entered the building, I said my usual prayer to the Universe, “Bless all day-care workers. Bless them for their patience, the taking care of people’s treasures while they’re working to support the family. May they get higher wages.”
My first class was alright except for this little 4-year old boy who liked screaming and carrying on. I said, “Stop jumping! Hold hands! Be careful, you’ll bump into everybody and get hurt!” Of course he couldn’t understand, but he screamed out of excitement and what happened? He collided with this girl, they both fell over, she fell on top of him and stepped on his face by accident. They got up and she said, “gomen ne! gomen ne!” (Sorry! Sorry!) but he started SOBBING and CRYING. @_@ I was like “OMG. _< LIKE I JUST TOLD YOU!"
I didn't feel sorry for him in the slightest. I patted him on the back and pretended to for a moment, and then went on with the lesson. I have 15 kids to handle at once....
Then in the second class, this one girl kept trying to lay across my lap, but I had to use my hands and lap so I kept gently placing her next to me. Then she said, "Look, look!" (in Japanese). I looked and there was a BIG ugly contagious-looking scary rash all over her leg. I was like, "Omg don't touch that and then touch me." She goes, "ITCHY!" *scratch scratch*
I was like, "OMG DON'T SCRATCH THAT! Don't touch me! Don't scratch that and then touch me!" I was constantly pulling her fingers out of her nose, too. LOL omg kids.
I was only there for one hour, and I had all the joy I could handle. Again. Bless all day-care service staff. AND like THREE of the little ones managed to slap my boob because they came at me at once and I could only deflect like TWO. ;_; Sexually harassed by 5 year olds. --;
Actually, our final flash card competition game was a HUGE SUCCESS and I am definitely doing that every freaking class period. u_U
Next topic.
I am disillusioned with Japanese families and relationships. Just a disclaimer: I’m not trying to insult Japanese people. I’m just trying to figure this out.
I’ve heard that couples tend to get married for love but a huge portion of it is stability. And once the woman has a child, she becomes ‘the mother’ and the man feels freer to get a ‘girlfriend?’ Somebody please tell me that this is not true. But I’ve heard this from many people, and I’ve also heard that men tend to have a few girlfriends. Someone PLEASE tell me this is NOT true. Why did an acquaintance show me a pic of his pregnant wife…. Oh wait, not her face, only her belly? WTF Why don’t you have your WHOLE WIFE’S beautiful body, including the head, on your phone, dude?
Every time I see a couple walk by holding hands, I wonder if they only have one significant other, and what they really feel for each other. It seems like everyone’s so awkward. Is it only Tokyo or Japan or am I getting this completely wrong?
I was eating at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant across from my office, and near me, was this 60-year old looking businessman sitting next to a pretty lady in her 20s. Nowadays parents tend not to have lunch with their daughters, right? Then, he answered his ringing phone and I overheard him talking about what kind of women he likes. “Oh I wouldn’t like that kind of girl…..right?” and kept giving this girl significant glances.
Well….one of my friends believes that if everybody’s aware of everything and is okay with everything, then anything is okay. So who am I to say that this is bad? If everybody is happy, it’s just their culture. There are Mormons who have a few wives, right? I’ll never forget the classical book “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck, that I had to read in high school. The farmer (main character) got married to a peasant woman with ‘large feet,’ and then got rich, and then was told by his neighbors that now ‘he had to go get a mistress because all rich people have mistresses.’ He was like, ‘Uh okay I guess so. Wouldn’t want to look bad in front of my neighbors.’ So he did.
That’s the culture.
So….? This is a warning to all cross-cultural daters. Your definition of a relationship may use the same ‘word’ but the actual contents may be different. American marriage does not = Japanese marriage. I believe this. Someone tell me I’m wrong. Of course, I’m not saying no Americans cheat on each other. The opposite…but I feel like the severity and degree of cultural acceptance is different…?? I don’t know, I’m trying to figure this out. …