Reflections

Today was a day off which therefore made it a day for reflection.  There are a couple of things that I'd like to reflect on as it's been nearly two weeks now that I've been there:

First, I don't like the word "foreigner" as appropriate as it may be for my situation.  I think, because I live in Hawai'i most people who come to Hawai'i are called visitors or tourists so foreigner has a harsh sound.  The word in Japanese for foreigner is Gaikokujin, and that's what everyone would have to refer to me as because I'm not a "tourist" or just an "out-of-towner" and in my mind I think that holds a negative context.  That's probably why I see, although it may not all be revealed here, negative things towards me.  I think I've decided from here on out to refer to myself as an extended stay tourist.

Secondly, I don't think I'm trying hard enough to learn Japanese.  I think I'll have to make some sort of rule, like maybe cutting out YouTube or something to make sure that I at least watch Japanese TV.  I think the problem is that that the TV that I have doesn't always have movies and I love movies.  Maybe if I limit myself to one movie for myself that I brought per day and that's my max cap at English...I don't know.  But, I need to get on it.

Third, I don't know why I'm so scared to talk to people at the Grocery Store when I can't find something.  Today, I finally did and they didn't know what I was talking about so I ended up asking them to look in my Japanese dictionary (ordered in Japanese, so its faster for them to do it); and they had no problem doing it! I gotta build that bridge.

Those are a few things I've reflected on.  Here's to the end of this day, as tomorrow is a new dawn.

(=^_^=)