Dinner with friends and Independence Day

I posted an article much sooner than I had origionally planned. Well, July 4th was Independence day for myself. I didn't really do anything except watch the movie "Independence Day." Usually on this day in the U.S.A. there are many fireworks and other activities. Also, this is traditionally the day that people who apply and are accepted for U.S. citizenship are sworn-in and become American citizens. That's still true about America. Anyone who wants (and there is a waiting list and education requirement) can become a American and they will be accepted as a American citizen by other Americans, but for other countries there is often a genetic requirement. Meaning, even if you can get citizenship, you are not always seen as a true countryman by other citizens. This is not ONLY true in the U.S. but, it is definitely true of the U.S. This is my second Independence Day away from home.

Anyways, one of my friends is returing to her home country for a couple months (she is the only one of us that is allowed to do that for such a long time, the rest of us can only be gone from Japan for less than a month at a time). Actually, I don't like that rule. If I feel like going home for more than a month I will do it even if it's against the rules. I don't really like being told what I can and cannot do (seeing as how I am a responsible adult who can make decisions for myself). I will decide how long I stay away from Japan, without anyone elses help. Back to my friend who is returing home. We went out to eat with her at a small Italian place in Sakurayama (it's between Nagoya City University and Nagoya City Museum). Actually, although the place was small, I liked the atmosphere and there wern't that many people until we had been there for about an hour. Of course, the dishes were much smaller than I had hoped (but I am use to that). They made the wrong type of pizza (we ordered a different pizza than what they made for us), but we told them that it was okay and we ate it anyways. They told us that the pizzas were large, but they were really small (I guess we have different concepts of size). It was okay. The taste was pretty good. I think I will go back to that place again when I have time.

In the photo that I took at the Italian place, you should be able to see (starting with the person on the left and going clock wise around the table): Paul from Equador, Wyle from Palestine, Toyoshima-san from Japan (she is the lady who runs the office of the Kaikan, the place I use to live, on the weekdays), La from Loust (I doubt I spelled her country correctly, but she is the one returning home), and finally Marni from the Philippines (why do we spell the country with a Ph and the people from the country with an F... Philippines and Filipino (for men) and Filipina (for women)?) When La returns home, she is going to visit her family for a couple weeks and then go to the capital city of her country and do research the remaining time. Maybe her trip home won't be that fun (but I hope it is). Actually, at the Italian place I had to REMIND EVERYONE (it's required by Texas law:) that my state is bigger than all of their countries (it is kind of a true joke that I like to make with them). However, Marni pointed out that my state is not larger than all of their countries put together (and he is correct), it's just bigger than most of their countries put together. It was pretty fun I guess. I can make almost everyone at the table laugh with my jokes, except Toyoshima-san (and she actually does laugh at some of them). I think it's more difficult to make Toyoshima-san laugh because she does not always know if I am serious or just joking (it has to do with a different concept of humor between Japan and other countries). The words irony and sarcasim (which my jokes are usually heavily based off of) don't translate correctly into Japanese (they have bad meanings). In fact, even when I try to explain what these are to a Japanese person I usually fail. If you tell a joke in Japan it is probably best to make sure the joke is straight forward. It will probably be mis-understood other wise. Anyways, that's all for today.

In the spirit of Independence Day, the quote of the day is by Elmer Davis:

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."

See ya'll later.

-Adios