Well today I used Japanese more than any other day thus far in Japan. It began with our second Japanese lesson. We exchanged very few actual sentences, but I did produce some follow-the-pattern sentences and named several pictures using Japanese. The real use of the language, however, came much later in the day. I’ll share my two stressful stories.
This past weekend, David and I had gone to Akihabara (known as electric city) to purchase a digital voice recorder for my research. This part of Tokyo is THE place to go for such things as a digital voice recorder, camera, and electronic dictionary, all items that we have purchased in Akihabara. This is where you get the best prices and the most recent models for the Japanese brands. And sometimes, only sometimes, a sales clerk speaks English. David had done the homework initially to help me determine a couple of recorders to consider. He also found prices on Amazon.jp in order to give us a price range in order to barter. I also read some reviews, so even though we went to four stores comparing prices and available models and did not find a clerk who spoke English, we were able to communicate and make our purchase without much anxiety. And even though the only available manual was in Japanese, we were fairly confident we could get an English manual off the Internet.
Like most of our trips to Akihabara, the time we spent there was much less than the time spent to get there! I was, indeed, both proud and excited about our little purchase, especially because I had been well instructed on how to get reimbursed from Waseda once I made my purchase. I went home with this great little recorder that is just what I need for my research and I would be reimbursed because I had gotten my “reshito” (receipt).
So today I took the recorder and the reshito to the woman in charge of research funds who had given me clear, specific instructions and warnings about making my purchase. I proudly showed her my reshito, but her face showed concern and anxiety. She doesn’t speak very much English and I speak so very little Japanese. She spoke in Japanese to me, and I could understand that my reshito was not what she meant by reshito even though I didn’t know the words she used. I tried to explain in Japanese that I had asked for the reshito and had gotten this paper. She kept saying it wasn’t a reshito. She then told me she was going to call the store where I had bought it. I understood the Japanese she used to tell me she was going to call the store, but I really did not understand the problem that would make her need to call the store.
I sat in the office while she called the store. I listened and understood bits and pieces of the phone call. After more than 10 minutes on the phone, in which her concern and seriousness did not disappear, she hung up and made another call. That one lasted only about 5 minutes; then she came back to me to explain. She spoke in Japanese, and I was not getting her meaning until she said in English “next time.” Whew! I was going to get reimbursed so I could listen a little better. Apparently the reshito I got was a tax-type receipt the stores in Akihabara are required to use, so they do not give cash registrar receipts. However, Waseda requires a cash registrar receipt for reimbursement. Next time, I will get both! She had gotten all the information she needed by phone; then called a supervisor to get approval to reimburse me for the 26,000 yen for my cool little recorder. That was really a good price—almost 3,000 yen less that at Amazon.jp and it is such a small, cute recorder! (David was also able to find the manual in English!)
I will also remember not to go do business in the SILS (School for International Liberal Studies) office on Wed afternoon when the office personnel who speak English are in a meeting!! Well, actually, I might just go on Wednesday afternoon again because it MADE me use Japanese and I did get through it.
So I left the SILS office to do a run to the 100 yen store to pick up some office supplies. On my way back to my office—less than a half block from my office, I realized I didn’t know where my keys were. I searched and searched and searched and could not find them. I retraced my steps and stopped at three stores to say in Japanese, “My keys. . .” and shrugged. Everyone searched then said “Nai.” (None.) I searched my purse again and this time found them! It was a very stressful afternoon but at least I know I am in a different country today! I could not imagine how I was going to get into my office. I would have had to talk to a security guard and convince him/her to let me in! That would have been more challenge than I was ready for!
As stressful as the events were today, they turned out all right, and I was being sincere when I wrote that I am glad for the times I actually have to use Japanese. It isn’t that everyone here speaks English. Very few people actually do. It is just that we work most of every day by ourselves, and the people I am in contact with most of the time do speak English. Even shopping we can do without knowing much Japanese. It is amazing how much a person can do here without knowing Japanese. I do, however, hope some day to actually be able to talk to people!
Good work for dealing with the situations, Mom! Now I bet you’ll always remember the Japanese word for “keys”!