After rehearsal as I sat in the lounge eating my squash and tofu, I found myself absorbed in an exchange that the Japanese bassoonist was having with the Americans around her. She speaks very little (well, maybe no) English and will be visiting Chicago (and America) for the first time. And so a brief glimpse into reverse cultural acclimation. I'm so happy that tipping is something that I disposed of when I came here rather than a custom I had to acquire. "Chipu?" "No, TIP, it's about 15-20% but you don't have to be exact just round and for taxis it's a little different, and hotels you don't have to but sometimes you can. And carry your purse like this and be careful with your money. And it's really really cold and windy, like Hokkaido."
And then the hour plus long English lesson, trying to train an ear to sounds that the mouth has never made. The Japanese are so great with vowels, they just hate to end a word without one, or put two consonants together without a vowel to befriend them. And trying to learn the difference between lend and borrow, a lesson that I'm trying to get used to as well as I work with Japanese. Why is it so hard to translate this concept into a new language? I sympathize; I don't know why it's so difficult but it is.
But mostly what I liked about the exchange was the way she would enthusiastically turn to me to practice a phrase with a big gesture and a smile, "Ito hasu binu a longu timeu!" Always with a deepened throaty voice, perhaps that's the American sound. I really enjoy this type of warmth that transcends language. It may be one of my favorite things here.
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