All You Need is Laugh

I had a lot to laugh about during my 10 days trip to Japan in November 2014. I exerted myself to win tears from a young saleslady at a platform kiosk. She used her company phone to call my friend when I got lost at Sobu Line Akihabara station. I drowned my sleepiness in waves of laughter at a Rukugo Vaudeville Theater. All I could remember was four Rukugo artistists made faces at me sitting at the center first row. I almost flew out of window nude standing on bed when I craned my neck to get a better photo of sunrise from Room 616 at Yoyogi Olympic Center for Youth. I lost my new Sony camera right before I came to Japan. I had to take my antique Konica Minolta Dimage Xg with me. I almost committed shinju (love suicide) with it in Japan.

Sweet Emiko—Saturday November 8th, 2014

The moment I came out from the Narita Airport Exit of Terminal One, I saw Emiko with her trademark sweet sweet smile. I felt so warm that Emiko came all the way from Kaihin Makuhari to greet me at the airport. Emiko just visited me in Taipei in August this year.

Emiko and I first met when we studied French at Chambéry in July 1994. Two decades ago was like yesterday. Emiko was on a two years program, I was on one month. Even though we belonged to different classes, we became friends in the Asian Beauties Circle for one month. Despite age differences, Emiko and I cherish our friendship ever since and pay regular visits to each other.

Emiko's roomate Mark is from New Zealand. He prepared his favorite mutton stew for dinner. The taste was exactly like the one I had in Mongolia, authentic with meat, onion, potato, and carrot. Not much salt and spices were added. New Zealand and Mongolia, the only two countries I know with more livestock than human beings, are similar in house dishes.

Emiko is interested in languages, so is Mark. When Emiko told me that she had been working on the English proficiency test, I was not surprised. When Mark informed me of Japan Kanji Aptitude Test, I was determined to take the challenge. I surfed on line about the test. It examines the ability to read and write kanji, understand their meanings, use Kanji correctly in sentences, and identify their correct stroke order. The test time is 60 minutes for level 7 and above. An 80% score is required for levels 2, pre-1 and 1. Passing levels pre-1 and 1 is especially rare even among native speakers. Level 1 is so difficult that fewer than 2000 people take it each time, and fewer than 15% of those pass. As there is no test venue in Taipei, I must go to Japan to take Japan Kanji Aptitude Test! If Mark can pass level 1, so can I. My Chinese will definitely become better if I pass level 1!