Getting to know my coworkers

I cannot understand when people speak here. I can pick out some Japanese words that I know as well those that are derived from foreign words that are shared world-wide. Today someone kept saying my name so I knew he was talking about me. I could tell it wasn't in a negative way but I was curious what he was saying. He has been really great about looking up things in English and discussing them with others and then trying them out on me. At lunch he said he use to work in a restaurant making Udon noodles and would make me some for lunch tomorrow. Now he is making noodles for the WHOLE lab :-) So that time he kept saying my name, he was looking up English translations for how to communicate this. There is another girl who looks up words to communicate. She is super adorable. Both of these students are more outgoing in general. I do not think it is a cooincidence that they are the two with interresting hobbies: ice hockey (guy) and flying engineless biplanes (girl). Everybody else in the lab has a hobby of reading, watching movies, drinking, watching sports or playing an asian board/card game (only one hobby per person). These two students are my favorite :-) Flying gliders: riding air drafts like a bird, up, up, up? That is pretty badass. They remind me of me/ many Americans: more willing to take on new things out of their comfort zone/ expertise. They have also invited me to do fun things around town. I don't know if they know just how rare and awesome they are here. Side note, I would bet money that they end up dating.

Update* The Udon Noodles were amazing. I had thought it would just be noodles but when I arrived for lunch, other items had been brought in also and it had become a lunch party. It was very kind of them. I cried a little inside :-)

Some of my lab members at the Udon party. Mr Noodle is the second from the left.  

I began in the lab last Wednesday. We had a welcome party on Monday. It is awkward to have a party throw, specifically to welcome you, at a restaurant (though way less awkward than throwing a party for yourself for any occasion). The badass girl organized it. Until Monday, I wasn't sure who was in my lab. The majority of folks were not around much or didn't talk to me. Post-party, everybody is super nice and friendly. It is strange to me that the Japanese education system involves reading and writing in English from grade-school but no listening or speaking. Consequently, it is super-difficult to communicate. I really think they need to change the education format so all their time would be made more useful/applicable.

I'm trying to learn Japanese. Considering our lunches, and how much my life revolves around food, I expect to be fully-versed in all things food-related :-) I went to lunch, on Sunday, with two others from "Amerika." We got through the entire lunch using our limited Japanese to communicate with the restaurant staff. It was fun. I was proud of us.