3.18.2004
Beware helpful people / Another obnoxious American
I got irrationally peeved at a friend the other day for helping me to find her when I was lost. I'm a navigation maniac. Which is to say I wasn't really lost, just homing in. It's weird, ever since I got back to Japan it's like (and I know to say it jinxes it...knock wood) my internal GPS got switched on.
Probably it has to do with the fact that I read maps and look for landmarks more than I used to.
Actually, that rather reminds me there was an interesting piece on TAL (I think) a few years back about how men and women navigate differently. Evidently women have a greater tendency to use landmarks and men, spacial relationships. I think I lean toward the latter, which is good in Osaka. But I do, sometimes get turned around and then I have to start looking for landmarks.
I'm terrible at spacial relationships when it comes to driving, but then, I'm not the best driver ever either.
This is all the long way of saying I got lost today because I foolishly accepted the (unrequested) assistance of a stranger. I was in Shin-Tennoji with a very limited amount of time, attempting to get to the immigration bureau to get my re-entry permit in order to get my India travel visa.
I'm outside the subway station, a bit confused and looking at my map when a smart-looking businessman asks where I need to go. I barely start to say, showing the map, when he says, oh it's this way I'll take you I'm going that way anyway.
And a-waaay-we go. I'm still not oriented (no it's not a pun dork) but (a) I was told it's difficult to find and (b) I'm in a hurry so...
It's drizzling but I'm not using my umbrella because I'm a geek from Oklahoma/Texas and it never occurs to me to use it till I'm half drenched by the permeating mist. We don't have rain like this in Texas and unless there are actual raindrops, anyone who pulled out their umbrella would probably raise a few eyebrows. Can't take a little rain, eh?
So he's not talking to me, just walking and I'm walking and he's trying to keep the umbrella over both of us and I'm just looking out for henchmen wondering if this is their scheme, wait for foreign women to come out of the subway near immigration and look at their map then lead them off to the slave traders (see mom, I do listen, I just don't act on it). Of course I mostly think this to amuse myself, but I prepare to whip out some martial arts moves just in case. Ha.
And it seems to me we're both going in the wrong direction. I try to mention this once or twice without being too rude and I get a polite but mildly annoyed "I know where I'm going". So yeah, I'm looking at landmarks and wondering when I can safely make a break.
We come to a major street and he points up the road--it's two lights up and to the left. Thanks.
Two lights up and to the left I find the International House Hotel where the staff are kind enough to look at my map and point me in the right direction.
By the time I got to the Immigration Bureau I was fried and what's more, out of time. Besides being in a rather inconvenient location (an hour from where I live), the woman denies the ability to speak English. Now this is a question I never ask, to tell the truth. I would rather spend an hour misunderstanding someone in Japanese than let that first word escape my lips, but today, oh today.
I need the visa for India, I'm going skiing tomorrow and I don't even own a pair of gloves yet. I'm at immigration and I figure the woman behind the sign that reads "information" in English might, might be able to help.
So before I know what I'm doing I hear myself asking in Japanese, do you speak English? What a horror. Then before I know it random short phrases in English start interjecting themselves into my query. She does, it turns out, understand, she's just not going to play that game and I'm thinking I have to be at work in 40 minutes and it's an hour trip but I'm here so...
Sooo...say thanks, take the form, grab a better map in Japanese this time and run to the subway. I somehow magically fly through the gate and onto an already departing train, run barrels through Umeda and land on a rapid express. I sigh and turn to the David Rakoff book I'm reading in the desperate search for something more critical than me. 20 minutes later I arrive with time to buy a pastry and waltz casually into the office.
Good morning! How are you!
Great thanks! How about you!
I confess I did kvetch to my coworker about it and she pointed out that the immigration bureau in Los Angeles doesn't offer service in Japanese either.
But they should! There must be a false economy in not employing people who can actually help immigrants. And surely they offer service in Spanish, they must, right? I'm very into false economies.
Yeah, today I'm an ugly American. But that's okay, tomorrow's Groundhog day according to me because I'll be doing it all again. Hopefully I'll get it right this time.
Probably it has to do with the fact that I read maps and look for landmarks more than I used to.
Actually, that rather reminds me there was an interesting piece on TAL (I think) a few years back about how men and women navigate differently. Evidently women have a greater tendency to use landmarks and men, spacial relationships. I think I lean toward the latter, which is good in Osaka. But I do, sometimes get turned around and then I have to start looking for landmarks.
I'm terrible at spacial relationships when it comes to driving, but then, I'm not the best driver ever either.
This is all the long way of saying I got lost today because I foolishly accepted the (unrequested) assistance of a stranger. I was in Shin-Tennoji with a very limited amount of time, attempting to get to the immigration bureau to get my re-entry permit in order to get my India travel visa.
I'm outside the subway station, a bit confused and looking at my map when a smart-looking businessman asks where I need to go. I barely start to say, showing the map, when he says, oh it's this way I'll take you I'm going that way anyway.
And a-waaay-we go. I'm still not oriented (no it's not a pun dork) but (a) I was told it's difficult to find and (b) I'm in a hurry so...
It's drizzling but I'm not using my umbrella because I'm a geek from Oklahoma/Texas and it never occurs to me to use it till I'm half drenched by the permeating mist. We don't have rain like this in Texas and unless there are actual raindrops, anyone who pulled out their umbrella would probably raise a few eyebrows. Can't take a little rain, eh?
So he's not talking to me, just walking and I'm walking and he's trying to keep the umbrella over both of us and I'm just looking out for henchmen wondering if this is their scheme, wait for foreign women to come out of the subway near immigration and look at their map then lead them off to the slave traders (see mom, I do listen, I just don't act on it). Of course I mostly think this to amuse myself, but I prepare to whip out some martial arts moves just in case. Ha.
And it seems to me we're both going in the wrong direction. I try to mention this once or twice without being too rude and I get a polite but mildly annoyed "I know where I'm going". So yeah, I'm looking at landmarks and wondering when I can safely make a break.
We come to a major street and he points up the road--it's two lights up and to the left. Thanks.
Two lights up and to the left I find the International House Hotel where the staff are kind enough to look at my map and point me in the right direction.
By the time I got to the Immigration Bureau I was fried and what's more, out of time. Besides being in a rather inconvenient location (an hour from where I live), the woman denies the ability to speak English. Now this is a question I never ask, to tell the truth. I would rather spend an hour misunderstanding someone in Japanese than let that first word escape my lips, but today, oh today.
I need the visa for India, I'm going skiing tomorrow and I don't even own a pair of gloves yet. I'm at immigration and I figure the woman behind the sign that reads "information" in English might, might be able to help.
So before I know what I'm doing I hear myself asking in Japanese, do you speak English? What a horror. Then before I know it random short phrases in English start interjecting themselves into my query. She does, it turns out, understand, she's just not going to play that game and I'm thinking I have to be at work in 40 minutes and it's an hour trip but I'm here so...
Sooo...say thanks, take the form, grab a better map in Japanese this time and run to the subway. I somehow magically fly through the gate and onto an already departing train, run barrels through Umeda and land on a rapid express. I sigh and turn to the David Rakoff book I'm reading in the desperate search for something more critical than me. 20 minutes later I arrive with time to buy a pastry and waltz casually into the office.
Good morning! How are you!
Great thanks! How about you!
I confess I did kvetch to my coworker about it and she pointed out that the immigration bureau in Los Angeles doesn't offer service in Japanese either.
But they should! There must be a false economy in not employing people who can actually help immigrants. And surely they offer service in Spanish, they must, right? I'm very into false economies.
Yeah, today I'm an ugly American. But that's okay, tomorrow's Groundhog day according to me because I'll be doing it all again. Hopefully I'll get it right this time.
