Part 4- Paaty!

Last night my house mate Naka-San took us to a hot-pot party with some of her friends. It is kind of like fondue, with a big bowl of broth and lots of vegetables instead of cheese, and you dip in thin strips of meat. It was very tasty, I didn't understand most of the conversation but I know how to say "Yum" and "thank you" in Japanese and those seem to be serving me well. There was an ex-TLP worker, an architect woman and a farmer man, all were in their early-mid twenties. I am getting good at smiling and nodding when I don't understand, ironic that one of the few japanese phrases I know how to say is "yes, I understand," I mean really, when is that going to be applicable. Kat told me later how they in fact had a whole conversation about me, and how it was so strange to see someone so tall and so blonde. They had these strange wooden pegs, painted as japanese people, that were in fact instruments to perform acupuncture massage. They ended up getting all these diagrams out for me to know where to apply pressure and what part of the body that affected. They didn't know how to say the body parts in english so it became a game of charades, guessing what body part they were talking about. After that we went to the onsen again because our shower is still broken, more naked ladies walking around, although I'm getting used to it now.

 I slept in this morning till 10, but as soon as I got up Naka-san let me know that Takano-san (head of the firm) and his wife were coming to pick kat and I up momentarily to take us to the Otofuke village new years party. The party wasn't really much of a party, mostly people in suits watching the mayor talk and then there was lots of food. Takano-san introduced us to most of his friends, and apparently he is friends with a lot of people. It was really funny to have all these Japanese people just start talking to me and asking me questions in Japanese, even though I have no clue what they are saying. I usually answer in a Hai, Daniella-San (my name), Toronto ni, or Canada-jin (Canadian). This time though Takano-san translated a lot so I was able to carry out some conversation. I also met the mayor or Otofuke and his wife! The party thing lasted only an hour and a half, and as soon as it was announced ended, people cleared out really efficiently, and the staff came and just started packaging the left over food and handing it to people. Kat and I looked very confused and of course I am foreign so they wanted to give me lots of 'traditional japanese style food,' so we ended up taking home about 4 big platters of food, a carton or orange juice, a bottle or sake, and lots of little sweets. Takano-san then took us to a famous sweets factory, and bought us cake, and his wife bought us these traditional snack things. We felt really guilty have just acquired so much food and generosity.

There is another party on Tuesday and another one for the opening of the light festival on friday. Too much birru!