Things that make it worthwhile

I've just come out of burnout phase of culture shock and I'm feeling lighter and more positive about things. Being the only one of my kind as far as I've reached around me can be tough sometimes. My kind being, a black South African girl and I'll go as far as saying Nguni South African girl as my Sotho counterparts tend to stick to themselves as far as I've experienced and I'm not one to pine for attention. The closest I've come to speaking any Nguni language was speaking  Xhosa with a Tswana lady from Botswana that I met at a JICA seminar. She was a much needed breath of air for me.

Anyways, after unpacking from my Taiwan trip I needed to get out so I called a friend and she chose the location. She took me to a wonderful bar, not too far from where I live but forgot to mention I should dress up. No worries though, I wasn't too shabby and I had makeup on (a rarity for me).  The barman was absolutely fabulous. A few days later I find out that he's actually well known all over the country and that the bar we went to is pretty upmarket and popular. That must've all been lost in translation when my friend just told me we were going to a nice bar...

I'm in love with my barman. The one at the place I usually go to. It's the music you see, all that wonderful music that keeps me coming back! Jazz, swing, funk, soul, neo-soul. He has it! I found out recently that he actually spent a few of his younger years travelling the world as a DJ. Im beggining to introduce him to some South African jazz. He's shown me pictures of himself with some other African artists.

I guess this weekend I was reminded why I came here in the first place. I came here to meet people. I think I had forgotten about that. I have a friend who has moved to the States and he said to me that going back home will never be the same again because I will miss the convenience of being in a first world country. That word bothered me a lot and still does. I have no illusions about that although he's talking like I come from the sticks. I know I will miss some conveniences about here but jeepers that's not why I came here. So I guess I feel a bit offended. I told him my heart belongs to the people I left back home.

And I have met people. Wonderful people! As I will continue to meet more. One of my friends called me on Monday evening and we went for drinks. She says I shouldn't feel pressured to go out with her if I don't want to during the week but I don't think she realized that I just missed her. Most of my Japanese friends are much older than I am. I don't know why but they make good conversation.
She says to me that her mother is fond of me. I met her mom and her aunt once. Despite the language barrier I think we had good gesture and eye-contact conversation. We had dinner once (at my favorite bar, once again). Actually my friend introduced me to that place.

I've never believed that verbal conversation is the be it and end all of communication and I'm learning the truth of that while my Japanese skills are still very poor. I find it weird when she says that usually when she speaks to English speakers, they don't understand her. I find her quite clear, despite the bad grammar. And we talk. A lot. It's wonderful. She says she enjoys speaking with me because I understand her and now she can practice the English she knows. I'm flattered. I enjoy having a friend to decipher the menu. I'm kidding, she teaches me a lot about what it is to be Japanese and Okinawan.

I bumped into some students at the beach on Sunday. The boys are just wonderful  crazy teenagers and I really wish I could communicate with them more. We tried to talk. The conversation was  filled with smiles and awkward shrugs from both ends. Now I know they know more English than what they let on but alas, the nerves! Bless them.
On my way to the carpark I bumped into some girls. Shrieks of excitement and hellos and pictures and questions about who I'm here with and all the English they can think of. I love my girls, always making the day seem brighter! Their energy is amazing and I hope I can express that in Japanese some day. But I was by myself and the trip was a meditational one. I just said "sunset " and everybody seemed to understand.

My supervisor helped me transfer some money home this week. We had a long chat where I told her about where I come from and why this is important to me. We had a heart to heart and I found in her  an attentive, kind woman who has many of the same oppinions as I. Whoever thought people could bond over a trip to the post office?

So its these things that I came here for. There's a lot more but this is an important one. When I begin to see God in the actions and words of people. The love in the care we all understand regardless of race, gender, religion, background, economic status or even language. This aspect of my journey here is clear and reminding myself of it makes it easier to get through the rough days.