Scribbler's Cafe

Under the Japanese sun

Kiomye and I were treated to a trip to the country yesterday by my friend Megumi. Megumi was in the English class I used to teach at the local community center and has been wonderful about keeping in touch and acting as host to her country. She drove us (along with her two kids Masaki and Miki) out to Tanba to pick grapes and kiwis on her parent's land.

The day was very hot, but much cooler once we ducked under the vines and walked deep into the vineyard. The grapes were wrapped in white bags while still on the vines to keep the bugs and birds from eating them. Pre-packaged! We selected some bunches and held our kids up so they could cut the stems with rusted scissors. We laid out gray tarps on the ground and sat down right in the vineyard and ate grapes until we could burst. (tabe-hodai!)

Megumi's daughter, Miki, squealed in horror when she saw that Kiomye and I were popping the grapes into our mouths and eating them whole. Megumi explained that Japanese people NEVER eat grape skins. "Why?" I asked and Megumi got that look I get when someone asks me something about my language that I have never noticed or thought about before, but used on a regular basis.

Why do words that are spelled exactly the same sound different?
What is the difference between capitol and capital?
Why can't I say the "blue big house" instead of "big blue house"?

uhhhh...... blink blink blink

Finally Megumi said, "Because we are Japanese." and nodded her head to show her pleasure with her logic and the resoluteness of her answer. Kiomye and I stopped eating the skins.

posted by Scribbler @ Sunday, September 03, 2006